2024 Power Players in Health Care

James V. McDonald M.D., MPH., was confirmed as the NYS commissioner of health on June 9, 2023, after joining the Department in July 2022. He previously served at the Rhode Island Department of Health since 2012 in various roles. He is board certified in pediatrics and preventive medicine. His diverse career also includes officership in the U.S. Navy, private practice in rural areas with health care shortages, and service in the Navajo Nation in Arizona.    

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
It’s not about you; it’s never about you. It’s about the person in front of you that you “get to help.” Health care is a privilege; find a mission you believe in and do it well.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Achieving health equity is intentional, health equity is recognizing not everyone has the same starting point in life nor the same advantages, yet everyone deserves a fair and just opportunity for the best health outcomes. Achieving health equity benefits everyone. We all benefit when no child is hungry. We all benefit when everyone has health insurance. We all benefit when everyone has access to high-quality health care.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
When I am happy, be kind. When I am frustrated, be kind. When I am tired, be kind. When I am working hard with others, be kind. When I disagree with someone, be kind. When someone is mean to me, be kind. When I work well with others, be kind. Patience helps too.

Patrick McGovern is the CEO of Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which in 2023 provided 20,000 LGBTQ+ patients with comprehensive, judgment-free care regardless of their ability to pay. McGovern is a seasoned executive having served as chief operations and strategy officer at Amida Care, an organization he helped found as CEO at Harlem United Community AIDS Center. Most recently, McGovern was VP of government affairs at Gilead, where his vision was to promote HIV testing nationwide.

Donald T. Morrish, M.D., MMM, was named CEO for Episcopal Health Services (EHS) in March 2024. He joined EHS in 2013 as chair of obstetrics and gynecology, progressing to EVP and chief medical officer in 2018. Dr. Morrish received his M.D. from St. George’s University and a Master of Medical Management from the University of Southern California. He has been recognized for excellence in residency education, co-authored publications and received honors for his health care contributions.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Always remember that health care is about the people. Be kind, stay compassionate and treat patients the way you’d want to be treated. It’s important to understand that the health care field is constantly evolving, so be prepared to commit to lifelong learning and adapt to innovation. Whether it’s advancements in treatment methods or technology, the field is always changing, staying informed will help you grow as a professional and deliver better patient outcomes. 

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Community hospitals like ours serve diverse populations facing a variety of social determinants of health. Prioritizing preventative care is essential to reducing long-term health care costs and improving overall health outcomes.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
As health care providers, we have a responsibility to deliver high-quality care, ensuring every patient feels safe, well-cared for and is treated with kindness. 

Dr. Jasmin Moshirpur is dean emeritus and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Formerly the chief medical officer at Elmhurst and Queens hospitals, she pioneered women’s preventive health care programs, the Cancer Center of Excellence, and a thriving midwifery program. She actively mentors women through Mount Sinai’s Office of Gender Equity. Her honors include the Jacobi Medallion, Glamour Woman of the Year, and Harvard College Iranian Association honoree.

Council Member Mercedes Narcisse represents Brooklyn’s 46th District. A registered nurse and CUNY graduate, she chairs the NYC Council’s Committee on Hospitals and serves on several key committees. Elected in 2021, Mercedes quickly became a strong advocate for her community, securing significant funding for parks, schools, and libraries. In 2023, she passed legislation to improve health outcomes for New Yorkers with sickle cell disease and a bill to require autism training for NYPD officers. 

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
My advice is simple: be prepared to work hard, and be passionate, compassionate, and committed to lifelong learning. Health care is challenging but incredibly rewarding. Focus on building strong communication skills and a deep understanding of patient care. Stay updated on medical advancements, and always put your patients first. Whether you’re a nurse, doctor, or technician, remember that you are making a difference in people’s lives every day, your dedication will truly matter.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Money, money, money. Policymakers can support New York’s health care system by prioritizing funding for hospitals, and community health centers, ensuring they have the resources to provide high-quality care. Investing in the health care workforce, including fair wages and better working conditions for health care professionals, can help address staffing shortages. Expanding access to health services, particularly in underserved areas, is crucial. Additionally, policymakers should support initiatives that promote preventative care, mental health services, and address health disparities across all communities.

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 the power of listening. Whether working as a nurse or serving as a council member, truly hearing people’s concerns and understanding their needs is essential. It allows me to advocate more effectively and make decisions that genuinely improve lives. Listening builds trust and helps to find meaningful solutions. It’s a reminder that real change starts by paying attention to the voices of the community.

