Vic Aufiero is responsible for overseeing and leading the strategic development and implemention of HANYS’ advocacy, policy and education strategies on issues related to managed care, payer/provider relationships and the broad spectrum of hospital and health system-based behavioral health services. She participates in collaborative efforts with HANYS members and advocates on their behalf with regulators, lawmakers and policy leaders.

Aufiero is a board member of the Holy Cross Club of Eastern NY. Prior to joining HANYS in 2014, she was a staff attorney at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP. Previously, Aufiero was the public policy director at NAMI-NYS.

Aufiero has a Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross and a Master of Studies in environmental law and Juris Doctorate degree from Vermont Law and Graduate School. She is a member of both the Massachusetts and New York Bars.

As president and chief executive officer of UHS Delaware Valley Hospital, Rolland V. "Boomer" Bojo Jr. leads organizational strategy, operational performance and the advancement of rural healthcare services for the region. Under his leadership, UHS Delaware Valley Hospital has achieved significant improvements in service offerings, patient and staff engagement and financial stability. In 2025, he spearheaded the launch of an $85 million medical neighborhood complex — the largest healthcare investment in Delaware County’s history — ensuring expanded access to high-quality care for the community for decades to come.

Throughout his career, Bojo has held numerous leadership roles across clinical operations, emergency management and administrative services. At Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, he served in multiple leadership capacities, including director of infection control, emergency manager, clinical director of the emergency department, grant director, administrator of patient care services, administrator of the Grover Hermann Division and ultimately vice president and chief nursing officer.

In addition to his professional work, Bojo is deeply committed to community service. He is a longtime member of the Hancock Fire Department where he has held ranks up to chief, and a founding member of the Town of Hancock Ambulance. He also serves as deputy coordinator for the Delaware County Office of Emergency Services and has previously served on the Village of Hancock Board, including as deputy mayor. Bojo contributes his expertise to several not-for-profit boards and local initiatives that strengthen public health and community resilience.

Bojo earned his associate degree in nursing from SUNY Delhi in 1995, followed by a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Science in nursing from Norwich University.

Patty Charvat has served as the senior vice president, marketing and strategy, for MVHS for the last seven years, and has been engaged in developing comprehensive initiatives related to internal and external communications, community health and outreach, workforce development and marketing initiatives. Charvat has been engaged in healthcare communications, marketing and external affairs for 30+ years, holding senior-level roles for trade organizations and hospitals. Prior to joining MVHS, Charvat was an independent healthcare marketing and communications consultant and worked with more than 50 different healthcare organizations across the country including hospitals, health systems, healthcare/hospital associations, state and national quality associations, and healthcare data/analytics companies. She began her career at the Healthcare Association of New York State, with her most recent position being vice president of corporate communications and marketing. Charvat earned her Bachelor of Science degree in public relations and journalism from Utica College of Syracuse University.

Kimberly Coolidge is a board‑certified nursing informatics specialist with 13 years of informatics leadership experience and 30 years of clinical nursing practice across diverse hospital settings. Her work focuses on strengthening the nursing workforce by leveraging data and technology to support staffing, workload balance and clinician wellbeing. She previously led a critical access hospital through an Epic go‑live and has shared workforce‑driven, data‑informed strategies nationally, including as a 2025 Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics speaker.

Alyssa Dahl began working in healthcare quality and payment policy in 2012 at DataGen, a subsidiary of the Healthcare Association of New York State. Dahl has supported healthcare providers across the nation to maximize their potential for success in alternative payment arrangements and population health initiatives. She leads a team of 19 analysts, programmers and business intelligence developers who deploy interactive data monitoring platforms and create custom analytic solutions.

Dahl received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Loyola University Maryland and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from the State University of New York at Albany.

Brian Esser is a national thought leader focused on emerging topics impacting enterprise growth, scale and sustainability. He often speaks at Sg2 events and industry conferences while engaging directly with management teams and boards on the evolving healthcare landscape and strategy formulation.

Leveraging 20 years of experience, Esser’s areas of expertise include healthcare strategy, payment and policy, physician alignment, value-based care, strategic partnerships, market evolution and navigating disruptive trends.

