2024 Power Players in Health Care

Rose Duhan has served as the president and chief executive officer of the Community Health Care Association of NYS since 2017. CHCANYS represents NY’s Community Health Centers, which provide comprehensive primary, dental, and behavioral health care to one in every eight New Yorkers. Rose provides strategic vision and leadership to the organization, working with the Board of Directors to achieve CHCANYS’ mission, vision, and goals. Rose previously served as assistant secretary for health for NYS.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Community-based primary care is the most impactful and therefore most rewarding field you could choose. For those just starting out, CHCANYS Public Health AmeriCorps Program (https://www.chcanys.org/chc-resources/chc-operations/chcanys-americorps) provides real-life experience preparing for careers in public health and community-based primary health care.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Investment in comprehensive community-based primary care is the most cost-effective, high-impact means of advancing health equity and improving the health of all New Yorkers. Community health centers are the delivery system for that model, and investment to expand access and increase services is critical.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Every day is an adventure, and you have to laugh and enjoy it, or why bother getting out of bed?

Dean Linda P. Fried, M.D., MPH, is a leader in public health, epidemiology, and geriatric medicine. The Dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health since 2008, she has led the transformation to an interdisciplinary institution with the scientific leadership to solve 21^st century challenges to health, from climate change to healthy longevity to pandemic preparedness and response and mental health promotion, and establishing the school as the nation’s leader in innovative public health education. A partner globally and locally, the school’s dedication to innovation for impact, with opportunity for health for all, drives the ability to respond effectively to new infectious agents and foster the next generation of public health systems as the foundation for building a healthy population. Dr. Fried is also a world leader in the science for creating healthy longevity, including prevention of disease and disability and diagnosing and preventing frailty. She is passionate about educating students, professionals, and the public, and partnering with all sectors of society to promote a healthier population.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
It is critical to set the goals of health care to be centered on the patient’s goals and needs, and to build an integrated patient-centered system that sets goals of healthy longevity for all, and includes prevention and health promotion for all ages, and geriatric medicine.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Invest in a health system – both medical care and public health led prevention – designed to promote healthy longevity at every age and to be geriatrically knowledgeable and able to support the complex health needs of an aging population. This must include working to strengthen a public health system that can deliver the conditions that can create longer health futures for all New Yorkers – in addition to primary care available to all.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Set your sights on what should be, and develop all actions to move health systems toward that goal.

Ken Gibbs has served as president of Maimonides Medical Center since 2016 and became CEO of Maimonides Health in 2022. During his tenure, Maimonides Health has continued to build upon its legacy of clinical excellence, achieving designation as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center and establishing Brooklyn’s only Pediatric Trauma Center and Comprehensive Spine Center. Gibbs oversees a staff of more than 7,000 and an annual budget of $2 billion.

Dr. Melody S. Goodman is a public health leader, biostatistician, research methodologist, and native New Yorker. Her research efforts seek to develop a more rigorous understanding of the social risk factors contributing to urban health inequities to develop culturally competent, region-specific solutions through collaborative activities with community members, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and other community health stakeholders. Her work aims to develop solutions for improving health in minoritized and medically underserved communities.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Find your passion and your purpose. This is how you will use your skills and expertise to make the impact you want on the world. This means seeking appropriate training and finding the industry you want to work in. My first job after college was as a financial analyst on Wall Street, but I knew I ultimately wanted to work in health, and I enjoyed math – that is how I found biostatistics.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
We need to create additional pathways so that students from all backgrounds can find careers in public health. The best care comes from those who understand and can relate to the population served. In my field, biostatisticians are narrators; we tell stories with data, and there are a lot of different public health stories to be told. We’re only telling a small portion of them. The more diverse the field, the more stories we’ll tell.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
You should understand how systems work and operate so that you can figure out how to build your success and solve problems within those systems and structures – whether it be public health, business, or academia. If you want to change systems, it is important to have some people working on the inside who understand where and how to disrupt them in a way that causes good trouble.

Bea Grause has been president of the Healthcare Association of New York State since 2016. She previously led the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems for 14 years, served in governmental affairs roles at the Tennessee and Massachusetts Hospital Associations and worked in Washington, D.C., in a variety of legislative and legal roles. Grause began her career as a registered nurse working primarily in the emergency room and intensive care areas.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
I encourage anyone interested in joining the field to do so! There are shortages of professionals across many clinical and non-clinical roles, and demand for health care services will only continue to grow as our population changes and ages. With so many career paths available, make sure you explore your options – volunteering is a great way to explore and gain experience. Finally, seek out mentors who can provide essential guidance, and stay in touch.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Policymakers must advance solutions that stabilize the health care system in the near-term and put it on a sustainable track over the long-term. Short-term actions must include investing in our health care system; advancing policies that support our health care workforce and bolster the pipeline of new workers we desperately need; and advancing other measures that protect and increase New Yorkers’ access to health care services.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Throughout my career, at its core, health care has always been about people taking care of people. But the landscape in which that care is provided is always changing – think about changes in treatments, advancements in technology, the shifting players involved, ever-evolving laws and regulations, and so much more. Change is constant, and learning must also be. You must stay curious and committed to continuous education.

