A Message from President Riley
By Office of the President | Jan 6, 2026
Looking Ahead with Purpose and Promise
Dear Downstate Community,
As we begin a new year, we reflect on how 2025 concluded and the momentum that will carry us forward in 2026.
In recent weeks, our campus came together, affirming who we are as a community. We launched a new tradition with our first Christmas Tree Lighting in The Grove, and honored a longstanding one through our 15th Annual Menorah Lighting. These moments of reflection and connection reinforced that Downstate is more than a place of work and study. It is a community grounded in respect, inclusion, and shared purpose.
We marked physical campus progress with the opening of The Commons, our newly renovated cafeteria. This space reflects our commitment to the people who sustain this institution each day and our intention to create environments that support wellness, connection, and care for one another.
The year opened with a powerful reminder of why our work matters. On January 1, we welcomed Baby Boy Jamael, the first baby born at University Hospital at Downstate in 2026. His arrival brought joy to his family and reflected the trust Brooklyn families place in Downstate at life’s most meaningful moments.
As 2025 drew to a close, we honored the legacy of Dr. John LaRosa, Downstate’s 15th president, whose leadership helped shape an essential chapter in our institution’s history. We remain grateful for his contributions as we continue to build on the foundation he helped establish.
During 2025, our mission came to life in classrooms, clinics, research forums, and community spaces. Student milestones and White Coat Ceremonies marked meaningful transitions into professions rooted in responsibility, compassion, and service. Education and discovery remained central as students, faculty, and clinicians advanced research, addressed health disparities, and engaged in dialogue shaped by the lived experiences of the communities we serve.
Our commitment to community health extended beyond hospital walls. Through outreach, education, and preparedness initiatives, including our first national emergency preparedness staff event with New York City Emergency Management, Downstate demonstrated its commitment to Brooklyn through partnership, preparation, and presence.
Patients remain at the center of all we do. Each day, we #KeepCareClose by combining clinical excellence with empathy, dignity, and respect. We were excited to learn that UHD earned a “B” from The Leapfrog Group in the most recent Hospital Safety Grade cycle signaling strong performance in patient safety and the systems we have in place to prevent medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. It is the second-highest grade awarded by Leapfrog and reflects the progress we continue to make across more than 20 national patient safety measures, all focused on reducing preventable harm and protecting patient and families during their most vulnerable moments.
In 2025, Downstate reached a historic milestone with the announcement of a $1.1 billion investment from Governor Kathy Hochul. This commitment affirms confidence in our mission, our people, and our role as an academic, clinical, and economic anchor for Brooklyn.
We will soon begin planning the first phase of this investment, strengthening our academic, clinical, and research missions for the future. This work will rely on collaboration, shared stewardship, and the voices of our campus community to ensure that what we build reflects our values and our collective aspirations.
As we move forward, we remain grounded in respect and understanding. There is no place for hatred or division at Downstate. Our strength comes from our diversity, shared humanity, and commitment to compassionate service.
Thank you for the dedication, resilience, and care you bring each day. I remain grateful for your contributions and confident in what we will achieve together.
I wish you and your loved ones a healthy, peaceful, and fulfilling New Year.