Prior to joining Sg2, Esser was a director in the population health management division of a national consulting firm rated number one by KLAS in value-based care consulting. During that time, Esser developed multiple clinically integrated networks/accountable care organizations across the country, guiding them through the transition from fee-for-service to value-based care. He also worked within the national strategy practice of Dixon Hughes Goodman leading projects related to strategic planning, physician alignment and service line optimization. He began his career in the sales arm of Pfizer.

Esser received his MBA from Case Western Reserve University and his BA from The Ohio State University.

In 2019, Hannah Farley joined the University of Rochester to bridge the gap between community needs and healthcare services as the outreach coordinator for the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region. She became manager of the program in 2025 where she oversees this DOH-funded initiative that helps hundreds of uninsured residents each year within the Finger Lakes Region obtain free cancer screening and diagnostic services. Driven by her personal experience caring for a loved one with cancer, she focuses on reducing the disease’s impact through community-based interventions and fostering connectedness.

Farley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental sciences from the State University of New York at Fredonia. She is a 2025 graduate of the Leadership Ontario cohort.

Jeff Gold works with the payer community, state and federal regulators and New York state government to address provider issues related to managed care. Gold has drafted, negotiated and helped secure major packages of managed care reform legislation that impact external appeals, administrative denials, claims processing and payer practices. He founded and helps lead the multistate managed care coalition of state hospital associations and HANYS’ Managed Care Advisory Group and served on New York’s Health Care Administrative Simplification Workgroup established in 2020. In 2025, he was appointed by U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor to be one of two court appointed monitors representing the plaintiff class to oversee compliance with the national settlement of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association antitrust litigation.

Before starting at HANYS, Gold was special counsel for healthcare to the New York State Attorney General. He served four Attorneys General in New York and was the founding chief of New York’s Health Care Bureau in 1997. Gold joined the AG’s office in 1987 and oversaw units of the AG’s office at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw; Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo; and the three State University of New York medical centers in Brooklyn, Syracuse and Stony Brook. Before 1987, he worked at two private law firms in New York City, with a focus on civil litigation.

He is a frequent lecturer at Bar Association meetings, healthcare conferences and Healthcare Financial Management Association events and has published several articles. Gold has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School.

Steven Goldstein was appointed to the NIH Clinical Center Hospital research board and is a member of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education international board. He completed three-year terms on the ACGME board and the AHA Committee on Clinical Leadership, the ACGME’s board executive committee and the AHA board of directors. During his term, he served as chairman of the AHA regional policy board 2 and was the board liaison to the section for long-term care and rehabilitation, as well as serving as a member of the AHA committee on health reform.

Goldstein received his master’s degree from St. Louis University Graduate School of Hospital and Health Care Administration and his bachelor’s degree from Utica College of Syracuse University.

Carol Gomes is a member of the senior executive team at Stony Brook University Hospital. Formerly, she served as chief quality officer and associate director for quality management with administrative oversight for the departments of continuous quality improvement, decision support services, clinical pathways and management engineering. She was also the associate director for neurosciences.

She is the recipient of numerous leadership awards including the Long Island Business News Healthcare Heroes Award in Achievements in Healthcare, the Master Award and the Excellence in Management Award from the American Society of Clinical Pathology, and The Distinguished Alumna Award from Stony Brook University. She is also the recipient of the Award of Distinction by the Healthcare Leaders of New York through the American College of Healthcare Executives and was awarded the Stony Brook Council Medal of Excellence for outstanding service. She served on the Stony Brook University Alumni Association Board, holding all executive level positions, including president. Currently, she serves on the Vizient Senior Chief Executive Officer Executive Committee and serves as a board member on numerous boards associated with healthcare activities, including the National Association for Healthcare Quality, Healthcare Association of New York State and Chair of the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council.

Gomes is a leader and advocate for sustainability efforts. Stony Brook University Hospital has received multiple awards through Practice Greenhealth, including the 2025 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, Circles of Excellence Award in Safer Chemicals, Sustainable Procurement, Energy and Green Buildings. Most recently, she was named among Crain’s New York Business 2025 Notable Leaders in Sustainability.

