2023 Power Players in Health Care

Karen Ignagni is CEO of the EmblemHealth family of companies, one of the country’s largest nonprofit health insurers. An influential and innovative leader, she oversees a diverse portfolio of health care companies serving over three million members. She is recognized as one of the most influential people in health care for her work on employee benefits for large unions, health care forms, and her efforts to expand EmblemHealth’s presence in medically underserved communities in NYC.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
I came from a working-class family and understood the impact of a family’s inability to afford health care services. Health care policy attracted me because it demands knowledge of the science of medicine, an understanding of policy alternatives, and an understanding of what we can accomplish politically and how.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
The health care system in New York faces the same obstacle as other health systems, shifting from a reactive sick-care system to a focus on a holistic approach that can be affordable to working men and women. To think more extensively, we must overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and health care in our communities. EmblemHealth is committed to this evolution and has 14 Neighborhood Care facilities that increase access to healthy food and resources for mental and physical health.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I am privileged to run such a dynamic, unique, not-for-profit enterprise that focuses on the community it serves.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
To attain health equity, policymakers should collaborate with health plans, health care systems, providers, public health agencies, and community organizations to create solid policies and programs. It is essential to address health care disparities among various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups by making health care more affordable and supporting vulnerable populations.

Paloma Hernandez is president and CEO of Urban Health Plan, one of the largest community health center networks in New York State. Under her leadership, UHP, established in 1974 by Paloma’s father, the late Dr. Richard Izquierdo, expanded to 12 health centers, two mental health facilities, and 12 school-based health centers, serving 84,000 patients throughout the Bronx, Northern Queens, and Harlem. In August 2023, Paloma was elected board chair of the National Association of Community Health Centers.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
At an early age, I became aware of the need that existed for medical services. My dad, Dr. Richard Izquierdo was one of only a few practicing physicians in the Bronx community in which we lived. Watching him take care of his patients and hear him speak about their needs made me understand that there was much to address and improve when it came to the delivery of health care. 

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
The biggest challenge in our health care system is the small amount of investment that is made in primary care. We observe a large amount of money being spent on preventable hospital admissions and unnecessary emergency room utilization, all a result of too little money being spent on primary care. Additionally, not enough money is spent on the Medicaid program which leads to overall higher spending and no improvements in the elimination of health disparities. 

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I am the CEO of a federally qualified community health center, that is part of the largest primary care network in the United States currently serving 31.5 million people across 1,400 health center sites. Our health center delivers high-quality, comprehensive, and affordable primary and specialty care to medically underserved communities irrespective of their ability to pay while also addressing the social issues that contribute to their poor health.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
To ensure equitable access to quality health care, there has to be a commitment to investing in primary care while addressing the social drivers of health. There must be a recognition and desire to realign the health care delivery system where people’s well-being is prioritized and incentivized so that there is a sufficient workforce to meet the needs of our communities. 

Mitchell Katz, M.D., is president and chief executive officer of NYC Health + Hospitals. Previously, he served as the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Before he came to Los Angeles, Dr. Katz served as director and health officer of the San Francisco Department of Health for 13 years. He is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Katz practices as a primary care physician.

William Keefer is a well-recognized health care attorney and the co-leader of Phillips Lytle’s Health Care and Life Sciences Team, counseling health care clients on a broad array of issues. He is secretary of the Health Law Section, and Chair of the Payment, Enforcement and Compliance Committee of the New York State Bar Association. He is also a member of the American Health Lawyers Association. William is a member of the Board of Trustees and the secretary of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the Board of Directors of SABAH, Inc. and the Rotary Club of Buffalo.

