Senior Leadership
Heidi Aronin, MPA
Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
Heidi Aronin has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University since 2017. In that capacity, she has direct operational responsibility for the Office of Policy and Planning, and Divisions of Information Services, Facilities Management and Design, and Comparative Medicine. She also serves as Downstate’s Institutional Official for Research, is a member of the President’s Executive Management Committee, and chairs the campus Central Policy Committee.
Ms. Aronin has extensive experience managing operations at public and non-profit organizations in health and human services, having worked in New York City government for more than a decade at the City’s Human Resources Administration, Mayor’s Office of Operations and Office of Management and Budget and subsequently held leadership positions at both NYU School of Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, as well as at JASA, the city’s largest non-profit organization serving seniors.
Ms. Aronin holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and an MPA from NYU Wagner School of Public Service.
Charles Brunicardi, M.D. FACS
Senior Vice President, Dean of the College of Medicine
Charles Brunicardi, M.D. FACS, the Medical College of Ohio (MCO) Alumni Endowed Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences was named as Senior Vice President, Dean of the College of Medicine and Professor of Surgery in 2019 at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. Dr. Brunicardi joined the University of Toledo in 2016 as Chair of Surgery and Academic Chief of Surgery for the ProMedica Health System.
Dr. Brunicardi also was Director of the UTMC Cancer Program from 2017-2019 and was named the John Howard Endowed Professor of Pancreatic Cancer Research in 2018. From 2018-2019, he served as a medical director of the Ebeid Social Determinants of Health Institute at ProMedica and served as the Department of Cancer Biology Interim Chair from 2018-19, as well as the Department of Cancer Biology Professor in 2018.
Dr. Brunicardi brings more than three decades of experience in academic medicine and patient care, serving on the faculty at three medical schools and as Chair of two departments of Surgery and Vice-Chair of another. Dr. Brunicardi earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry with Honors at the Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree at Rutgers University School of Medicine. Before joining the University of Toledo, Dr. Brunicardi was the Jerry Moss Professor of Personalized Gastrointestinal Surgery and Vice-Chair of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
His other notable past appointments include serving as the DeBakey-Bard Professor and Chair of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery for 12 years, George Jordan Professor and the Founding Chief of the Division of General Surgery, Founder and Director of Elkins Pancreas Center at the Baylor College of Medicine, and as Chief of Surgical Services, Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Dr. Brunicardi has 320 publications, 10 patents and is the Editor-in-Chief of Schwartz’s Principles of Surgery Textbook since 2000.
David Christini, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Research, Dean School of Graduate Studies
David Christini. Ph.D., serves as the Senior Vice President for Research at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, where he is in charge of the University’s research strategy and operations. He is also the Dean of Downstate’s School of Graduate Studies.
Dr. Christini, a Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, leads a research lab that is focused on improving the understanding of, and therapies for, cardiac arrhythmias. He is the author of nearly a hundred peer-reviewed publications, has been continuously funded by the NIH since 2004, and has also received funding from the NSF, the American Heart Association, and various foundations and organizations.
He has served as the Program Director on two NIH-funded training grants and has served on multiple NIH and NSF review panels, including as Chair. Prior to joining Downstate in June 2020, Dr. Christini was a tenured Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. At Weill Cornell, he was Vice Dean of the Weill Cornell Graduate School.
Dr. Christini holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and both his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University.
Kitaw Demissie, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean of the School of Public Health
Kitaw Demissie, M.D., Ph.D., is a nationally recognized academic public health leader and researcher in the fields of health disparities and minority health, perinatal health and cancer.
Dr. Demissie currently serves as Dean and Professor of the School of Public Health at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. He has served as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health, and Executive Director of the Rutgers Institute of the Elimination of Health Disparities. He was also the Co-Program Leader for the Population Science Program at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and as a Senior Consultant in Perinatal Health for the Laboratory Center for Disease Control (LCDC) of Canada.
