Sunday, November 15, 2026
An evening of celebration, gratitude and generosity brought together nearly 400 supporters of Mount Sinai South Nassau, as the hospital honored those who have helped shape its mission and looked toward a future of expanded lifesaving care.
Rockville Centre resident Tony Cancellieri, co-founder of RVC Blue Speaks, helped lead the evening as co-chair of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Advisory Board and this year’s Soiree Under the Stars. He has also played an important role in advancing the hospital’s vision for expanded cardiovascular services.
Held Nov. 7 at The Lannin in Eisenhower Park, the gala benefited the Oceanside hospital’s “Bringing Heart Home” campaign, which supports the introduction of advanced cardiac surgical services, including adult open-heart surgery, and expanded cardiovascular care closer to home.
For Cancellieri, the initiative represents a major milestone in a vision that began more than a decade ago.
“This is a dream that we had 12 years ago,” Cancellieri said. “We wanted to take this community hospital — that’s going to be 100 years old in two years — and turn it into a regional medical center.”
The expansion includes plans for a Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab and a new CT-Angiography Lab, strengthening the hospital’s ability to diagnose and treat complex heart conditions. The new advanced cardiac surgery program is expected to launch later this year, with surgeons and clinical leaders from Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in Manhattan overseeing the program and traveling to Oceanside to perform procedures.
Cancellieri said the hospital has made significant infrastructure investments over the past decade, including additional operating rooms, critical care beds and an expanded emergency department, while strengthening its trauma and stroke services.
The evening also honored individuals whose leadership, generosity and dedication have helped advance the hospital’s mission, recognizing contributions spanning philanthropy, medicine and patient care.
Steven Gold, a Hewlett Harbor resident and longtime hospital benefactor, was recognized for decades of service and philanthropic support. Gold has served on Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Advisory Board since 2011, including leadership roles as Development Committee chair and Soiree co-chair.
“Steven Gold is one of our longest serving volunteer board members, and he has been a supporter of the hospital for decades,” Dr. Joshua Kugler, the hospital’s interim president, said. “Anytime we need something, he is there. He embodies the South Nassau spirit.”
Gold is known for his leadership of Gold Pure Food Products, commonly known as Gold’s Horseradish, a family business founded by his grandparents. He served as president until the company was sold in 2015. He also serves on the board of SIBSPlace, a Mount Sinai South Nassau program supporting children whose siblings face serious illnesses.
Dr. Aaron E. Glatt, chair of the Department of Medicine, chief of Infectious Diseases and hospital epidemiologist, received the Mary Pearson Award, named for the hospital’s founding administrator. The honor recognizes individuals whose contributions significantly advance the hospital’s commitment to the community.
Glatt, who has held his leadership positions since 2015, oversees the department’s clinical, academic and administrative operations and the hospital’s antimicrobial stewardship program. During the pandemic, he served as a leading medical expert, helping guide the hospital’s response, including monoclonal antibody treatments, vaccine distribution and the launch of Mount Sinai’s Vaxmobile.
“Dr. Glatt’s clinical acumen has been key to Mount Sinai South Nassau’s advancements in patient safety, quality, infection prevention, and antibiotic administration and the multiple awards the hospital has received for patient safety and the quality of care,” Dr. Alan Wong, the hospital’s chief medical officer, said. “We are grateful for his leadership.”
Nydia White, a registered nurse and director of Nursing in the Department of Medicine, received the Cupola Award, which recognizes employees who demonstrate exceptional dedication to the hospital’s mission.
White has spent her entire 22-year nursing career at Mount Sinai South Nassau, much of it in critical care. During the pandemic, she helped lead nursing teams caring for critically ill patients. She now oversees nursing operations in the surgical and intensive care units.
“As the hospital launches its advanced cardiac surgery program, we will rely on Ms. White’s leadership in critical care so that our patients achieve optimal outcomes,” Margaret Pfeiffer, senior vice president and chief nursing officer, said. “We are grateful that she has been a member of our team for more than 20 years and are so proud of her work.”
The hospital also paid tribute to the late Wayne Lipton, a longtime board member and Rockville Centre resident who co-chaired the Soiree for many years. A special posthumous award was presented to his family in recognition of his years of service and commitment to the hospital.
Cancellieri said this year’s event generated more than $900,000 in gross proceeds through sponsorships, raffles, pledges and donations, including an anonymous $100,000 contribution made in honor of Glatt. The final net fundraising total has not been announced.
The hospital already provides emergency balloon angioplasty, reporting an average door-to-balloon time of 58 minutes, compared with the national benchmark of 90 minutes. Its Cardiac Catheterization Lab has also earned the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence.
For Cancellieri, the significance of the expansion extends beyond medical technology. Having advanced emergency and cardiovascular services close to home can make a critical difference for South Shore residents, particularly when minutes matter.
“We have grateful patients that become people whose lives have been saved because of that visit to South Nassau,” Cancellieri said. “That means everything to us.”
