2025 Power Players in Health Care

Lynn Schulman was elected to a historic female-majority-led City Council in 2021. With decades of leadership in health care advocacy, she chairs the City Council Health Committee, where she spearheaded legislation to create the first citywide diabetes prevention program, passed a bill to create a unique public health agenda to increase the life expectancy of all New Yorkers, and was the driving force for a new family building benefits program for city workers.

What piece of health care related legislation would you like to see passed in the near future?
One of the ways we can keep people healthy is to ensure they have information to make healthier choices, especially when it comes to chronic diseases. As a primary sponsor of the “Sweet Truth Act”, to combat diabetes by requiring chain restaurants with 15 or more locations to post the sugar content of menu items, I am looking forward to passing similar legislation for salt content to combat high blood pressure. 

How do you expect the health care field to change in the next five years?
As a health care advocate and breast cancer survivor, it is vitally important to follow the science. Sadly, much of the science and evidence-based health care has been stripped from the federal government. Over the next five years, I see health care being driven more on the local and State level. Even with federal funding cuts, I am optimistic that we will prioritize patients over profits and make our health care system more transparent and accountable.

As this year comes to an end, what are your goals for 2026?
My goal has not wavered since joining the Council. Health care must be treated as a human right and policymakers must support accessible and affordable health care for all New Yorkers, regardless of zip code. In 2026, it will be crucial to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate health care to our city’s many diverse communities, regardless of someone’s immigration status.

Chris Sclafani is president of Summit Health, Starling Physicians and CityMD, leading providers of multispecialty, primary and urgent care. Chris has more than 20 years at CareMount Medical Group (now part of Optum) in executive positions including as COO. He’s highly regarded in the industry, serving on the board of the American Medical Group Association for nine years including as chair in 2019. Most recently, Chris was president and COO of Veritas Veterinary Partners.

Dr. Sandra Scott is CEO of One Brooklyn Health System, overseeing Brookdale, Interfaith, and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Centers. A visionary leader and accomplished physician, she was the first woman, African American, and physician to lead Brookdale Hospital. Dr. Scott has driven efforts to expand access, strengthen equity, and improve outcomes across Brooklyn. She is known for championing inclusive, community-based care and building strong partnerships to address health disparities and transform health care delivery.

What piece of health care related legislation would you like to see passed in the near future?
I would like to see a thoughtful, bipartisan update to EMTALA, one that enables safe and effective redirection of non-emergent patients to more appropriate care settings. The current structure places enormous strain on emergency departments. Updating EMTALA to support coordinated triage and navigation could reduce overcrowding, improve outcomes, and establish connections to primary care.

How do you expect the health care field to change in the next five years?
Technology will become a more integrated and indispensable partner in care delivery. From ambient documentation tools to AI-supported clinical decision support, we’ll see a shift towards tech-enabled efficiency that enhances, not replaces the human touch. The key will be ensuring that these tools are implemented in ways that reduce cognitive load and improve access, rather than adding layers of complexity for staff or patients.

As this year comes to an end, what are your goals for 2026?
Looking ahead to 2026, one of my top priorities is strengthening employee engagement through the lens of hospitality. In health care, how people feel, both patients and team members, matters deeply. Borrowing from industries that have long mastered personalized service, we have an opportunity to build workplace cultures that are more connected, responsive, and human-centered.

Dr. Sanjiv S. Shah, chief medical officer of MetroPlusHealth since 2019, is a seasoned physician leader and infectious disease specialist with over 20 years of experience. He earned his medical degree in the U.K., holds an MPH from Columbia, and trained at Mount Sinai and Montefiore. He also sees patients at Gotham Health’s Gouverneur Clinic and has published widely on medical topics nationally and internationally.

Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon represents the 52nd Assembly District in Brooklyn. She currently serves as chair of the Assembly Committee on Mental Health. Since 1981, Assembly Member Simon has made her home in Brooklyn, where she earned a reputation as an effective community leader. She has worked throughout Brooklyn’s communities to change the way decisions are made so as to increase environmental justice and bring fiscal responsibility to the public agenda, increase affordable housing, street safety and access to education.

Wendy Stark joined Planned Parenthood of Greater New York as president and CEO in October 2022, shortly after the fall of Roe v Wade. Her career has been focused on working toward health equity through the provision of accessible, non-judgmental health care services in community-based settings. She previously served as executive director at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, a primary care organization in New York City focused on LGBTQ+ communities and people affected by HIV. 

How do you expect the health care field to change in the next five years?
How health care continues to evolve in the US is highly dependent on how and whether tenets of the ACA remain in place, how Medicaid and Medicare funding streams evolve, whether critical health research is able to continue or restart, whether public health infrastructure continues to be gutted, whether people have access to reproductive health care, and whether programs like SNAP that impact the ability of individuals and communities to have access to food and shelter continue.