Dr. Demissie began his work in public health in the 1980s and has implemented several public health programs and has authored several peer-reviewed publications in highly impactful journals showcasing his nationally funded and recognized work. Much of his research is focused on eliminating caner health disparities in underserved populations in New Jersey. His recent work has focused on identifying the social and molecular causes of breast cancer disparities in African American women, many of whom have some of the worst health outcomes of the disease.
He is an internationally recognized investigator in molecular epidemiology, cancer disparities, cancer prevention and control and population sciences with a diverse funding portfolio, including NIH/NCI, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen Foundations and others. Dr. Demissie has served on numerous national and international grant review panels including the NIH Obstetric Maternal-Fetal Biology Panel, ACS Cancer Control and Prevention Health Services and Health Policy study section, Standing Panel for Improving Methods for Conducting Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCORI) as well as CDC and other national and international panels.
Dr. Demissie received his Doctor of Medicine from Addis Ababa University and his PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill University. He is also trained in Community Medicine at McGill, Health Services Research at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Molecular Prevention at NCI.
Lori A. Escallier, Ph.D., RN, CPNP-PC, FAAN
Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing
Lori A. Escallier, Ph.D., RN, CPNP-PC, FAAN, has worked for the State University of New York for forty-four years. She currently is appointed Dean and Professor at Downstate’s College of Nursing. Dr. Escallier’s substantive contributions to nursing diversity and educational program outcomes have a sustained and continuing impact at the national level. Dr. Escallier’s work developing educational engagement strategies for diverse students has been nationally recognized by AACN and RWJF.
Dr. Escallier's mentorship models have been supported through seven consecutive years of funding (the maximum) under the NCIN Program, and for over fifteen years by HRSA, thereby imparting the healthcare workforce with a broader and more culturally and experientially diverse group of professional nurses. Dr. Escallier’s expertise in diversity and program evaluation research was anchored through an appointment on HRSA’s interprofessional National Technical Working Group. As a member of this elite group of national experts, she collaborated with colleagues from across the nation to develop an evaluation framework and plan for a prospective longitudinal evaluation of HRSA’s health professions programs.
Dr. Escallier co-authored a national award-winning resource book for diverse nurses: the RWJF/AACN Transition to Practice Toolkit. She developed the first-ever evaluation model that links CCNE standards into an integrated evaluation protocol.
As the current Chair of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, she has significant influence on national education program standards and outcomes across program levels nationwide. Dr. Escallier is currently co-chair of the CCNE Report Review Committee and has served as co-chair of the Accreditation Review Committee and the Standards Revision Committee. She is a frequently invited speaker at national conferences.
Dr. Escallier is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the New York Academy of Medicine.
Jamie J. Grecco, JD
Chief Human Resources Officer, Senior Vice President, and Chief of Staff
Jamie J. Grecco, JD, is the Chief Human Resources Officer, Senior Vice President, and Chief of Staff at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (Downstate). With extensive expertise in labor law, compliance, and human capital strategy, he plays a key leadership role in shaping the institution’s workforce policies and executive operations. As a member of the President's Cabinet, he works closely with senior university and hospital executives, including the deans of Downstate’s five academic colleges, to advance strategic initiatives.
Prior to joining Downstate, Mr. Grecco served as Director of Redeployment and Realignment at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Central Office, where he managed employee relations cases and led realignment initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a critical role as the primary labor relations contact for the NYC Test & Trace Corps, advising on federal, state, and employment laws.
Before his tenure at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Central Office, Jamie Grecco was the inaugural Director of Human Resources for NYC Health + Hospitals’ Post-Acute Care service line, overseeing HR operations for five skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH), and an adult day healthcare program. Prior to this, he served as Chief People Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Bronx Healthcare Network.
Mr. Grecco earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Joseph’s University (Brooklyn, NY) and later obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) from Touro Law School (Central Islip, NY). He is also a 2014 America’s Essential Hospitals Fellow.
Keydron K. Guinn, Ph.D., MA, MBA
Special Assistant to the President
Keydron K. Guinn, Ph.D., MA, MBA, is a Professor of Public Health in the School of Public Health at Downstate Health Sciences University. He also serves as Special Assistant to the President.
