Governor Hochul Announces State Legislature-Recommended Appointments to Nassau Health Care Corporation Board

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced her final two appointments to the Nassau Health Care Corporation (NHCC) Board of Directors, following recommendations from the New York State Senate and Assembly. The new members are Dr. Lisa Zakiya Newland, recommended by the Senate, and Rory Lancman, recommended by the Assembly. These appointments join the previous four she made on June 1 to usher in a new era of stronger oversight, enhanced accountability and renewed focus on patient care at Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC), Nassau County’s only public hospital.

“Public hospitals are essential pillars of our communities, and Nassau University Medical Center deserves a governance structure that reflects its critical mission,” Governor Hochul said. “With these two appointments, made in coordination with the legislative leaders, the new NHCC Board is further positioned to tackle long-standing challenges and deliver better outcomes for both patients and taxpayers.”

Appointees Recommended by Legislature:

Dr. Lisa Zakiya Newland — Recommended by the Senate
Dr. Newland is a Full Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Social Work at Molloy University, where she previously served as Faculty President. Her distinguished career spans clinical social work, community engagement, mental health administration, and educational leadership. 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. She currently serves as Convener for Black Family Summit, Inc., and President of the Nassau Suffolk chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers.

Rory Lancman — Recommended by the Assembly
Mr. Lancman's background spans law, public policy, civil rights and government reform. He is Director of Corporate Initiatives and Senior Counsel at the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, where he represents victims of workplace anti-Semitism across the country, and Vice-Chair of the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority, a position he will be vacating to assume his role on the NHCC board. A graduate of Columbia Law School and Queens College of the City University of New York, Mr. Lancman previously served as a New York State Assembly Member and New York City Council Member from Queens, where he served on the Finance Committee and the Budget Negotiation Team. His career in public service began as chairman of the Community Advisory Board of his neighborhood public hospital, Queens Hospital Center, and included service in the military. Mr. Lancman also previously served the Governor as Special Counsel at the Department of Public Service, stationed in its Long Island Office, and the legislature as executive director of the Legislative Commission on the Future of LIPA. Mr. Lancman currently lives in Great Neck, where he serves as an elected Trustee of the Great Neck Library and an appointed member of the Village of Great Neck Planning Board.

Key provisions of the governance reform law that took effect June 1:

1. The NHCC Board now consists of 11 members:

• Six appointed by the Governor (including two upon recommendation from the legislative leader of the Senate and Assembly)
• Two appointed by the Nassau County Executive
  Two appointed by the majority of the Nassau County Legislature
• One appointed by the minority of the Nassau County Legislature
• The Governor designated the Board Chair, Stuart Rabinowitz

2. The Nassau County Executive no longer has approval authority over the NHCC CEO

3. The Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) has gained expanded oversight, including:

• Authority to approve NHCC contracts over $1 million
• Ability to declare a control period under certain conditions

4. NHCC is required to complete a comprehensive study by December 1, 2026, outlining options to strengthen NUMC’s operations and sustainability

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "Local hospitals are the backbone of our communities, providing critical care, lifesaving services, and support for families when they need it most. Public health care institutions like NUMC must be led with both compassion and competence to meet the needs of the people they serve. Dr. Lisa Zakiya Newland brings a deep understanding of social determinants of health and a career devoted to empowering underserved communities. I am proud to recommend her to this board and thank Governor Hochul for moving swiftly to ensure the new structure takes shape.”

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “Rory Lancman is a dedicated public servant who has spent his career working to improve the lives of New Yorkers. The abject mismanagement at NUMC – the only safety net hospital in this community that provides vital services for Nassau, Suffolk and Queens — cannot be allowed to continue and the hospital cannot be allowed to fail. The NUMC board needs accountability and stability, and I believe that Rory’s voice on the board will serve the hospital, and our most vulnerable populations who rely on it, with distinction.”

State Senator Siela Bynoe said, “With the addition of Dr. Lisa Newland, the NHCC Board reflects the diversity of talents and dedication needed to meet the moment. 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.”

Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine said, “Governor 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. I look forward to seeing NUMC thrive under this renewed vision.”

Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages said, “Nassau University Medical Center has long served as a critical anchor for public health in Nassau County. These reforms are about making sure NUMC can continue to serve our communities with the stability, transparency, and care they deserve. I thank Governor Hochul, legislative leaders, and my colleagues in the Legislature for advancing these long-overdue reforms. These appointments bring new accountability and expertise to our only public hospital and mark a turning point in the effort to restore trust, improve oversight, and strengthen health care on Long Island.”

Assemblymember Noah Burroughs said, “My greatest wish is always to fulfill my campaign promises. One of those promises was to ensure that NUMC was made whole, and that the people who were mismanaging the hospital were held responsible for mismanaging, but also for deliberately misleading the public and disobeying some of basic organizational tasks asked of them by the executive. For that I’m happy with these new changes, we can all start looking for things to trend upward at NUMC.”

Assemblymember Judy Griffin said, “I am pleased to see the expediency by the Governor in providing the resources, tools, a new board, and chair to help NUMC in its essential role of providing healthcare to Nassau residents. These new appointments comply with a new state law I supported to improve and increase state oversight while steering the hospital towards fiscal and operational stability."

Governor Hochul’s Previously Announced Appointees:

• Stuart Rabinowitz, Esq. (Chair): Former President of Hofstra University and expert in law, education, and public policy
• Amy Flores: Vice President at JPMorgan Chase with experience in economic development and public engagement
• Dean Mihaltses, RPh, BPS, MPA: Health care executive and licensed pharmacist with over 40 years in public hospital management
• Lisa Warren: Business leader and civic advocate with decades of nonprofit and philanthropic engagement on Long Island

The new NHCC board is expected to meet in the coming days to begin executing its oversight responsibilities.