2023 Power Players in Health Care

Dr. Ajayi is a board-certified family medicine physician and CEO of Cityblock, a value-based health care provider for Medicaid and dually eligible beneficiaries. Previously, she was chief medical officer of Commonwealth Care Alliance, an integrated health plan and care delivery system for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Dr. Ajayi serves on the board of directors of Evolent Health and is a co-founder of Coalition Partners, and in 2023 was named to TIME100 Next and STATUS Lists.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
I grew up in Kenya during the AIDS epidemic and became very sensitive to the impact of health care disparities on specific communities. I learned that not all communities have consistent access to high-quality health care, and wanted to do my part in providing holistic, sustainable health care for those who face structural barriers to care.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
We have an access and accessibility issue around high-quality, integrated, and community-oriented primary and behavioral health care, particularly for marginalized communities. We have an opportunity to invest even more in delivering trust-based and comprehensive care that was designed for and with the needs of this population in mind. At Cityblock, we’re working to ensure that proven health interventions, including those that address social drivers of health, are provided to those who need them the most.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?I’m working with an amazing group of people who are striving to disrupt the health care industry. We’re working to help those who, due to a myriad of reasons, are marginalized and left behind by the current health system. Our value-based care model is set up to reach these communities and support them with the social, physical, or behavioral issues that negatively impact their health.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
I think we need to continue to push for more honest and accountable conversations about health disparities. With a shared understanding of our collective obligation to ensure equitable health outcomes across our entire population, we can push for bolder policies that will explicitly address quality, access and the experience of care for marginalized populations.

Lymaris Albors is the CEO of Acacia Network, a leading nonprofit provider of integrated health, housing, social services, economic development, and cultural revitalization programs. Leveraging her significant acumen in program management, capacity building, quality improvement, and strategy design, she is responsible for building on the organization’s legacy and carrying forward its mission. In addition to her work at Acacia, Lymaris serves on the boards of the Legal Action Center, Casabe, and Blythedale Children’s Hospital.

Machelle Allen, M.D., is senior vice president and chief medical officer of NYC Health + Hospitals. Dr. Allen completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals | Jacobi, worked as an attending physician at Harlem and Bellevue hospitals, and served as the associate medical director at Bellevue until 2013 when she transitioned to system deputy CMO. She was subsequently selected to be system CMO in 2017.

Dr. Daniel Baker, M.D., MBA, is executive director of Lenox Hill Hospital, spearheading the strategic direction of the hospital, managing the efficiency of day-to-day operations, and overseeing all medical affairs, quality, patient safety and standards of care. Dr. Baker also serves as Northwell Health’s medical director of patient experience and is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
When I was in high school, I quickly fell in love with the science that is the basis of medicine. I was also experiencing some health care challenges myself, and admired the way doctors were able to humanize that science through their relationships with patients. Medicine appeared to be a perfect opportunity to continue a journey of curiosity into both science and people; allowing me a special place within the art of healing.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
Ensuring that all New Yorkers have equitable access to quality health care services, addressing rising health care costs, and managing the burden on hospitals and health care providers are key concerns. Additionally, the state must focus on addressing health care disparities, improving mental health support, and managing the growing health care workforce shortage to provide comprehensive and sustainable care to its diverse population.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I have the privilege of ensuring that Lenox Hill Hospital offers the highest quality of care to our patients every day and that our world-class doctors, nurses and staff have the support and resources they need to deliver that care to New Yorkers of all backgrounds.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
Our health is more than just what happens in the hospital – it’s also about a range of factors like consistent access to nutritious food, health literacy, having transportation to get to your doctors, and so much more. New Yorkers deserve equitable access to all the other things that go into health. Policymakers can help health care leaders forge cross-industry relationships to better ensure these factors are addressed through innovative and patient-tailored solutions.

Elisabeth Benjamin is VP of Health Initiatives at Community Service Society (CSS), where she supervises health policy, health advocacy, and consumer health assistance programs that serve over 100,000 New Yorkers annually. She is a leading consumer health advocate in New York State and co-founded of Health Care for All New York Campaign (HCFANY), a statewide coalition devoted to securing affordable, quality health care for all New Yorkers. She is widely published.

Mark Bertolini is the CEO of Oscar Health, a leading insurer dedicated to making a healthier life accessible and affordable for all. Under his leadership, Oscar serves approximately one million members with individual, family and small group plans. Mark is a national health care thought leader and the former chairman and CEO of Aetna Inc. Before joining Aetna, Mark held executive positions at Cigna, NYLCare Health Plans, and SelectCare, Inc., where he was president and CEO.

Dr. David Brailer currently serves as executive vice president and chief health officer of The Cigna Group. As the company’s first chief health officer, Dr. Brailer brings together the company’s products, technologies, and services to create breakout health improvements for the 190 million people the company serves. Dr. Brailer holds an M.D. from West Virginia University and Ph.D. in economics from The Wharton School.

Ruth C. Browne, S.D., is president and chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House New York, which provides care, support, and services to families battling pediatric cancer and other serious illnesses. The organization is focused on keeping families close to each other and the treatment their children need, addressing the social determinants of health beyond the clinical advancements in pediatric cancer care and ensuring health equity among vulnerable and at-risk populations in New York City.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
I had the opportunity to study abroad at The University of the West Indies as an undergraduate. It was a life-changing experience that exposed me to the importance of culture as an influencer of health. I decided then that I needed a marketable skill that would allow me to travel, and a career in public health offered that and more. Public health allows one to examine and address many social drivers that influence care.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
Those who are economically disadvantaged do not have access to the support and resources they need to overcome illness. At RMH-NY we make it our mission to address this issue and advance health equity, through services that reduce obstacles and ensure families can remain focused on beating their child’s disease, including housing, meals, transportation to and from medical treatment, wellness services, and various enriching activities for families.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
When families receive the devastating news that their child has been diagnosed with a serious illness, they come to RMH-NY for support. Through my role, I oversee our mission to ensure these families have access to programs and resources that provide a sense of respite and normalcy and enable them to experience positive moments together. I am passionate about ensuring our organization provides vulnerable populations across NYC with access to the care they need.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
It’s critical that policymakers prioritize policies that address the social determinants of health, which play a vital role in an individual’s recovery from illness. We must continue to innovate and meet the needs of at-risk populations; ensuring there is an integrated approach to treatment with local hospitals is a major focus for us at RMH-NY.

Al Cardillo is president and CEO of the Home Care Association of New York State, which is comprised of organizations that provide home and community-based care statewide. He has worked over the course of four decades in the health field in health services development, administration, legislation, budget, policy, health association management, and education. He is currently also on the adjunct faculty of the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and the University at Albany.

Guillermo Chacón is the president of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network. Guillermo’s work focuses on the impact of HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, and health disparities. Recently, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra invited Guillermo Chacón to serve a second term on the United States Presidential Advisory Council on HIV, AIDS (PACHA). Chacón serves on the NYS AIDS Advisory Council and the NYS Health Equity Council.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
My understanding that health is everything. Prevention and education make a difference in accessing health care and support services. Our communities are vibrant, but our health indicators are horrible. I am committed to making a difference during my lifetime. Our health, our future is my guiding principle.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
Accessing affordable health care and health prevention services. 

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I am a proud member of the public health workforce, dedicated to reaching healthy communities everywhere.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
Policymakers must legislate to ensure access to health care and invest in public health. We will save billions when we prevent catastrophic health illnesses that are 100% preventable.