Dr. Guinn previously served as Executive Vice President at Downstate, as well as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, he worked closely with senior university and hospital leadership, including the deans of Downstate’s five academic schools. He also served as a liaison for institutional and community partners, including the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health and the Brooklyn Center for Health Disparities.
Before joining Downstate, Dr. Guinn was Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Morgan State University, where he oversaw student and academic affairs, supported 11 academic units, and worked alongside the Dean in budget development and management. He also served on numerous university committees, developed student support initiatives, and taught sociology courses.
Prior to Morgan State, he served as Interim Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Solano Community College in Fairfield, CA, managing five academic units.
At Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN, Dr. Guinn served as Assistant Dean and Interim Executive Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy. He coordinated the Center’s national research agenda, led its National Advisory Committee, and collaborated with academic thought leaders from institutions such as Vanderbilt University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan, and Johns Hopkins University. As Assistant Dean in Meharry’s School of Graduate Studies and Research, he played a key role in establishing a certificate program in health policy while holding associate professorships in Dental Public Health and Graduate Studies and Research, where he taught courses in geriatric dentistry and health policy.
Dr. Guinn also taught graduate courses at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, while serving as Rural Sociologist and Interim Director of the Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives, a subsidiary of Southern University’s Agricultural Research & Extension Center. In this role, he led educational community programs focused on end-of-life issues and youth engagement across a seven-parish region.
With bylines on more than 60 editorials on social justice issues, Dr. Guinn’s work has appeared in Gannett publications, the Vicksburg Post, and the Louisiana Weekly. His academic publications include articles in the American Journal of Medicine, the Disability and Health Journal, and the Journal of Extension. He has also presented at numerous national and state conferences, including the American Public Health Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of Black Sociologists, the Southern Rural Sociological Association, and within the SUNY System.
Dr. Guinn earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Sociology from Jackson State University. He later obtained a Ph.D. in Medical Sociology from Wayne State University, an MBA from Missouri State University, and is currently a candidate for an MPH degree at Brown University.
In addition to being a full professor of Public Health in Downstate’s School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Dr. Guinn holds a courtesy faculty appointment in the School of Nursing.
Pascal James Imperato, M.D., MPH&TM, MACP
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer
Pascal James Imperato, M.D., MPH&TM, MACP, is the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer. He is the Founding Dean and Dean Emeritus of the School of Public Health and Distinguished Service Professor. A physician (internal medicine), epidemiologist, health services administrator, and global health expert, he has led initiatives in medical education, disease prevention, health promotion, and international health. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine.
Dr. Imperato also served as Chair of Downstate’ s Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health. He established the Global Health in Developing Countries overseas elective for fourth year medical students. He founded the Master of Public Health Program and led the effort to expand it into a School of Public Health. He later established and directed the Center for Global Health.
Earlier in his career he spent six continuous years in West Africa leading campaigns against smallpox, measles, cholera, yellow fever, and meningococcal meningitis while a medical officer for the CDC. The U.S. Department of State awarded him the Meritorious Honor Award and Medal and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps the Special Service Ribbon.
He served as Commissioner of Health of New York City, Health Services Administrator, and Chair of the Board of Directors of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. He initiated a nurse epidemiology program, led efforts to extend primary care and preventive services to disadvantaged populations, and was successful in recruiting National Health Service Corps physicians to serve in medical care deserts in the city.
Dr. Imperato’s research and scholarly studies have covered infectious diseases, clinical medicine, health care administration, public health, clinical outcomes, quality of care improvement, medical education, and the history of medicine. The author of many scientific and nonscientific articles as well as books, he has served on the editorial boards of several journals. Dr. Imperato has been recognized with awards including the American College of Physicians’ James D. Bruce Memorial Award for Distinguished Contributions to Preventive Medicine and a Fullbright Scholar Award. He holds honorary Doctor of Science degrees from Tulane University and St. John’s University.
