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HHC Leadership

Executive Directors

Steven R. Alexander

Steven R. Alexander
Executive Director
Bellevue Hospital Center

Steven R. Alexander is Executive Director of Bellevue Hospital Center, one of the oldest public hospitals in the country. The 828-bed hospital has more than 4,000 employees and runs an extensive ambulatory care program that provides more than 500,000 outpatient primary care and specialty care visits annually. Its emergency room sees more than 125,000 visits every year. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Comprehensive Children's Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services.

Alexander has 27 years of service in a variety of leadership positions at HHC. He started his career at HHC as a pharmacist at Queens Hospital Center, later serving as its Assistant Director of Pharmacy and Director of Emergency Services. He was a Director of Pharmacy at Bellevue and Elmhurst hospitals, Associate Executive Director at Elmhurst Hospital, and Associate Executive Director of Radiology at Bellevue Hospital. In 2005, Alexander was named Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer and in this role he led general hospital operations, with direct responsibility for the Cardiothoracic, Behavioral Health, Pharmacy and Diagnostic services as well as infrastructure, support services, facility and material management. He has been the hospital incident commander during emergency situations including Hurricane Sandy.

Alexander graduated Cum Laude from St. John’s University with a B.S. in Pharmacy and Magna Cum Laude from the New York Institute of Technology with an M.B.A.

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Robert K. Hughes

Robert K. Hughes
Executive Director
Coler Rehabilitiation and Nursing Care Center
and Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility

Robert K. Hughes is Executive Director of both the Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility in Harlem, and the Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility.

The Major Modernization Plan, a massive and multifaceted endeavor that significantly modernized the organization through right-sizing and realigning services and relocating operations, highlights Mr. Hughes’ leadership. The three-year plan included the complete renovation of an existing hospital building in Harlem. A state-of-the-art facility was built on an adjacent site, and operations and services from the Coler-Goldwater campus on Roosevelt Island was relocated to the new facility in November 2013. The new Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility, along with the Coler-Goldwater facility, will serve as the preeminent safety-net provider of long-term-care services at HHC, totaling 1,180 beds.

During Mr. Hughes’ tenure, the facilities routinely have earned high marks in quality-care categories on The Joint Commission and NYS Department of Health surveys. The organization has outperformed state and national averages with regards to many quality indicators.

Mr. Hughes began his employment at Goldwater in 1982 as a hospital-care investigator in patient accounts. He was appointed associate executive director after assuming administrative roles. In 1997, he left Coler-Goldwater for a leadership position at a large non-public nursing facility. In 2003, Mr. Hughes returned to Coler-Goldwater as deputy executive director and chief operating officer. He was named executive director in 2009.

Mr. Hughes was reared on Long Island and earned a criminal justice degree from St. John’s University in Queens, NY. He received his law degree from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 1988.

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Arthur Wagner

Arthur Wagner
Executive Director
Coney Island Hospital

Arthur A. Wagner is the Senior Vice President of the Southern Brooklyn/Staten Island Heath Network (“SBSIHN”), Executive Director of Coney Island Hospital (“CIH”), and a HHC Corporate Officer. In his role as chief administrative officer of the SBSIHN, Mr. Wagner is charged with the operational and fiscal oversight of CIH and Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home, as well as several ambulatory clinics. Mr. Wagner’s responsibilities include: the restructuring of hospital operations, including physician services, to improve and expand clinical services for the community in a cost efficient manner; and the development and implementation of strategic goals designed to improve patient outcomes and ensure an appropriate continuum of care services for the Southern Brooklyn and Staten Island communities. Additionally, Mr. Wagner oversees the integration of services between SBSIHN facilities and the development of long range initiatives to provide coordinated health services with sister institutions within HHC.

Mr. Wagner has worked in numerous capacities at HHC for a period totaling more than thirty (30) years. Before being appointed to the Senior Vice President position at the SBSIHN, Mr. Wagner was Executive Director of North Central Bronx Hospital (“NCB”) for over six (6) years. He also served as the North Bronx Healthcare Network’s (“NBHN”) Chief Operating Officer for a period of nine (9) years, where he was responsible for the daily operations of Jacobi Medical Center, NCB, and four (4) health centers.

Mr. Wagner is a graduate of St. John’s University, College of Pharmacy, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree.