Philip O. Ozuah is president and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, one of the nation’s preeminent academic health systems and research institutions. In his role, Dr. Ozuah has expanded access to care for underserved communities, recruited and cultivated outstanding talent, advanced programs of excellence, fostered innovations in medicine and science, and improved financial and operational performance by integrating care across a rapidly growing and evolving Montefiore system that sees over 7.5 million patient interactions a year.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field? 
At its core, health care is about serving the community. In order to best do that, you need to understand their needs. You have to be devoted to not just treating your patients as individuals, but also creating a community of care with your work. 

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
We must continue to identify and address the causes of inequitable health care outcomes that are hurting the most vulnerable parts of our communities. Supporting initiatives that fund preventative care measures such as routine checkups and cancer screenings vastly improve lives, protect families and ultimately save New Yorkers money in the long term.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
I’ve learned how important collaboration between internal and external stakeholders is when you set a goal of building a community of care with a health care system. Bridging gaps and engaging with vulnerable communities directly is a critical component to what we do, and the results that come from that kind of work have exponential benefits.  

José A. Pagán, Ph.D., is a health economist who is a professor and chair of the Department of Public Health Policy and Management in the College of Global Public Health at New York University and adjunct senior fellow of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the National Advisory Committee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Policy Research Scholars. He is currently a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

President of the 185,000-member 32BJ SEIU, Manny Pastreich has won historic contract wages and benefits for his commercial cleaning members, despite an economic downturn, and continues to support service workers who seek to unionize. As chairman of the 32BJ Benefit Funds, the fourth largest buyer of health care in New York with 150,000 covered lives, he is advocating for more affordable hospital pricing, noting that rising costs of private hospitals hurt union members and working families. 

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
Our members rely on the incredible care of health care professionals in our hospitals. But out-of-control hospital prices, driven by consolidation and inflated costs, pose major barriers to accessing that care and keeping prices affordable for union members and all New Yorkers. City and State governments could save billions by creating more transparency and accountability for hospital prices.

NYS Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88) serves Scarsdale, Edgemont, Eastchester, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Pelham, Pelham Manor, and parts of New Rochelle and White Plains. Paulin annually ranks among the state’s most productive lawmakers. Over 385 of her bills have been signed into law to date. Her diverse legislative agenda includes health care, education, reproductive rights, child welfare, domestic violence prevention, sex trafficking elimination, sustainability, animal welfare, and gun control. She currently chairs the Assembly Committee on Health.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
Health care is a rewarding field that provides the ability to help people in a time of their greatest need. We need people to join the field. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we were experiencing a health care employment decline, and it has continued to worsen even as our needs have increased. As Health Committee chair, I feel a responsibility to help New Yorkers access and receive high quality health care, and step one is addressing the shortage.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
We need to ensure that potential health care workers are incentivized to enter the health care system. Salary and benefits are obvious draws but not the only ones. I’ve seen how successful hospitals keep staff by listening to employees’ needs and creating healthy work environments where employees thrive. Legislators such as myself can support the health care industry on both of these fronts through policy changes, funding and legislation.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that one can, and frequently must, work with even the most zealous adversary to find solutions. I’ve learned that consensus can be reached through careful, considerate discussion and debate. And I’ve learned the importance of having the facts and knowing when and how to use them.

As a third-generation union member, Joe Pecora is the president of the Home Healthcare Workers of America (HHWA), a union representing over 40,000 of New York’s home health care professionals. Mr. Pecora started HHWA after recognizing the need to prioritize home health care workers when caring for his mother, and he has worked tirelessly over the last 10 years in the union’s lobbying efforts to advocate for better wages and working conditions for home health care workers.

Do you have advice for those interested in joining the health care field?
As the population in New York increasingly ages and continues to severely lack resources, I advise newcomers to pursue a truly rewarding career path by focusing on opportunities and training in elder care. The programs and access that we invest in for our elders today will eventually become the programs that we will all use in the future, and we all deserve to age with dignity and independence in our community of choice.

How can policymakers support New York’s health care system?
There are three main ways policymakers can show support: restore the wage parity requirement, create a career ladder, and enhance the level of services and training for all current and future home health care workers. Without these incentives, the home health care field will not be able to recruit and retain the necessary workforce to support our increasing elderly population, of which nearly one million New Yorkers will require home care by 2035.