Allen N. Lewis, Jr., Ph.D., CRC
Dean of the School of Health Professions
Allen N. Lewis, Jr., Ph.D., CRC, is currently Dean and Professor of the School of Health Professions at the State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY, where he has been in this role since January 2016. He has 40 years of experience in the workforce as a clinician, administrator and educator.
During the first phase of his career (15 years), he worked in public mental health, substance abuse services and cancer epidemiology as a clinician and administrator with notable positions such as Chief of Staff/Executive Assistant for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health – the second largest state agency in Virginia as well as Statewide Program Evaluation Manager, and Director of the Virginia State Cancer Registry in the Virginia Department of Health. His second career phase as an academic (25 years), spans employment at five institutions (Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Pittsburgh, Gallaudet University, James Madison University, and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University).
Dr. Lewis has been a division director in a university-based survey and evaluation research laboratory as well as chair of two academic departments. He is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor and is the former editor of the Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling. His research focuses on disability disparities and measuring outcomes of disability services. Dr. Lewis has published extensively (75+ refereed journal articles and book chapters, author, abstracts, encyclopedia entries, a monograph, and formal technical reports). He has conducted 150+ invited, featured, and refereed international, national, regional, statewide, and local presentations. Dr. Lewis has experience as a principal investigator, co-principal investigator, co-investigator, and program evaluator for federally funded research of $18M+ dollars.
Shoshana Milstein, CHC, CHP, RHIA, CCS
Vice President of Compliance & Audit Services
Shoshana Milstein, CHC, CHP, RHIA, CCS, currently serves as Vice President of Compliance & Audit Services at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University with compliance oversight over all entities on the campus including University Hospital at Downstate, University Physicians of Brooklyn, Research Foundation, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Public Health, and the School of Graduate Studies.
Ms. Milstein joined SUNY Downstate for her first full- time job as a teenager and student in the now- defunct Health Information Management Program in the College of Health- Related Professions, which is now the School of Health Professions. She moved through the ranks over a period of more than two decades at Downstate.
Ms. Milstein has extensive knowledge of HIPAA, GDPR, FERPA and other privacy laws; fraud and abuse laws including Stark, Anti- Kickback and the Deficit Reduction Act; research regulations including the Financial Conflicts of Interest regulation, PHS Policies on Research Misconduct, human subject research/ IRB related regulations, animal research/ IACUC related regulations, clinical trial billing requirements and faculty grant compensation & effort reporting; coding documentation and billing rules under Medicare and Medicaid; as well as other regulations such as the Information Blocking rule and the Sunshine Act.
In her role, she routinely interacts with multiple oversight agencies, including the Office of Inspector General, Office of Civil Rights, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of Research Integrity, National Institutes of Health, NYS Attorney General’s office, and the Office of State Comptroller. She also works in strong collaboration with the SUNY System Audit, RF Audit, and RF Compliance teams.
Richard Miller, Ph.D.
Campus Chief Financial Officer
Richard Miller, Ph.D., is a highly accomplished financial executive with expertise in healthcare finance, internal audit, compliance, and strategic financial management. Throughout his distinguished career, he has played a key role in strengthening financial operations, implementing robust internal controls, and ensuring fiscal stability at major academic medical centers.
Currently serving as Campus Chief Financial Officer at Downstate, Dr. Miller has been a pivotal leader since 2012, holding roles such as Vice President and Hospital Chief Financial Officer. He has successfully navigated complex financial landscapes, spearheaded critical restructuring initiatives, and reinforced the university hospital’s economic foundation.
Before joining SUNY Downstate, Dr. Miller spent over two decades at The University of Chicago Medical Center, where he advanced through senior leadership positions, including Vice President for Finance, Executive Director of Finance and Controller, and Director of Internal Audit. His expertise in financial management, accounting, and reimbursement strategies contributed to maintaining institutional credit ratings, recovering significant financial assets, and optimizing operational efficiencies.
Dr. Miller holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from The University of Chicago, an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, and professional certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). His thought leadership in healthcare finance is widely recognized, and he has contributed to industry organizations such as the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and the Association of Healthcare Internal Auditors (AHIA).