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Michael Tartaglia

Michael Tartaglia
Executive Director
Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Michael A. Tartaglia was appointed Executive Director of the Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in September 2012. He previously worked at Greenwich Woods Healthcare Facility, a skilled nursing facility, where he managed daily operations. While there, he oversaw reorganization, including expansion of a Memory Care unit, startup of a Pulmonary Care unit and a general increase in short-term admissions to the facility.

Prior to this, Mr. Tartaglia held administrative positions at a number of metropolitan-area nursing facilities, including Queens Blvd. Extended Care Facility, East Rockaway Progressive Care Facility and Hempstead Park Nursing Home. He also worked on short-term assignments involving state or court-appointed receiverships, in which he took over distressed facilities and restored financial and operational standards.

With 30 years of experience in long-term-care operations, Mr. Tartaglia brings a diverse background to the Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing & Rehabilitation Facility. He has senior administrative experience in daily operations, census enhancement, team building, program development, support services and in optimizing clinical and financial outcomes. He has worked successfully with regulatory agencies, staff and families to provide optimal care and services. Mr. Tartaglia’s philosophy is that “the residents come first.” His goal is to continue providing Five Star quality services to the residents.

Mr. Tartaglia holds a B.A. in Political Science/Economics and a Masters in Public Administration degree from CW Post College in Brookville, New York.

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Christopher Constantino

Christopher Constantino
Executive Director
Elmhurst Hospital Center

Christopher David Contantino is executive director of Elmhurst Hospital Center (EHC), where he has kept EHC in the forefront of improving patient care and outcomes by working to bring cardiac angioplasty (emergent and elective) to the hospital, as well as making Elmhurst a Stroke Center and one of the first city hospitals to use hypothermia therapy to treat heart attack patients.

NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation President Alan Aviles appointed Mr. Constantino in February 2005, culminating Mr. Constantino’s 24 years of hospital management experience. Months after his appointment to executive director, EHC received the MAGNET Designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Considered the gold standard for patient care, only three other hospitals in NYC had this distinction, and fewer than three percent of hospitals nationwide do.

Before being appointed executive director, Mr. Constantino was chief operating officer of Elmhurst from 1994, and prior to that, in 1991, deputy executive director in charge of ancillary, support, and professional services. In this important role, he developed and implemented new monitoring programs to identify, report, and correct patient adverse events.  

Mr. Constantino began his hospital career as associate director of support services/materiel management at Queens Hospital Center in 1981. In 1984, he was appointed associate director of budget at Elmhurst Hospital Center.

A native of Astoria, Queens who is fluent in Greek, Mr. Constantino earned a B.A. degree in anthropology/sociology at City College of New York and a Master’s of Public Administration in Hospital Administration at New York University in 1982. By then, Chris already had served as executive director of the Mayor’s Council on Intergroup Relations, and as assistant agency Director of HANAC, Inc. a social service agency serving much of New York City that was originally founded as Hellenic American Action Committee.

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Martha Sullivan

Martha Adams Sullivan, DSW
Executive Director
Gouverneur Health

Martha Adams Sullivan, DSW, is the Executive Director of Gouverneur Health, which includes one of largest diagnostic and treatment in New York State and a skilled nursing facility. A social worker by training, Dr. Sullivan has served in senior level management positions in hospitals, community-based organizations and government, including previously serving as Director of Gouverneur’s Behavioral Health program.

Dr. Sullivan began her healthcare career on the Lower East Side and at Gouverneur Health, worked in various leadership positions for sixteen years. These have included her tenure as Director for the Center for Older Adults and their Families which she developed, Director of Social Work, and Director of Behavioral Health. She also served as the Deputy Commissioner for the Bureau of Community Liaison and Training at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Most recently, in her capacity as hospital Vice President, she served as Executive Director of the Fordham-Tremont Community Mental Health Center. She is currently the President of the National Association of Social Workers New York City Chapter and is the Founder and Chair of the Citywide Mental Health Coalition for the Black Elderly. Dr. Sullivan is widely published, and has served as an adjunct Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, and as a visiting faculty member and consultant for other academic institutions and city agencies.

Dr. Sullivan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from NYU, a Masters in Social Work degree from the Silberman School of Social Work of Hunter College, and a Doctor of Social Welfare degree from the City of New York Graduate Center. She is also a Clinical Fellow, and has received an advanced certificate in family therapy and supervision.

