Power Women

Tara Buonocore-Rut is president and CEO of CenterLight Health System. Since joining CenterLight as chief operating officer in 2020, she has led the company’s efforts to restructure its care delivery, business intelligence, strategy and compliance functions. Prior to joining CenterLight, she served as executive vice president of strategy and operations at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation in New Hyde Park, New York. There, she was responsible for the successful planning and implementation of all corporate, financial, clinical and quality goals.

An active contributor to the health care industry, Buonocore-Rut is a member of the Health Plan Association, the American College of Health Care Executives, the American College of Health Care Administrators, and the Health Care Leaders of New York. She maintains an active Nursing Home Administrator’s license and holds a Master’s in Health Administration and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Hofstra University.

Lauren Bush is a member of the executive team at The Parkside Group and represents select clients before city government. Lauren’s career is defined by empowering thousands of working families to impact public policy by engaging their elected officials as lead of external affairs for Success Academy, government relations manager at The New York Public Library, COO of the PCCC, and as board chair of a national nonprofit. Lauren also led a program dedicated to increasing women in politics and was a fellow for Senator Gillibrand’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
We don’t need to define the steps again because we all know them and haven’t yet acted as individuals — pay women the same, elevate women at the same rate, don’t diminish their opinions when they speak up, and help out more at home so they have greater capacity and energy as they participate in every aspect of society. Don’t just recognize that women’s needs are sometimes different — embrace it by providing space for radically different actions at all levels of private and public life every single day.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
As Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously responded when asked how many of the nine judges on the Supreme Court should be female and she answered “nine . . . because nine men had been a satisfactory number until 1981” — what spaces have we not yet brought women in for their opinion and, most importantly, given them power rather than just place? Imagine what could be accomplished if we not only invited equal representation, but followed through and listened.

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
Betty Friedan — I would have loved to hear the most memorable conversations of the thousands she must have had at kitchen tables across the country and to ask who she called at midnight when she needed advice.

Zora Neale Hurston — Anyone who can write so beautifully and capture the human spirit with such simplicity of words would be an exceptional dinner companion. And she knew how to make an entrance.

Iris Apfel — Her combination of creativity, business savvy, and indomitable sense of adventure with her husband in their decades-long love story is iconic.

What advice or wisdom would you give to a younger version of yourself?
Grind harder — don’t miss a single opportunity presented to attend, to make a difference, help someone else, raise your hand, show up. Every networking opportunity, every vote, every friendship, every interaction could mean something later, don’t take even one for granted. Also . . . please stop apologizing. xoxo.

Hailing from central Brooklyn, Congresswoman Yvette Diane Clarke is the proud daughter of Jamaican immigrants. In Congress, she co-chairs the Congressional Caribbean Caucus and works to foster relationships between the United States and the Caribbean community. Clarke is a senior member of both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and House Committee on Homeland Security, where she chairs the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Subcommittee. Clarke has been a member of Congress since 2007.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
Much has been achieved since the enactment of the Nineteenth Amendment. Today, there are 144 women in the House and 24 women in the Senate — both record numbers. However, our work must continue. Congress needs to enact policies like universal early childhood education and paid maternity and paternity leave — which would substantially reduce the difference in pay for men and women. Additionally, the recent elimination of the federal constitutional right to abortion has stripped women of control over their own bodies. We must work tirelessly to ensure that all women can once again exercise their right to choose.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
As we all know, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent, eliminating the right to abortion and stripping women of control over their bodies. In these dangerous times, our state must recommit itself to being a safe haven for women to seek necessary health care. New York policymakers must focus on agendas that will address the inequities that have historically and disproportionately burdened and oppressed Black women and girls.

Laurie Angela Cumbo currently serves as the commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. A native Brooklynite, Cumbo previously served as majority leader in the New York City Council and represented the Council’s 35th district for eight years. Cumbo focused her career on institution building and worked diligently to secure permanent homes for cultural institutions. Prior to her time in the City Council, Cumbo founded the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts and has worked at cultural institutions across New York City.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
Equal pay, social and political equality, and access to resources and opportunities are all imperative for contributing to a healthy society where all are empowered to live up to their potential. Regarding the arts in New York City, one initiative supporting underrepresentation within the creative sector is the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, which is administered by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and the New York Foundation for the Arts. In addition to funding resources, we need more pipeline programs for women of color to access careers in fields historically dominated by white men.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
In New York City, we’ve made tremendous strides in expanding childcare options for working mothers and families — Universal pre-K was one major step, and Mayor Adams recently announced a $2 billion investment in early childcare over the next four years, which is a crucial development showing that childcare will continue to be a high priority. Women who choose to start families should be able to pursue their vocational passions, whether in the arts or another sector.