Dr. Ramón Tallaj, M.D., is a distinguished physician leader and the founder and chairman of SOMOS Community Care, a nonprofit, physician-led network of more than 2,500 providers serving over one million Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries in New York City’s underserved communities. A visionary in health care reform, he pioneered New York’s pay-for-performance model, making SOMOS the only physician-led organization among the state’s 25 Performing Provider Systems.
Under his leadership, SOMOS has saved New York State taxpayers over $336 million annually by reducing hospital readmissions by 22% and emergency room visits by 35%. Dr. Tallaj also chairs Balance Accountable Care Organization (ACO), one of New York’s top-performing ACOs, which earned a 97% quality score and generated more than $38 million in Medicare savings in 2020.
Expanding his impact, Dr. Tallaj founded SOMOS Innovation – the state’s only Level-3 Value-Based Payment Innovator – and launched New York’s first physician-led Social Care Network, integrating housing, nutrition, and behavioral health into primary care.
Today, he oversees 900 medical offices serving more than 30,000 patients daily and has received national and international recognition, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, awarded by Pope Francis.

Since 2015, Gary G. Terrinoni has been president and CEO of The Brooklyn Hospital Center, a 464-bed hospital with a network of sites. He has launched many initiatives: Center for Critical Care, ambulatory electronic medical record, emergency department renovation, Physicians Pavilion, and the Myrtle Avenue Dialysis Center. He created partnerships resulting in: The Brooklyn Cancer Center, The Brooklyn Imaging Center, and Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Mr. Terrinoni led a robust pandemic response, which garnered national attention.

What piece of health care related legislation would you like to see passed in the near future?
Rate Reform in New York State

How do you expect the health care field to change in the next five years?
I expect it will be impacted by advances in artificial intelligence.

As this year comes to an end, what are your goals for 2026?
Push legislation for rate reform in New York State to support and stand up for safety-net providers, thus establishing equitable reimbursement to make safety-net providers financially viable.

Jonathan Teyan joined AMSNY in 2011 and is currently president and CEO. As COO, Jonathan spearheaded the expansion of AMSNY’s biomedical research portfolio, including the New York Fund for Innovation in Research and Scientific Talent (NYFIRST), supporting recruitment and retention of world-class researchers to New York. As president of AMSNY’s sister organization, NYSADC, he helped develop the Fellowship to Address Oral Health Disparities, providing early career dentists training treating individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

What piece of health care related legislation would you like to see passed in the near future?
In response to threats to NIH funding – the world’s largest source of biomedical research support – states like California, Texas, and Massachusetts are proposing multi-billion-dollar investments in research. We’re urging New York State – home to more medical schools than any other state and global leaders across scientific disciplines – to establish a new institute dedicated to funding biomedical research, supporting our scientific workforce, and ensuring continued discoveries that advance health, innovation, and improve the lives of all New Yorkers.

How do you expect the health care field to change in the next five years?
We will continue to focus on core principles: providing opportunities for students from all backgrounds to pursue careers in medicine and ultimately provide care to all New Yorkers; working with partners in state and federal government to ensure our scientists have the resources and tools they need to develop new treatments and cures; and working to make sure all New Yorkers have access to the highest quality health care. 

As this year comes to an end, what are your goals for 2026?
My goal is to support academic medicine and dentistry in New York State as we navigate a rapidly changing landscape. To be sure, many of these policy changes will be challenging, but I also believe they present opportunities for us to be more innovative in our approaches to providing opportunities for students, how we fund the important work our scientists do and in how we think about improving access to high-quality health care.

Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh is the president and CEO of CaringKind, the Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving. New York City’s leading organization supporting individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias. A visionary leader dedicated to integrating compassion with science, Eleonora has championed innovative initiatives such as Connect2Living, Connect2Music, and the Blue Zones Bronx Challenge. With a background in nonprofit leadership and gerontology, she is redefining dementia care through collaboration, evidence-based practice and community engagement.

What piece of health care related legislation would you like to see passed in the near future?
I would support legislation such as the bipartisan Credit for Caring Act, which aims to provide a federal tax credit for eligible working family caregivers, and the Essential Caregivers Act, which would protect a caregiver’s ability to visit residents in health care facilities, including during emergencies. Additionally, the Family Caregiver Peer Support Act would fund peer support programs for caregivers, and the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act seeks to help caregivers navigate federal and state programs.

How do you expect the health care field to change in the next five years?
In the next five years, brain health will become a routine part of primary care, with earlier detection, blood-based biomarkers, and personalized prevention plans. Health care will evolve beyond treatment to embrace connection, compassion, and prevention – integrating lifestyle, social equity, and holistic support for people living with dementia and their care partners to help every person live well with dignity.

As this year comes to an end, what are your goals for 2026?
In 2026, we’ll deepen CaringKind’s impact by expanding our Connect2Living programs, strengthening partnerships that unite care, science, and community, and broadening access to compassionate, dementia-sensitive support. Our goal is to help more people live fully – with purpose, connection, and dignity – and ensure that no one, anywhere, faces dementia alone.