A world-renowned surgeon, scientist and educator, specializing in sports medicine and hip preservation, Dr. Kelly arrived at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) with undergraduate and medical degrees from Brown University and Duke University. He completed his residency and two-year fellowship at HSS, followed by fellowships at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Landeskliniken Hospital in Austria, and in Bern, Switzerland. Kelly completed his MBA at NYU Stern School of Business and previously served as HSS surgeon-in-chief and medical director.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
I always knew that I loved sports, and realized it was a potential career opportunity for me. I was fortunate to be connected to a shoulder surgeon, Dr. Kevin Speer, while doing research at Duke University. It was under his mentorship that I became enamored with sports medicine.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
To say health care systems are incredibly complex is an understatement. Today’s health care landscape brings additional complexity into this equation. Heightened competition, changing consumer preferences, and economics have pushed hospitals to demonstrate superior value. I think the biggest challenges we’re facing are the shift to outpatient care, the increased challenges physicians are facing and the acceleration of virtual health.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I understand my role to be supportive of the growth and success of the organization; to set the direction and align the organization, mobilizing through leaders and teams while engaging the Board and connecting with external stakeholders. Of course, a key component to all of this is empowering individuals to act as leaders and agents for positive change – regardless of their title and role.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
The goal of equitable access to health care requires tactical steps consistent with broader strategies that can preserve and enhance health care services for all. Policymakers can partner with health care organizations to understand the changing dynamics and deepening needs of our patient communities that impact care outcomes so that they can become linchpins in bringing organizations together to leverage our diverse specialty areas and collective resources in creating greater access to high-level care to all communities.

Oliver Kharraz, M.D., is CEO and founder of Zocdoc. Oliver is the most recent doctor in a 300-year family tradition. Over the course of his wide-ranging career, Oliver has accrued comprehensive experience affecting change and building efficiency in large-scale health care organizations using information technology. Born in Germany, Oliver immigrated to the U.S. during his work at McKinsey & Co prior to Zocdoc. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife and their twin daughters.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
Health care is in desperate need of innovation and structural change. Through my work at Zocdoc, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to combine my clinical background with my technological background to help change health care for the better. Our vision is to build the connective tissue of health care, bringing together a fragmented ecosystem to make it work better for patients, providers, and the industry on the whole.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
New Yorkers wait an average of 19 days to get in to see a doctor. That is too long, especially for patients with acute issues who often end up in New York’s emergency rooms which are overburdened and on average 12x more expensive than care in an ambulatory setting. Through Zocdoc, we accelerate patients’ access to care. The typical appointment made on Zocdoc in New York happens within 24 – 72 hours of the booking.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I work at Zocdoc, a company with a mission to give power to the patient. Through our marketplace, we aim to help every patient find and book every type of care. Consumers can compare options and book their care just as they have become accustomed to doing in other areas of their lives — from scheduling travel to ordering food. We’re delivering the seamless, user-friendly health care experience patients expect and deserve.

Under Matt Kudish’s leadership, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) has more than doubled its budget, staff, and impact. Matt is a respected industry voice on issues surrounding mental health, mental illness, caregiving, and peer support. Notable media coverage includes The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Thrive Global, CNN, ABC News, WABC-7, WNBC-4, NY-1 and more. Matt received his MSW from Columbia University and his MPA from New York University.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
Earlier careers left me wanting to make more of a difference in the world. Upon deeper reflection, I wanted to work with LGBTQ youth and pursue my MSW. Although that shifted, I have had a robust career working with older adults and their caregivers, including those dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. My shift to mental health felt incredibly natural with a significant overlap through the lens of stigma and the disease’s impacts on individuals and families.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
In the 1970s, people with serious mental illness were deinstitutionalized and elected officials promised a significant investment in community-based mental health programs. That investment never came. As a result, today’s mental health care system is overwhelmed and under-resourced. People with serious mental illness and their families remain stuck in an endless cycle of hospitalizations, incarceration, and homelessness. And we will remain stuck until we invest in preventive, community-based mental health care, like those at NAMI-NYC.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I am honored to lead such a unique and critically important organization as NAMI-NYC, which offers FREE mental health programs to anyone who needs them. We are the only nonprofit providing direct support to family members caring for loved ones with mental illness. We’re not born knowing how to provide this kind of support when we have a relative who is struggling. Without NAMI-NYC, there is a significant gap in our health care system, leading families and individuals to suffer.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
We need funding for more mental health family support and educational programs to assist New Yorkers caring for loved ones with mental health challenges. Research shows that when family members are involved, we see a decrease in emergency room visits and psychiatric hospitalizations and greater engagement with community-based mental health care. This is a win-win for individuals, families, and the health care system. We need preventive mental health care, not simply to respond to crises.