Gomes earned two master’s degrees from Stony Brook University in management and policy from the Harriman School for Management and Policy and healthcare management and administration from the School of Allied Health Professions. She has served on the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Program’s Board of Examiners for nearly ten years as a senior examiner and alumni examiner. She teaches for the School of Health Professions and holds certifications as a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Certified Practitioner of Healthcare from the National Association for Healthcare Quality and numerous certifications in laboratory sciences and management from the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Madeline Grant has worked in healthcare and health policy in both government and the private sector. In her role as chief administrative officer, she serves as chief of staff to the board of trustees and CEO, and works closely with state and county partners. Prior to her current role, Grant was the director of government relations for UW Medicine. Early in her career she worked in policy in Washington D.C.; first, as lead healthcare aide for a Senate Finance Committee member working on the Affordable Care Act, and later as a senior advisor in the Obama administration working on ACA implementation.

As president of HANYS, Bea Grause has been a passionate advocate for New York’s nonprofit and public hospitals, health systems and post-acute and continuing care providers. She also oversees HANYS’ nationally engaged for-profit business services. Since her tenure began in 2016, she has contributed her extensive clinical, political and legal know-how to the organization’s agenda and in discussions with state and federal healthcare stakeholders.

Throughout the tremendous challenges of the pandemic, Grause’s leadership ensured that New York’s hospitals and health systems had the resources, flexibility and government support needed to preserve care in communities across the state. Grause continues to advocate on behalf of New York’s hospitals and health systems as they face fiscal, workforce and payer challenges post-pandemic.

Prior to HANYS, Grause served as president and CEO of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems for 14 years, successfully leading Vermont hospitals through a variety of reform initiatives, including the state’s single-payer debate, and building the hospitals’ brand as trusted, competent leaders.

Grause spent 10 years in Washington, D.C., in a variety of positions. She began her D.C. tenure as a legislative assistant, first in the office of Rep. Norman Y. Mineta and then for Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II. After she left Capitol Hill, Grause simultaneously held senior governmental affairs positions with the Tennessee Hospital Association and Massachusetts Hospital Association. She spent three years working as counsel with the law firm of Foley, Hoag. In this role, she developed tailored legislative and regulatory strategies for many healthcare clients. Grause previously worked as a registered nurse, primarily in the emergency room and intensive care areas at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center of California.

She completed a three-year term (2012 to 2015) as an at-large member of the American Hospital Association board of trustees, including a 2015 term on the AHA Executive and AHA CEO Search Committees. As part of her AHA board responsibilities, she also served as chairman of the AHA Allied Advisory Committee on Medicaid.

Grause earned her Juris Doctorate in 1991. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Boston College in 1979 and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She is also a 2003 graduate of the Vermont Leadership Institute.

Thomas Hallisey formulates and executes HANYS’ state and federal health information technology regulatory and legislative advocacy agenda. This includes working with government agencies, lawmakers and other organizations to advance HANYS’ HIT agenda on behalf of New York’s hospitals and health systems.

Hallisey’s career includes extensive HIT work in the hospital setting, beginning as an application analyst at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut, and then working at several hospitals in New York state. He served as director of information services at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, then as vice president, information management, and chief information officer at Cortland Regional Medical Center. Next, he joined Menusguide.com, a startup company, as chief technology officer, and served as CIO for United Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he was executive IT adviser and CIO at Hartman Executive Advisors, an IT consulting firm.

Hallisey serves as a trustee on the board of directors of Columbia Memorial Health and is an adjunct assistant professor at Downstate Health Sciences University. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut. He has an ITIL v.3 Foundation Certification and is an affiliate of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and Healthcare Information Management Systems.

Christen Hunt leads large clinical transformational improvement projects focused on clinical strategy, operations and quality at Kaufman Hall.

As a respected industry leader and advisor to C-suite executives for more than 25 years, Hunt has authored publications and delivered national presentations on care model design, clinical quality, patient safety and workforce trends shaping the future of the healthcare workforce. She is regularly invited to speak at industry conferences on approaches that improve outcomes.

Hunt earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She also holds a post-master's certification as a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner from the University of Kentucky and dual certifications as a family NP and pediatric acute care NP.

John Kalamaras leads the development and analytics efforts at DataGen, driving innovation in alternative payment model services. He specializes in transforming policy into actionable insights, optimizing workflows, developing cutting-edge products and enhancing the user experience. Kalamaras has provided data-driven support for participants in various CMS and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation programs such as Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced, Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement and Medicare Shared Savings Program.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a master’s degree in biostatistics from the State University of New York at Albany.