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
I would love to have dinner with Shirley Chisholm, Frida Kahlo, and Harriet Tubman. As a fellow Brooklyn native who went into politics, I’m curious to know how it was for Chisholm as the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president. With Frida Kahlo, I’d like to talk to her about her artwork, love, and relationships. And of course, Harriet Tubman — how could so much courage, bravery, and strength exist in one person? It would be the highest honor to talk to someone who risked her life to give countless Black people their freedom.

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
With all of the successes and mistakes in life, you are who you are because of what you do. The lessons I’ve learned — whether from my professional career or personal life — have been building blocks for where I am right now. All of our experiences make us wiser and play a role in shaping who we are. For that reason, I’m not sure I would want to give my younger self any advice. I think we have to appreciate our failures as much as our triumphs and learn from it all.

With a concentration in finance, management, and strategic planning, Emma DeVito’s career spans more than 25 years. She led VillageCare’s reconfiguration and reform of its long-term and chronic care services, shifting the emphasis from institutionalized care to community-based services. As a member of the Governor-appointed Medicaid Redesign Team II, Emma worked alongside government officials, as well as a select number of other health care industry stakeholders, to identify changes necessary to New York State’s Medicaid program to help ensure recurring savings while protecting beneficiaries.

Susan M. Donoghue became commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in February 2022. From 2014 until 2022, Susan served as president of Prospect Park Alliance, the nonprofit organization that operates the park in partnership with the City of New York, and Prospect Park administrator. Since her appointment in 2014, she has been responsible for raising over $130 million for capital improvements in the park, and she also spearheaded the transformation of People + Culture at the Alliance through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to her appointment, Sue served as a senior advisor and assistant commissioner at NYC Parks, where she played a leadership role in PlaNYC, Mayor Bloomberg’s blueprint for enhancing the city’s sustainability.

After serving as NYU’s vice provost for academic affairs since 2018, Dr. Georgina Dopico was named interim provost of NYU in May 2022. Dr. Dopico has worked closely on graduate and undergraduate curricula, research, and academic policies and priorities, as well as on university-wide initiatives. She is also an associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese language and literature, having received her Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese from Yale University and an A.B. in History and Literature from Harvard.

Jacqueline M. Ebanks is the executive director at the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, where she leads the city’s efforts to eliminate institutional barriers to gender equity for all New Yorkers. Jacqueline held executive leadership positions at Women’s City Club of New York; the New York Women’s Foundation; Citigroup; and United Way of New York City. She holds a M.S. in Policy Analysis and Public Management from SUNY Stony Brook.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
At CGE, we leverage these four actions to increase gender parity. These are applicable at all levels of government.

– Policy, legislation, and advocacy to create policy changes resulting in equitable laws.

– Inter-agency and cross-sector collaboration, bringing domestic and international stakeholders to solicit input, identify solutions, and explore partnerships to remove barriers to gender parity.

– Research, analysis, and publications to better grasp the challenges and opportunities facing the city.

– Public education and engagement to inform New Yorkers and garner input from local communities, through various channels, on ways to eliminate gender barriers, improving their lives.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
To support women’s interests across the state, policymakers need to recognize that “every issue is a women’s issue.” Building an equitable and inclusive New York requires policymakers to:

– Develop and implement processes that ensure diverse women’s voices are included in every discourse on every aspect of economic and social growth, and development in the state.

– Have the political will and fortitude to follow through on the recommendations made by these diverse voices.

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
I would have dinner with the artist-activist Audre Lorde; the activist-politician Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm; and the politician-jurist Honorable Constance Baker Motley. All three broke barriers for Black women throughout the 60s and 70s. If such a dinner could happen, I would savor the opportunity to discuss how they pressed forward during periods of great upheaval and to hear their guidance on today’s fight for equity and justice.

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
The adage “the more things change the more they remain the same” is true. You will be astounded by humanity’s capacity for evil and simultaneously in awe of humanity’s capacity for good. No matter what the circumstance — the struggle for equity and justice NEVER ends. Stay the course, be patient yet persistent, take time for self-care, and forge lasting collaborations to stand against injustice and oppression.

As the first-ever commissioner of the WNBA, Cathy Engelbert is charged with bolstering visibility for the sport of women’s basketball, empowering WNBA players, and enhancing fan engagement. In her time as commissioner, Engelbert has executed a historic player-first Collective Bargaining Agreement, built and socialized a new economic framework to drive league revenue and owner success, and led the league to a successful 2020 season through the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to being appointed commissioner in July 2019, Engelbert spent 33 years at Deloitte, rising to CEO in 2015.

Dr. Katherine Fleming, the Alexander S. Onassis professor of Hellenic culture and civilization at New York University since 2007, joined the J. Paul Getty Trust as president and CEO after serving as New York University’s Provost since 2016. In her new role, Dr. Fleming oversees all operations of the Getty Trust, including the Getty Foundation, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. Dr. Fleming earned her B.A. in Religion from Barnard College, her M.A. in Religion from the University of Chicago, and her Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Berkeley.