George  Gresham is president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the nation’s largest health care union. Under his leadership, 1199SEIU has secured industry-leading job standards for health care workers and positioned the Union as a major force for advancing progressive causes.  He began his career in the housekeeping department at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and over four decades has held nearly every position in the Union, from member delegate to president, a title which he has had since 2007.

Robert I. Grossman, M.D., CEO of NYU Langone Health, dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, leads one of the largest health systems in the Northeast. Under his leadership, NYU Langone grew from $2 billion in revenue in 2007 to nearly $14 billion in 2024, with over $5 billion in philanthropy. Independent organizations consistently rank NYU Langone among the top academic medical centers, with Vizient recognizing NYU Langone as No. 1 nationally for quality. 

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Stay hungry! Health care moves at the speed of light; you must be a lifelong learner and willing to continuously pivot and improve – people’s lives depend on it! Understanding where health care is going and arriving at that destination early is paramount. John F. Kennedy observed that those who look only at the past or present will certainly miss the future. Focus on the present but also eagerly seek out all that is new and better!

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Providing exceptional quality and equitable patient care is our no. 1 priority.  So, the first is that policymakers should focus on not reducing Medicare reimbursements to hospitals for care given in outpatient settings. This could decrease access to critical health care services, especially in underserved communities. The second is protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows hospitals that serve lower income patients to purchase outpatient drugs at significantly reduced prices.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Have the humility to admit “I don’t know.” Be modest enough to be willing to learn from others and from your mistakes. Take criticism as a positive educational moment. You will assimilate more if you can separate a perceived slight from the new understanding you have acquired. Without humility, there is no learning. Without humility, you will never achieve your potential.

Assemblywoman Gunther began her career as a nurse, discovering her purpose in helping others. She later served as an infectious disease nurse and director of performance improvement and risk management at Catskill Regional Medical Center. This experience led her to the New York State Assembly, where she has championed impactful legislation through her work on the Assembly Health Committee and as chair of the Mental Health Committee. 

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
My advice is to enter the health care field because you truly love it. There are plenty of careers one can pursue for money, but the work our health care professionals do every day can mean life or death for someone. To build healthier communities, we need professionals who are dedicated and passionate about helping those in need and it is up to our leaders and representatives to make those careers viable.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Policymakers can strengthen New York’s health care system by increasing funding and enacting legislation that supports and attracts those working with our most vulnerable communities. New York faces challenges in retaining Direct Support Professionals, and increasing their wages is essential. We must also address the disparities in Medicare reimbursement rates statewide to ensure Emergency Medical Transportation is accessible to all New Yorkers.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
The most important lesson I’ve learned in my career is to never take “no” for an answer. Persistence is essential; when responsible for ensuring people receive the critical services they need, it’s necessary to keep pushing until you see results. Red tape and bureaucracy are never acceptable reasons to leave someone without help.

Nancy Hagans, BSN, RN, CCRN, has worked at Maimonides Medical Center for 30 years. She has served on the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) board since 2016 and currently serves as a president of National Nurses United (NNU), vice president of the New York City Central Labor Council, and vice president of the AFL-CIO. Since becoming NYSNA president in 2021, NYSNA members have won the best contracts in our union’s history.  

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Those interested in joining the health care field should learn to advocate for their needs just as we learn to advocate for patients. We know that good working conditions for nurses and other health care professionals ultimately mean better care for patients. 

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
As a union, we have worked to address racial and class disparities, eliminate the two-tiered system of care that currently exists and improve the care of all patients, but it is not enough. We need policymakers to improve access to care, prevent the closure of much-needed hospitals and essential health care services, and advocate for maternal and mental health equity.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Over the last several decades, I’ve learned that sometimes to be an advocate, you have to use your voice and fight for better conditions for patients and yourself, whether it’s at the bedside or in the halls of power. I want to impart that to our young nurses who really represent the next generation of patient advocates and are too often discouraged by the conditions they face when they enter the workforce.

Stephen B. Hanse, Esq. serves as president and CEO of the New York State Health Facilities Association | New York State Center for Assisted Living (“NYSHFA|NYSCAL”). NYSHFA|NYSCAL is a statewide association of over 450 providers of long-term care services, caring for individuals of all ages in proprietary, not-for-profit, and government-sponsored skilled nursing and assisted living communities across New York.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Choosing a career in health care is choosing to dedicate yourself to the service of others. It can be an extremely demanding career, but at the same, it is an extremely fulfilling career. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
The best way for policymakers to support New York’s health care system – and skilled nursing and assisted living providers in particular – is to visit nursing homes and assisted living facilities and see first-hand the essential care that is provided in these settings and then adopt policies that fully cover the cost of caring for Medicaid residents in these critical settings. 

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
There are so many important lessons I’ve learned over the course of my career so far, including the following: never stop learning; always adapt and grow; practice empathy – put others first; strive to become an excellent listener; remember that perfect is the enemy of good; there are multiple routes to the destination you are seeking; look to find common ground to resolve issues; and commit to working until the work is done.