James Minto
Vice President of Facilities Management and Development
James Minto has over four decades of expertise in facilities operations, management, and engineering across diverse industries, including healthcare, higher education, finance, and energy. Since January 2018, he has served as Vice President for Facilities Management & Development at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, overseeing space planning, capital projects, physical plant operations, design and construction, environmental health and safety, and housekeeping services for the hospital campus.
Mr. Minto brings a wealth of experience from leadership roles in both in-house and outsourced facilities management. He has led large-scale facilities operations at institutions such as CUNY York College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Lutheran Medical Center, and The New York Public Library. His tenure as Senior Vice President at Sodexo, Inc. saw him managing facilities operations across 55 hospitals in the Northeast region. Mr. Minto has held executive positions at The Burks Companies, Inc., ABM Engineering Services, and the Securities Industry Automation Corporation (SIAC), where he ensured mission-critical infrastructure reliability.
His expertise includes strategic planning, budget management, workforce development, energy efficiency, sustainability initiatives, and regulatory compliance. With a strong background in engineering, Mr. Minto began his career as a Nuclear Electrical Engineer at the Long Island Lighting Company, contributing to the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station's construction and regulatory compliance.
Mr. Minto holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from The City College of New York.
Jeffrey S. Putman, Ed.D.
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
Dr. Putman serves as the Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs for all five of the SUNY Downstate schools and colleges. In his role, he provides overall coordination of services for students (supervising the Offices of Student Affairs, Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar, Student Life and Student Activities, International Student Services, and Accessibility Services) and serves as the deputy Chief Academic Officer. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Downstate Middle States Accreditation Self-Study Process. In addition, Dr. Putman also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Putman previously served as Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students (2013–2017) and as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (2006–2013) at SUNY Downstate. Prior to coming to Downstate, Dr. Putman served from 1996–2006 in multiple Student Affairs roles at Purchase College, SUNY, including as Interim Dean of Students and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Ombudsperson.
Dr. Putman is the recipient of the Pillar of the Student Affairs Profession Award from the NASPA Foundation (2020), the Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean from Region II of NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (2019), the Outstanding Contribution to the Student Personnel Profession Award from the College Student Personnel Association of New York State(2017), the Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional Award from Region II of NASPA(2007), and the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service (2001). He was also awarded the inaugural Resiliency Award for Leadership from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in May 2023, the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Award for Outstanding Service from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2021 and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) National Medical Honor Society by the SUNY Downstate Eta Chapter in March 2022 and into the Gold Humanism Honor Society in May 2023.
Dr. Putman earned his Doctor of Education in Higher & Postsecondary Education fromTeachers College, Columbia University in 2011. He also holds a Master of Education and Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Purchase College, The State University of New York. He was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education Kappa Chapter at Teachers College, Columbia University in December 1998.
In addition to his role at Downstate, Dr. Putman serves in leadership roles as Regional Director and Regional Historian for Region II, and a member of the Board of Directors for NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education; as Past-President of the SUNY Council of Senior Student Affairs Officers (served as President from 2019–2021); as President Emeritus of the Purchase College Alumni Association Inc.; as a Past-President and Co-Chair of the Alumni Experience Committee of the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Council and Alumni Association; and as Doctoral Campus Liaison and member of the Executive Committee of the SUNY Chief Academic Officers Association.
Dennis Sutterfield
Vice President & Chief Information Officer of Information Services
Dennis Sutterfield is a results oriented, strategic, technology and data driven Senior IT executive experienced in leading teams through complex strategic system, business and technical initiatives. He has a pedigree of over 20 years, in both consulting and within Academic Medical Center settings, of inheriting difficult, often off-track projects/organizations and using industry knowledge, assessment and teaming abilities to clearly define problems and to design a new, clear path to completion.
Dennis is currently the Vice President, CIO at Downstate and was appointed in September 2021 to be the senior Technology, Digital and Information Systems strategic leader with ownership of the support and direction for the clinical, academic and research aspects of IT across the organization. His mandate was to fully evaluate and transform the existing IT environment and develop a plan and structure to enable a high performing team that is service oriented and highly collaborative with clinical, business and research leaders.