As president and CEO of Ellenville Regional Hospital since 2003, Steven Kelley has transformed the organization from one of New York’s most financially distressed hospitals into a nationally recognized model for rural healthcare innovation, quality and sustainability. Under his leadership, ERH has become widely regarded as a benchmark for effective small hospital operations, demonstrating how rural institutions can achieve both clinical excellence and financial stability.

Prior to joining ERH, Kelley’s career spanned healthcare, technology and research. He held positions with IBM and Control Data, launched entrepreneurial ventures and served as a research scientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and principal investigator at Albany Medical Center. During his time at RPI, he contributed to the development of the Resource Utilization Groups nursing home reimbursement system and led a DOH-funded project examining emergency department services payment model. This multidisciplinary background has informed his innovative and strategic approach to healthcare leadership and systems improvement.

A respected voice in the healthcare community, Kelley is frequently invited to speak at national and regional conferences on topics including rural healthcare innovation, addressing the opioid epidemic, improving patient outcomes and advancing hospital information systems. His recent speaking engagements include the Rx & Illicit Drug Summit, National Rural Health Association Annual Rural Health Conference, NYSTEC Population Health Innovation Summit and Vizient Stronger Connections Summit.

In addition to his leadership at ERH, Kelley is actively engaged in community and professional service. He serves on numerous boards and committees, including those of HANYS, New York State Rural Health Council, The Institute for Family Health and Ulster County Industrial Development Agency.

Kelley holds a Master of Business Administration in health systems management from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, representing national board certification in healthcare management and leadership.

John LaForge is the nurse manager of the emergency department at Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, New York, where he oversees day-to-day operations, regulatory compliance and staffing needs. He has spent almost 20 years in healthcare, having previously served as the nurse manager of Sisters Hospital’s St. Joseph Campus ICU, dialysis and telemetry services. In March 2020, LaForge took a leadership role in operationalizing the nation’s first COVID-19-only treatment facility at the St. Joseph Campus. During the height of the pandemic, he and his team managed operations across four critical care units and three medical surgical units.

Dr. Amanda Laprime is an associate professor of medicine and director of the intensive behavior team at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Laprime developed one of the first nationally recognized behavioral consultation services for patients experiencing an emergency or inpatient admission across all areas of healthcare (including pediatrics, adult care and psychiatry). She is a recognized expert in establishing systems that promote health equity for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as a leader in workplace safety initiatives.

Laprime’s research interests include the assessment and treatment of severe challenging behaviors, co-occurrence of medical and behavioral health challenges in those with disabilities and creating trauma-informed environments that promote staff and patient well-being and safety.

Shola Latus-Olaifa serves as program director at Northwell Health within the Institute for Community Health and Wellness. She is a proven leader in cultivating strong community partnerships, significantly expanding program reach and expertly managing over $1 million in grant funding for community mental health initiatives. Latus-Olaifa has been instrumental in developing faith-based mental health programs and collaboratives, such as Northwell’s Community Health Advancement Task Force, which promotes fair and accessible health services and drove leading COVID-19 vaccination rates in the Long Island region. She brings extensive research experience, managing grants that improve mental healthcare for individuals and designing telehealth interventions for older adults. She has also coauthored various publications in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Poverty and Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Kelly Luther is a senior healthcare leader with more than 30 years of experience at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where she serves as senior director of social work and patient and family services. She oversees nine interdisciplinary programs and approximately 650 employees, providing strategic leadership in operations, program development, workforce management and patient-centered service delivery. Throughout her career at URMC, Luther has held progressive leadership roles that advanced social work practice, care coordination and quality improvement across inpatient, outpatient and emergency settings. A recipient of the University of Rochester Witmer Award and the Rochester Business Journal Health Care Professional Award, Luther has also contributed extensively to community organizations through board and committee service.

Anne Meore is a licensed social worker and registered horticultural therapist with over a decade of experience integrating therapeutic gardens into healthcare and community settings. At Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York, she oversees the Garden of Hope, creating accessible, restorative spaces for patients, staff and the broader community. She also coordinates THRIVE, a veteran-focused horticultural therapy program at the New York Botanical Garden and teaches in the Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program. As founder of Planthropy LLC, Meore designs therapeutic landscapes and delivers programming that highlights the role of nature in supporting resilience and well-being. Her work has been recognized by the American Horticultural Therapy Association with both research and community service awards.

