Dr. John D’Angelo appointed Northwell Health President and CEO, succeeding Michael Dowling

Northwell Health, the largest nonprofit health system in the Northeast, announced that Dr. John D’Angelo has officially assumed the role of president and chief executive officer, succeeding Michael J. Dowling, who led the system for 23 years. Dowling will continue to serve as CEO emeritus in an advisory capacity, supporting public health initiatives and focusing on teaching and writing.
A 25-year veteran of Northwell, D’Angelo began his career as an emergency medicine physician at Glen Cove Hospital before advancing through multiple clinical and administrative leadership roles. He most recently served as executive vice president of the health system’s Central Region, overseeing six hospitals, 270 ambulatory practice locations, and 24,000 employees across western Nassau County and Queens.
“I’m honored to lead Northwell into an era of innovating for better health for all, where exceptional care, empowered employees, and thriving communities are the standard,” D’Angelo said in a statement on Northwell’s website. “Building on Michael Dowling’s remarkable legacy, our 104,000-person team is committed to raising health for the communities we serve.”
During his tenure as senior vice president of emergency medicine, D’Angelo managed 18 emergency departments and more than 60 urgent care centers. He also served as chief of integrated operations, where he coordinated Northwell’s systemwide response to the Covid-19 pandemic and helped streamline operations in its aftermath.
His appointment as CEO followed an extensive nationwide search and was confirmed by a unanimous vote of Northwell’s Board of Trustees in April. “Dr. D’Angelo brings strategic vision, an unwavering commitment to patients, and a deep understanding of the health care industry to the role of president and CEO,” said Margaret Crotty, chair of Northwell’s board. “He is a committed physician, respected leader and a trusted mentor at Northwell, and has the board’s enthusiastic confidence to lead us into the future.”

As CEO, D’Angelo’s early priorities include advancing Northwell’s digital transformation through the systemwide implementation of Epic, a comprehensive electronic health record platform that will unify its diverse EHRs into a single system. The initiative is one of the largest Epic implementations in the nation and is expected to streamline workflows, reduce administrative burden, and improve patient outcomes.
He will also oversee the consolidation of the recently completed Nuvance Health merger, forming an integrated regional health system that will serve more than 13 million people across New York and Connecticut.
A Long Island native, D’Angelo earned his medical degree from SUNY Stony Brook and completed his residency in emergency medicine at Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Armed Forces Reserves from 2001 to 2011.
At the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell White Coat Ceremony in October, D’Angelo reflected on his new role and the importance of compassion in medicine. “You’re stepping into one of the most challenging and one of the most important callings in human life,” he told incoming students. “Healthcare is a team sport… how we treat our teammates, doctors, nurses, and residents matters, because we must see their humanity, particularly in difficult moments.”
Dr. David Battinelli, physician-in-chief at Northwell and dean of the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, praised D’Angelo’s leadership. “We are impressed that on this literal third day of his new tenure, John has made the time to join us to address our students, demonstrating his commitment to the importance of humanism in their education and careers,” Battinelli said.
Under D’Angelo’s leadership, Northwell will continue to expand its clinical network, strengthen workforce engagement, and promote innovation in patient care. The system currently operates 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, and employs over 104,000 people, caring for more than 3 million patients annually across the New York metropolitan area.