Prior to his arrival at Downstate he was the Assistant Vice President of Applications at Temple University Health System in Philadelphia, PA where he spent 5 years developing and implementing a strategic roadmap to improve the synergy between systems (clinical, business, rev cycle), strategy and operations for the 5-hospital organization while managing the day to day business of production support, optimization and new projects for all IT applications. His teams consistently demonstrated the ability to increase throughput, decrease costs, and help increase revenue using technology, strategic partnerships and constant process improvement all while supporting the mission of the organization.
Will Versfelt, Esq.
Interim Chief Campus Counsel
Will Versfelt, Esq., serves as the Interim Chief Campus Counsel for SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. In this role, Mr. Versfelt oversees a broad range of legal and compliance issues arising out of SUNY Downstate's academic, research, and healthcare-related enterprises, as well as its affiliated organizations.
Mr. Versfelt provides advice and guidance to senior leadership on SUNY Downstate's campus, including on complex healthcare transactions.
Before joining SUNY Downstate in 2014, Mr. Versfelt worked at SUNY System Administration, focusing mainly on university-wide policies and initiatives.
Mr. Versfelt earned a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and later obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) from William & Mary Law School, Williamsburg, Virginia.
Dawn S. Walker, MPA
Vice President of Communications & Marketing
Dawn S. Walker, MPA, is a communications strategist specializing in government, nonprofit, healthcare, and higher education. As Vice President of Communications & Marketing at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, she leads crisis management, public relations, and marketing efforts and shapes the institution’s public presence.
Previously, she held senior communications roles at the City University of New York institutions Kingsborough Community College and Medgar Evers College, overseeing strategic outreach, media relations, and fundraising initiatives.
Ms. Walker served as Deputy Press Secretary to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, managing communications for two deputy mayors focused on education, public housing, and human services. She is a co-founding partner of the Women’s City Network.
She has served on the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Institute, focused on the legacy of the slain civil rights leader, and, most recently, College & Community Fellowship, a New York City-based re-entry program for justice-impacted women that provides access to higher educational opportunities.
Ms. Walker holds a BA in Communications from SUNY Old Westbury and an MPA from Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs.
Patricia A. Winston, DNP, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE
Interim Chief Executive Officer
University Hospital at Downstate
Patricia A. Winston, DNP, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, currently serves as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of SUNY Downstate’s University Hospital at Downstate (UHD) while continuing as Senior Vice President for Hospital Operations, a position she has held since September 2020.
Before this, she completed an 19-month tenure as Interim CEO, leading UHD through the COVID pandemic, designated by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo as a COVID-only hospital. Her leadership during this time was instrumental in coordinating hospital and system-wide responses, working closely with staff, senior leadership, and public health officials to ensure the safety and well-being of patients and healthcare providers.
Dr. Winston began her nursing career at Christiana Care in Wilmington, Delaware. She held the position of Vice President and Associate Administrator at the Wilmington Campus. Subsequently, she served as Chief Nurse and Vice President for Patient Care Services at St. Francis Hospital, which is part of Catholic Health East. Before relocating to New York, Dr. Winston was the Chief Nurse at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., which is owned by Universal Health Services. She then became the Senior Vice President for Patient Services at Brooklyn Hospital before joining SUNY Downstate as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for the hospital.
Numerous organizations have recognized Dr. Winston for her contributions to healthcare leadership. The American College of Healthcare Executives, Girls, Inc., the National Association of University Women, and the YMCA of Delaware Black Achievers in Business and Industry Award have all honored her achievements. Crain’s included her in its inaugural list of Notable Women in Healthcare, and The Network Journal named her one of its "25 Influential Black Women in Business."
Dr. Winston earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from The George Washington University, her RN diploma from the Nursing School of Wilmington, Delaware, and her Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. She holds board certification in Nursing Administration and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, demonstrating her commitment to excellent hospital operations and patient care.