Council Member Linda Lee represents the 23rd Council District in Eastern Queens. She was elected to the Council in November 2021, becoming the first Korean-American ever elected to the City Council, and the first woman to hold the seat. Council Member Lee serves as the chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions, co-chair of the New York City Council Queens Delegation, and vice co-chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
Before taking office, I was the president and CEO of Korean Community Services, operated two senior centers, a mental health clinic, and a Meals-on-Wheels program. This passion was instilled in me by my grandmother, who sacrificed so much to raise me as a child. I remember caring for her towards the end of her life and watching her and my parents’ service to the community is the reason I became a social worker in the nonprofit sector.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?
NYC has experienced a mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. I’ve heard testimonies from overwhelmed health care providers and advocates disappointed with the years of disinvestment into mental health and the revolving door of hospitalizations and discharges for our most vulnerable. As a council member, I’ve been happy to work with Speaker Adrienne Adams to develop a holistic solution with the Mental Health Roadmap to create better outcomes for New Yorkers. 

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
As a council member, and chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions, I serve as an advocate and intermediary who can influence policies – guided by valuable community and stakeholder input – for the betterment of patients in the health care and mental health care sector.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
Language and education access and outreach to our most marginalized and hard-to-reach communities continue to be a factor in providing mental health care. NYC is resource-rich, but people can become understandably confused when navigating so many programs. Too often, services go underutilized because of a lack of public awareness or the stigma of requesting help. We must break down silos, cut red tape, and streamline agency coordination to provide services to those in need.

Dr. Francis Lee is an accomplished neurobiologist and psychiatrist studying the molecular basis of mood and anxiety disorders to understand why many emerge during the transition from childhood to adolescence. His discoveries led to the development of advanced biologically targeted psychiatric diagnostic tools and treatments. In 2018, he was named chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and psychiatrist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. In 2023, he served as the interim dean of WCM.

What influenced you to pursue a career in the health care field?
Throughout college, I worked in a neuroscience lab. I was drawn to finding ways to connect the fascinating foundational science discoveries to a better understanding of brain disorders. I was fortunate to follow my lab research with training in a combined M.D.-Ph.D. program that allowed me to pursue these two fields of study that became the mainstay of my career.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing New York’s health care system?

The biggest challenge facing New York’s health care system is a shortage of qualified health care workers across the professions and the associated increase in costs. This is exacerbating access concerns, particularly in rural areas. Health care sector employment in New York State has resumed the steady increase observed pre-pandemic and the pace of retirements in the sector has accelerated. Despite the use of other tools, such as sign-on bonuses, providers struggle to recruit staff.

How do you describe your position to people outside of the health care industry?
I am a physician-scientist, and my lab focuses on why many psychiatric disorders emerge during the transition from childhood to adolescence, hypothesizing that this is a critical stage for emotional development, particularly as it relates to fear and anxiety. I also lead a large psychiatry department, and my overarching goal is to translate the incredible scientific advances discovered by each of our physician-scientists into the actual delivery of innovative care to our patients.

What can policymakers do to ensure equitable access to quality health care?
Policymakers streamline and modernize education policy to make training and licensure less burdensome. This is particularly important for non-physicians, such as nurse practitioners, whose role in patient care has become vital as utilization rebounds post-pandemic and the population continues to age. They must ensure that Medicaid is properly funded at the state and federal levels. Medicare and Medicaid will need to expand to properly cover care delivered by advanced practice providers and community health workers.

Rebecca (Becky) Levy, Esq. is president of Summit Health and Starling Physicians. She joined Summit Health in 2011 and has held several titles including chief legal officer, chief strategy officer and general counsel. Becky has significant experience developing, managing, and motivating legal and business teams through collaborative, cross-functional relationships. She has served as founder and board president of Summit Health Cares — the company’s foundation — since 2013. Prior to joining Summit Health, Becky practiced health care law.