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Denise C. Soares, RN, MA

Denise C. Soares, RN, MA
Executive Director
Harlem Hospital Center and Renaissance Health Care Network Diagnostic & Treatment Center

Denise C. Soares, R.N., M.A. is the Senior Vice President of the Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, Executive Director of Harlem Hospital Center and the Renaissance Health Care Network, and an HHC Corporate Officer. In her role as chief administrative officer of the Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, Ms. Soares is charged with the operational and fiscal oversight of Harlem Hospital Center, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, The Renaissance Health Care Network, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Morrisania Diagnostic and Treatment Center, and nearly twenty community and school based health centers in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. Ms. Soares provides leadership to a workforce of 7,790 and manages an annual operating budget of $1 billion. She has championed significant developments in patient outcomes, clinical efficiencies, waste reduction and substantial revenue enhancement. Her priorities include maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory and accreditation agencies, as well as, The Joint Commission. Equally important is her interest in helping to further instill patient-centered principles into every aspect of the Network’s operations. Ms. Soares is driven by her motto, “The Patient’s Perception Is Our Reality” which inspires her commitment to patient satisfaction.

Prior to joining the Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, Ms. Soares served for more than twelve years at the North Bronx Healthcare Network as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of North Central Bronx Hospital and as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Nurse Executive at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital.

Ms. Soares earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Hunter College – Bellevue School of Nursing and her Master of Arts degree from Teachers College, Columbia University.

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Chris Fugazy

Chris Fugazy
Acting Executive Director
Jacobi Medical Center

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Ernest J. Baptiste

Ernest J. Baptiste
Executive Director
Kings County Hospital Center

Ernest J. Baptiste became Executive Director of Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) in August 2012. This marked his return to NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) after building a distinguished career in healthcare. Mr. Baptiste brings senior administrative experience in operations, planning and financial management to Kings County Hospital Center.

Prior to this appointment, he worked at Catholic Health East, a health system covering 11 Eastern states, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. There, Mr. Baptiste implemented a wide range of strategies to increase collaboration among staff, reduce costs, boost efficiencies and improve quality and patient satisfaction.

Prior to his tenure at St. Francis Hospital, Mr. Baptiste was the Chief Operating Officer at Durham Regional Hospital in North Carolina, part of the Duke University Health System. Previously, he was Executive Director at St. Mary’s Hospital, Brooklyn. He also held management positions at North General Hospital, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, and Coney Island Hospital.

Mr. Baptiste served in the U.S. Army, and received Army Achievement and Good Conduct Medals upon his honorable discharge. He has received numerous awards, including Caribbean Images TV-Dr. Martin L. King Award for Excellence in Healthcare and Community Service.

Mr. Baptiste holds an MS in Health Financial Management from New York University, an MPA in Healthcare Administration from C.W. Post College and a BS in Healthcare Administration from St. John’s University of New York.

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Milton Nuñez

Milton Nuñez
Executive Director
Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center

Milton Nuñez has more than 20 years of experience in health care with a strong background in finance and information technology and a proven track record of working effectively with physicians, nurses and administrators. He has worked with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for more than 13 years, most recently as executive director of the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx. Immediately prior to that, Mr. Nuñez served almost 10 years as deputy executive director/chief financial officer of the HHC North Brooklyn Health Network, which includes Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center (WMMHC) and Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center.

Under his leadership, Woodhull Medical Center implemented effective service line consolidations and developed staffing benchmarks for physicians, nurses and other staff. He led a collaboration to revamp ambulatory care service delivery to lower costs, improve operations and increase managed care enrollment. Mr. Nuñez managed the transition of a new medical affiliation with New York University School of Medicine. Mr. Nunez also served as interim CFO for the Physician Affiliate Group of New York (PAGNY).

Before joining HHC, Mr. Nuñez served as director of finance and information systems for the Beth Abraham/CNR Health Care Network and as director of finance and IT for the Mount Sinai IPA. He trained in actuarial science and economics, received a Bachelor of Science degree in theoretical mathematics from State University of New York at Stony Brook and has PhD-level work in economics and statistics from the City University of New York Graduate Center.

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Anthony Rajkumar,

Anthony Rajkumar
Executive Director
Metropolitan Hospital Center

Anthony Rajkumar has more than 25 years of experience in delivering quality care to patients in urban settings, as well as a passion for serving those who are most vulnerable or have difficulty accessing medical care. His tenure at HHC has included a wide range of hospital and community-based experience, with placements at North Central Bronx Hospital, Kings County Hospital Center, Queens Hospital Center, and East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center.