Silvanus Michel is a seasoned nurse leader and healthcare administrator with over 20 years of progressive experience in acute and critical care within major academic medical centers in New York City. As director of nursing at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, a Level 1 Trauma Center, he provides strategic and operational oversight for multiple adult critical care units, diagnostic cardiology and radiology services, and specialty practices.

Michel is recognized for his transformational leadership style, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and excellence in patient care. He has successfully led large, interdisciplinary teams in achieving key organizational milestones, including Pathway to Excellence designation and Beacon Award initiatives. His leadership has been instrumental in strengthening regulatory readiness, improving quality and safety outcomes, and enhancing staff engagement across high-acuity clinical environments.

Throughout his career, Michel has demonstrated a strong commitment to evidence-based practice, performance improvement and innovation. He has led numerous initiatives aimed at reducing hospital-acquired conditions, optimizing resource utilization and advancing nursing practice through shared governance and professional development. He is also an active contributor to system-wide policy development and serves in leadership roles on multiple hospital and organizational committees.

In addition to his clinical and administrative expertise, Michel is an emerging nurse scholar. He coauthored the article, “Badge Buddy and Handoff Innovation: Advancing Blood Transfusion (BT) Safety and Documentation in Critical Care,” published in the April 2026 issue of Critical Care Nurse, which has also been accepted for poster presentation at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition 2026. His scholarly work reflects his dedication to advancing patient safety, clinical communication and innovative care delivery models in critical care settings. He has also collaborated on additional abstracts accepted for national presentation, underscoring his commitment to knowledge dissemination and professional contribution.

Michel holds a Master of Science degree in management-nurse leadership from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He is CCRN-certified and an active member of professional organizations including the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Nurses Association and Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Driven by a passion for mission-based leadership, Michel remains committed to advancing healthcare equity, strengthening nursing leadership and improving outcomes for diverse and underserved populations.

As director of operations for ambulatory care at SBH Health Systems, Louann Peña provides strategic leadership across outpatient clinic services. She drives initiatives to enhance patient satisfaction, with a strong focus on improving the overall patient experience and care quality. She leads and supports a team of patient care navigators, fostering a coordinated, patient-centered approach to service delivery. Peña also oversees Patient-Centered Medical Home certification efforts, ensuring clinics consistently meet rigorous standards for quality, compliance and care excellence. In addition, she manages operations for ambulatory services, ensuring clinics are efficiently resourced to meet both patient needs and organizational goals. Through her leadership, Peña is dedicated to advancing operational excellence and delivering a seamless, high-quality patient experience.

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biomedical Informatics
Columbia University

Dr. Bethany (Beth) Percha leads the Data Shared Service, a team of data engineers, analysts, data scientists, informaticists and regulatory experts supporting NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia. She also chairs the tri-institutional AI Governance Committee.

Previously, she was chief data officer at Summit Health/CityMD, a large multispecialty and urgent care network in the northeast, staying on after its acquisition by VillageMD/Walgreens to lead data engineering, governance and operations across all VillageMD markets and business lines.

Before that, Percha was chief technology officer at Precision Health Enterprise, an applied research and product development group at the Mount Sinai Health System, and head of research and development at the Health Data and Design Innovation Center, Mount Sinai’s first Silicon Valley outpost. She was vice president of research and development at Kyron, a venture-backed startup building an information retrieval platform for electronic medical records. She has also served as a technical adviser for several health technology startups in New York and Silicon Valley.

Percha has a PhD in biomedical informatics from Stanford University and Master of Public Health in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Michigan, where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in physics, biochemistry and math.

Rick Pollack is president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, the nation’s largest hospital and healthcare system membership organization with nearly 5,000 member hospitals, healthcare systems, networks and other care providers.

Serving as AHA’s top leader since 2015, Pollack is widely recognized for his strong, effective advocacy and leadership on behalf of our nation’s hospitals, patients and communities they serve, and the healthcare professionals those organizations support.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pollack built a coalition including the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, state and regional hospital associations and other leading health organizations to support efforts in following public health guidelines and promoting vaccination, with a focus on vulnerable communities. The coalition successfully obtained the financial resources and regulatory flexibility to keep hospitals open to care for their patients and communities during the most challenging public health crisis of our time.

