Thursday, October 1, 2026
Democrats in New York state are continuing to reshape the Nassau Health Care Corporation board, following provisions included in the state budget for fiscal year 2026 passed last month by legislators.
The board oversees Nassau University Medical Center, Long Island’s largest public hospital system in East Meadow, and the A. Holly Paterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced four appointments to the Nassau Health Care Corporation board on May 31: Stuart Rabinowitz, former Hofstra University president and expert in law, education, and public policy, as chair; Amy Flores, a vice president at JPMorgan Chase; Dean Mihaltes, a health care executive and licensed pharmacist; and Lisa Warren, a business leader and longtime nonprofit advocate on Long Island.
Two additional board members, also appointed by Hochul at the recommendation of the state Assembly speaker and the state Senate president, were announced on June 3.
Dr. Lisa Zakiya Newland, a professor and chair of the Department of Social Work at Molloy University, was recommended by the Senate. “As a native New Yorker and longtime advocate for equity and justice, she brings a deep understanding of systems of care and a commitment to empowering underserved populations,” a state press release said.
Rory Lancman, vice chair of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority and director of corporate initiatives and senior counsel at the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, was recommended by the Assembly. He is a former New York City councilman in Queens.
Democratic state representatives from Long Island spoke highly of the latest appointments.
“With the addition of Dr. Lisa Newland, the NHCC Board reflects the diversity of talents and dedication needed to meet the moment,” State Sen. Siela Bynoe said. “I look forward to working with all of the members to ensure Nassau’s only public hospital can deliver safe, equitable and high-quality care for all who rely on it.”
“These appointments bring new accountability and expertise to our only public hospital,” Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said, “and mark a turning point in the effort to restore trust, improve oversight, and strengthen health care on Long Island.”
Assemblyman Charles Lavine echoed his colleagues sentiments, stating: “Gov. Hochul’s leadership in reforming NHCC’s governance is a vital turning point for Nassau University Medical Center and the communities that depend on it. These appointments, recommended by the legislature and affirmed by the governor, complete a board designed to reflect the highest standards of integrity, competence and public service.”
Following contentious state budget negotiations, the final provisions regarding the Nassau Health Care Corporation included a complete overhaul and restructuring of its board. As of June 1, the board will consist of 11 members: six appointed by the governor, two by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, two by the county legislature’s majority, and one by the minority.
Blakeman also lost the authority to approve the corporation’s chief executive.
In response to the state’s provisions, Blakeman recently announced that the county plans to file a lawsuit against the state in a bid to overturn it, calling it “a power grab” and an illegal move. He was joined at a news conference on June 3 by Dr. Irena Gelman, the county’s health commissioner and chair of the board at the hospital prior to June 1, who said “employee morale is at an all-time low” at NUMC.
Gelman criticized the lack of a transition plan by the state.
“Their silence has been deafening,” she said. “Failing to plan is planning to fail. It is time to put patient care and safety before politics.”
At the same news conference, Blakeman refused to name his appointments to the board — a move slammed by County Legislator Seth Koslow, a Democrat from Merrick who is running against Blakeman for the county executive seat this November. Koslow called Blakeman’s move “a blatant refusal to do his job.”
On June 9 in Mineola, Koslow was joined by members of the county’s minority caucus to demand further transparency in regard to recent events that transpired at NUMC prior to the state’s decision to overhaul the board.
On April 6, Blakeman met with FBI Director Kash Patel at the UBS Arena in Elmont. The next day, it was reported that Blakeman, former hospital chair Matthew Bruderman, and other federal agents were probing NUMC for long-standing Medicaid fraud. On April 24, it was reported that Bruderman’s Oyster Bay home was broken into and documents tied to the federal investigation were stolen. Later that day, the documents were recovered and turned over to the Nassau County Police Department, and later that night, Bruderman was fired by the Blakeman administration and replaced by Gelman without public explanation.
“We’re not accusing — we’re demanding,” Koslow said, “this set of highly unusual facts be investigated. Nassau County needs leadership that doesn’t run from the truth.”
The minority caucus sent a letter to Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, outlining the events that they stated, “raise serious questions about the possibility of false claims being filed with law enforcement authorities.”
The latest change at NUMC was announced on June 11, as Megan Ryan, the president, chief executive, and chief legal officer prior to the state overhaul, was placed on administrative leave.
In a late-May letter sent to Gelman, Ryan — who’s led the hospital since mid-December of 2024 — wrote that she intended to resign from her role on July 20, which she said was aligned with her Executive Employment Severance Agreement.
The board replaced Ryan with Dr. Richard Becker, who was named interim president and chief executive. Becker, a system executive for Northwell Health, will take a leave of absence from his role at Northwell as he begins to serve his interim position with NUMC.
