Chief Executive Officer and John B. Henry Professor of Pathology, Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, Norton College of Medicine, Upstate University Hospital
With the organization since: Training and faculty, 1986-1991; chairman and chief executive officer, since 2012.
In current position since: March 2018.
Education: Undergraduate, Ithaca College; medical school, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine at New York Institute of Technology; Master of Business Administration, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Career Highlights: Outstanding Hospital Executive of the Year, CNY Business Journal; Becker’s Top 100 CEO’s to Know; appointment to New York State Board for Medicine; SUNY Upstate’s President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; named professorship, John B Henry professor of pathology and laboratory medicine; computer professional of the year; board certification, neuropathology, anatomic pathology, clinical informatics.
Current affiliations: American Board of Pathology; American Society of Clinical Pathology; board member, Cornell University Institute for Healthy Futures; American College of Healthcare Executives.
What is the biggest challenge in your current position? “The biggest challenge is time. We are doing more with less available time and less resources. Other challenges include a diminishing workforce at a time when our services are in great demand, constraints on our capacity and investments for our infrastructure, which are much needed. Another key challenge and concern is violence against our workforce. Violence against health care workers is a growing national problem, not limited in any way to Central New York.”
What is your greatest strength professionally? “I am an adaptable constant work-in-progress person. I am constantly reinventing myself.”
If you could make one change to the current healthcare system, what would it be? “Overhaul healthcare financing.”
How do you support the well-being of your team? “I emphasize kindness to self and others, and we work to get rid of unnecessary tasks so people can work at the top of their training and skill set. We identify this with the acronym G-R-O-S-S: Get Rid Of Stupid Stuff.”