As hospitals recovered from the pandemic, Pollack has been an influential leader in securing the field’s financial stability and redefining the hospital to care for patients in more efficient and convenient ways. Under his leadership, AHA launched a comprehensive effort to address historic workforce challenges.

Pollack has shaped and grown what is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most respected and effective advocacy organizations. This includes both a sophisticated political and grassroots network in every congressional district in the country, as well as a political action committee, AHAPAC, one of the largest in healthcare.

Pollack has also guided AHA’s efforts to improve quality and patient safety and eliminate disparities in care. As an early leader committed to addressing the growing and evolving threats cybercrimes pose to patients and our healthcare system, Pollack launched a partnership with the FBI and other government agencies to help provide hospitals greater support and resources in this area.

A recognized advocate in expanding healthcare access, Pollack has led many broad-based national coalitions that improved healthcare coverage for patients. He is a member of steering committees for the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience and Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector. In addition, he serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 and is a former member of the Special Medical Advisory Group to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. He is the former chair and a current member of the International Hospital Federation’s Association Leadership Council.

Pollack began his career in Washington, D.C. as a legislative assistant to Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, he then served as a legislative representative for the American Nurses Association. Pollack joined AHA in 1982, a tenure which has included more than 20 years as its executive vice president for advocacy and public policy prior to becoming president and CEO. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from the State University of New York at Cortland and a master’s degree in public administration from American University.

Currently CEO at Erie County Medical Center Corporation, Thomas J. Quatroche Jr. has been named the next president and CEO of HANYS, succeeding Bea Grause in mid-June.

Quatroche was appointed president of ECMC in 2015 and served as CEO and president from 2016 through 2025. In that capacity, Quatroche provided leadership for over 3,800 staff members at ECMC, Terrace View Long Term Care facility and additional outpatient locations. His responsibilities included all strategic initiatives of the corporation, including affiliations with Great Lakes Health of Western New York, Kaleida Health, University at Buffalo and many other community organizations important to the corporation’s strategic direction. He previously served as ECMC’s senior vice president of marketing, planning and business development from 2004 to 2015.

Quatroche has served on HANYS’ board of trustees since 2016 and was its chair in 2020; that year, he also served as a member of the New York Medicaid Redesign Team II and was co-lead of the Western New York Vaccine Hub established to drive regional COVID-19 vaccine distribution and uptake. Last June, the American Hospital Association, in partnership with HANYS, presented him with the 2025 New York State Grassroots Champion Award, and he was named to City & State New York’s 2025 Trailblazers in Health Care list. He currently is the chair of America’s Essential Hospitals’ board of directors.

Quatroche received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from the State University of New York at Fredonia, a master’s degree in student personnel administration from Buffalo State University and his doctorate in higher education — educational leadership and policy from University at Buffalo.

Dwight Raum has served as Rochester Regional Health’s executive vice president and chief digital information officer since December 2023. With over 25 years of experience in healthcare, Raum spent two decades at Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he served as chief technology officer and later as interim chief information officer.

A champion of servant leadership, Raum is passionate about harnessing innovation and leveraging technology to drive meaningful change. His career highlights include leading transformative initiatives in cybersecurity, digital transformation, process optimization and applying artificial intelligence to tackle complex healthcare challenges.

Raum earned a Bachelor of Science in management science from Virginia Tech and continues to combine strategic vision with hands-on ingenuity to shape the future of healthcare.

Hira Ruskin joined Northwell Health in 2017 as the senior director responsible for business development and enrollment for Health Solutions, the population healthcare management division of Northwell. She has spent most of her career as a senior healthcare executive in marketing, strategy, business development and operations. In her current role, Ruskin is responsible for Northwell’s Medicaid Health Home which is a community-based care coordination program servicing 10,000 members across Long Island, New York City and Westchester. Ruskin is also responsible for several Medicaid initiatives across Northwell Health related to community programs and building appropriate access to care by leveraging resources both internal and external to Northwell’s ecosystem.

Prior to joining Northwell she served as associate vice president of community programs at Villagecare, leading the operations and care delivery transformation of the community-based programs in New York City which included health home, adult protective services, medical model day programs and DSRIP. Ruskin spent the earlier part of her career supporting growth for home care agencies based out of New York City.