Prior to joining Metropolitan, Mr. Rajkumar served as the Chief Operating Officer at North Central Bronx Hospital, where he was instrumental in the restoration of labor and delivery services to the facility. He previously worked at the Cook County Hospital System, where he served as Chief Business Officer. Before his time there in Chicago, Mr. Rajkumar was Deputy Executive Director at Kings County Hospital Center.

Mr. Rajkumar has had a unique vantage point for learning about all aspects of health care delivery. In 1987, he started out working in the Medical Records department at KCHC, where he quickly learned the value of meticulous medical documentation and rapid record retrieval. Always working closely with clinicians, administrators, line staff and community, he earned a steadfast reputation for being patient-centered, reliable and efficient – characteristics which have become the trademark of his career.

Mr. Rajkumar has a Master of Science degree in Health Services Management and Policy from the New School University, New York.

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Gregory Cailliste

Gregory Cailliste
Acting Executive Director
North Central Bronx Hospital

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Julius Wool, MPA

Angelo Mascia
Executive Director
Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home

Angelo Mascia is executive director of Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home. Mr. Mascia, licensed nursing home administrator (LNHA), is responsible for the 304-bed skilled nursing facility and its surrounding 70-acre campus.

Mr. Mascia has worked within the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for close to 25 years.  He has held numerous positions with HHC, including controller at Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center; chief financial officer, Gouverneur/Coler-Goldwater Memorial Hospital and chief operating officer at Sea View HRC&H, prior to becoming its executive director in 2005.

Mr. Mascia earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University College of Business Administration, Bronx, New York.

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George Proctor

George Proctor
Executive Director
Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center

George M. Proctor is the Senior Vice President of the North and Central Brooklyn Health Networks (“N & CBHNs”), Executive Director of Woodhull Medical & Mental Health Center (“Woodhull”), and a Corporate Officer at HHC. In his role as chief administrative officer at the N & CBHNs, he is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic plan for continuous quality improvement and integration of services for Kings, Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center, Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center (“D & TC”), East New York D & TC, and numerous satellite clinics. He also formulates fiscal objectives with cost containment and revenue initiatives and optimal allocation of resources throughout both Networks. And Mr. Proctor ensures that all facilities in both Networks operate in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Mr. Proctor has worked in the HHC system for over twenty-nine (29) years, providing leadership in several key senior administrative positions. Prior to his current post, Mr. Proctor was the Senior Vice President of the North Brooklyn Health Network. He has also served as the Executive Director of Queens Hospital Center, as well as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Central Brooklyn Health Network.

Mr. Proctor received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Financial Management degree from Pace University.

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Arnold Saperstein, MD

Arnold Saperstein, MD
Executive Director and President
MetroPlus Health Plan

Arnold Saperstein, MD, is the President and CEO of HHC’s MetroPlus Health Plan. A practicing endocrinologist, Dr. Saperstein began his career in managed care in 1992 and joined MetroPlus Health Plan in 1995, initially as Chief Medical Officer and then as President and CEO since 2006. MetroPlus Health Plan, a wholly owned subsidiary of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, is a managed care organization that has grown during his tenure from 40,000 members to over 430,000 with over 18,000 contracted providers.

MetroPlus Health Plan currently operates 10 lines of business including Medicaid, Family Health Plus, Child Health Plus and MetroPlus Gold for HHC employees, a Medicaid HIV Special Needs Plan, a Medicare Special Needs Plan, two dual eligible Medicare Plans, a basic Medicare Plan and a Managed long-term Care company. MetroPlus also has been approved to operate 33 benefit packages in the New York Health Care Exchange that will begin operations in January 2014.

Dr. Saperstein has focused a major portion of his career on developing programs to ensure the highest quality of care delivery to the members of his plan. MetroPlus has been at the forefront of managed care, including developing a financially viable globally capitated program with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and successfully implementing pay-for-performance programs. It also is at the forefront of care-management programs for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes. As a testament to these efforts, MetroPlus was named the highest-scoring plan for quality and overall customer satisfaction in New York City for seven of the last eight years.

Dr. Saperstein received his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine, and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Endocrinology at NYU Medical Center. He has continued to practice on a weekly basis in the field of endocrinology at Bellevue Hospital.

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