Photo by Adobe Stock/Photocreo Bednarek
We salute the region’s top healthcare providers who led the county through an unprecedented crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As if a reminder was needed regarding the importance of the healthcare industry, the pandemic brought home just how essential medical care leaders are to the welfare of the community. The who’s who of Westchester’s medical care industry truly rose to meet the call in heroic fashion. Here, we recognize those individuals who helped when needed most.
Robert Amler
Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice, VP of Government Affairs, New York Medical College
Robert Amler has been a consistent and vocal presence at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the health crisis, he has spoken with numerous news outlets to keep Westchester citizens updated on the latest healthcare developments. He joined New York Medical College in 2005, and he’s still a practicing pediatrician.
Sherlita Amler
Health Commissioner, Westchester County
Westchester County Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler was on the front lines during the coronavirus outbreak, helping to shape the county’s response to the pandemic. She’s devoted more than 30 years to public service, and she’s been in her current position for more than a decade. Dr. Amler has led and supported numerous public health initiatives, including efforts to stop the toll of opiate abuse.
Ron Corti
President/Chief Executive Officer, St. John’s Riverside Hospital
President and CEO Ron Corti celebrated his 10th anniversary at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in 2020. Under his leadership last year, St. John’s formed the Committee for Achieving Regional Equity in Healthcare to address healthcare disparities in the community. The hospital was also awarded primary stroke center accreditation by the Joint Commission. It has also been a big proponent of Age-Friendly Health Systems, to improve care for older adults.
Michael J. Dowling
President/Chief Executive Officer, Northwell Health
As president and CEO of Northwell Health, Michael Dowling leads a medical organization that cares for more than two million people annually through a network of more than 830 outpatient facilities. But it’s not all stats and figures for Dowling, who has publicly taken a stand against gun violence while supporting immigration.
Michael Fosina
President, NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital president Michael Fosina focused on both effective patient care and assuring the hospital’s financial stability to navigate through the upheaval of COVID-19. In addition to weathering the pandemic, he is intent on meeting the needs of Millennials with clinical-care options, such as more single beds for birthing mothers and rooms with wireless internet connections.
Susan Fox
President/CEO, White Plains Hospital
Susan Fox brought with her a plan for community healthcare when she joined White Plains Hospital as senior vice president of administration more than a decade ago. Since then, she’s overseen a $50 million expansion of the Center for Cancer Care, and a new ambulatory surgery center in Harrison, with plans for a new pediatric center as well. Earlier this year, the hospital opened a state-of-the-art Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery for outpatient care.
Dr. Scott D. Hayworth
President, Optum Tri-State Region; CEO, CareMount Health Solutions
During Dr. Scott Hayworth’s tenure, CareMount has expanded in size more than 15 times. At the very start of the pandemic, he led the company to expand its virtual healthcare footprint in a week and a half. During the pandemic’s height, CareMount was experiencing 35,000 to 45,000 virtual visits a month.
Michael Israel
President/CEO, Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth)
Michael Israel has led WMCHealth, made up of 10 hospitals in the Hudson Valley, since 2005. He oversaw the medical group’s virtual-medicine program to provide care for citizens reeling during the pandemic as well as WMCHealth’s rollout of one of the nation’s first post-COVID recovery programs. WMCHealth partnered with New York State and by summer 2021 had coordinated the distribution of more than 2.5 million doses to vaccination sites.
Jeffrey Menkes
President/CEO, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital
When Jeffrey Menkes came onboard at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in 2017, he said his goal was “to make Burke the jewel in the crown for rehab” throughout the counties that the Montefiore Health System serves. Menkes has not wavered in that commitment. A few months ago, he helped cut the ribbon on a new $2.4 million welcome center at Burke.
Dr. Philip O. Ozuah
President/CEO, Montefiore Medicine
As head of the Montefiore Health System, Dr. Philip Ozuah leads one of the nation’s largest health systems, with more than 200 locations in the Lower Hudson Valley and the Bronx. He’s often in the headlines, receiving praise for helping underserved communities. Last spring, the New York Yankees thanked him for their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Stacey Petrower
President, NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital
Stacey Petrower has led NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital since 2016. More recently, she oversaw the opening of its state-of-the-art, 16,000 sq. ft. Maternal & Newborn Care Unit. The new unit features enlarged rooms and pods for privacy.
Mark Silberman
Program Director, Emergency Medicine, St. John’s Riverside Hospital
Mark Silberman led St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers through the demands of the pandemic, purchasing dozens of ventilators at $40,000 each, plus he ensured the company had three months’ worth of medical supplies. Also during the pandemic, he and other doctors at St. John’s Riverside communicated with doctors in China and Italy who were further along in the pandemic, to determine how best to care for patients.
Michael Spicer
President/CEO, St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Michael Spicer has more than two decades of hospital and long-term care experience, serving as executive vice president and chief operating officer at St. Joseph’s before being appointed CEO in 2000. The hospital continues to serve its community post-pandemic, even operating an on-site food pantry for needy patients.
Anthony Viceroy
Westmed CEO Anthony Viceroy receives kudos for overseeing a smooth transition to virtual patient care at the start of COVID-19 and now into the post-pandemic era. Plus, knowing that banks would be challenged with lending during the financial slowdown, he made sure the company had capital on hand to cover the organization for 12 months, helping to ensure its future viability.