Ruskin received her Bachelor of Science in communications from City University of New York and Executive Master in business administration from Hofstra. She is the current vice president of the Health Home Coalition and Long Island RPC.

Dierdra Sorrell is a strategic healthcare leader and key force behind the transformation and long-term sustainability of Clifton-Fine Hospital, one of New York’s most rural hospitals. With a strong commitment to improving healthcare access in the North Country, she has led major organizational initiatives, including the hospital’s successful transition to Rural Emergency Hospital designation — a proactive move that helped the institution achieve financial stability and ongoing community service.

Known for her clarity, compassion and steady leadership, Sorrell excels at conveying complex policy changes to a wide range of audiences, from frontline staff to state partners and the general public. Her work combines operational insight with community-focused advocacy, ensuring that rural voices remain included in statewide healthcare discussions.

She has recently led public-facing communications on Medicaid policy changes, guided internal teams through regulatory transitions and supported strategic planning efforts related to capital projects and grant-funded modernization. Her leadership is characterized by transparency, collaboration and a strong focus on maintaining high-quality care close to home.

Sorrell continues to advocate for rural healthcare resilience, believing that small hospitals have an outsized impact on the health, identity and economic stability of their communities.

For more than 25 years, Amy Walter has built a reputation as an accurate, objective and insightful political analyst with unparalleled access to campaign insiders and decision-makers. Known as one of the best political journalists covering Washington, she is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the non-partisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, where she provides analysis of the issues, trends and events that shape the political environment. A contributor to the PBS NewsHour, she provides weekly political analysis for the popular “Politics Monday” segment and is a featured contributor for the network’s election and convention special coverage events. She is also a regular Sunday panelist on NBC’s Meet the Press and CNN’s Inside Politics, and appears frequently on Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News Channel. From 2017 to early 2021, Walter was the host of the weekly nationally syndicated program Politics with Amy Walter on The Takeaway from WNYC and PRX. She’s also the former political director of ABC News.

Michelle Lynn Watkins is a nursing leader with over 25 years of experience across the healthcare field, currently serving as the nurse manager for Tower 3 at Glens Falls Hospital. In this role, she provides 24/7 leadership for a 46-bed medical-surgical unit, overseeing daily operations and a large team of registered nurses and support staff. Watkins’ career is defined by her professional growth from certified nursing assistant and licensed practical nurse to RN and manager, giving her a deep, practical understanding of the challenges healthcare teams face today. With a background that includes hospice, oncology and clinical nurse education, she is a dedicated mentor who has led orientation and residency programs for new nursing staff.

Watkins holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Grand Canyon University, is board certified in medical-surgical nursing and is currently a DNP candidate at American Sentinel College. She remains focused on building cohesive teams and improving patient safety through high-quality, evidence-based care.

From college dropout waiter to self-taught successful entrepreneur.

Marcus Whitney is a founding partner of Jumpstart Health Investors, the most active early-stage healthcare venture capital firm in America. Of JHI’s funds, Whitney leads Jumpstart Nova, JHI’s institutional, strategic, healthcare seed fund.

He is also co-founder and minority owner of the Nashville Soccer Club, a Major League Soccer team.

Whitney is the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book Create and Orchestrate about claiming your creative power through entrepreneurship. His work has been featured by Entrepreneur, CNBC, Inc., NPR, Fast Company and The Atlantic.

Whitney is an Aspen Health Innovators Fellow, and a member of the board of the Healthcare Finance Management Association, Celtic Bank, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation, OZ Arts and Scott Hamilton CARES.

Jason Wolf is a globally recognized leader in transforming human experience in healthcare. As president and CEO of The Beryl Institute for 15 years, he has expanded the organization into a global community of practice with over 65,000 members in more than 85 countries.

He is the founding editor of Patient Experience Journal, a global, peer-reviewed research publication, and has established The Beryl Institute’s Credentialing Center (formerly the Patient Experience Institute) to support education and certification in the field of patient experience. A sought-after speaker, thought leader and author of over 100 publications, Wolf has authored a #1 Amazon bestseller, Transforming the Future of Healthcare: Reflections on a Decade of the Experience Movement. He also co-authored a bestseller with Stacy Palmer, Return on Human Experience: Eight Principles to Inspire Excellence in Healthcare.