Dowling’s appointment reinforces the University’s commitment to aligning its academic programming with the immediate, evolving needs of New York’s healthcare sector.

“Michael Dowling knows firsthand what the modern workforce demands,” noted �鶹��ýӳ�� President Michael Balboni ’81, JD. “Our vision is to be Long Island’s preeminent institution for healthcare education, and Michael’s guidance will be invaluable as we graduate the next generation of frontline healthcare workers, administrators and mental health professionals.”

�鶹��ýӳ�� has been named a Best College among National Universities for eight consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report, and for the past three years. One of the largest nursing schools in New York state, the �鶹��ýӳ�� College of Nursing and Public Health (CNPH) has steadily risen the national rankings in recent years for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. �鶹��ýӳ��’s CNPH is also the home of its Clinical Education and Simulation Lab (CESiL), the only lab of its kind on Long Island to be accredited by the .

�鶹��ýӳ��’s Powerhouse Governance Team

Dowling joins �鶹��ýӳ��’s highly experienced and respected board of trustees, known for its diverse expertise, deep tenure and civic reputation—adding his global heavyweight status to an already formidable governance team. He joins Leonard C. Achan ’99, a fellow healthcare and business leader and CEO of LiveOnNY, who was recently named chair of �鶹��ýӳ��’s board.

President Balboni’s background in policy and homeland security, paired with the healthcare dominance of Dowling and Achan, positions �鶹��ýӳ��’s board as a coalition of New York’s most experienced, crisis-tested leaders.

“I’m extraordinarily proud to join the �鶹��ýӳ�� board,” said Dowling. “The University has a long, proud history of providing students with rewarding career opportunities in healthcare and so many other professions throughout Long Island and the entire metropolitan area. As the longtime CEO at Northwell, where we developed mutually beneficial clinical and educational alliances with �鶹��ýӳ��, I’m well aware of the many talented nurses, public health professionals, administrators, mental health counselors and other graduates who helped fill vital roles within our health system. I look forward to lending my insight and expertise to the University and working with Mike Balboni and my fellow board members to strengthen �鶹��ýӳ��’s standing as a preeminent institution for healthcare education.”

Dowling’s appointment follows the recent addition of four new trustees with diverse insights in law, business, real estate, infrastructure and higher education, and underscores �鶹��ýӳ��’s commitment to utilizing enterprise-level, external leadership to thrive and address the complex challenges of higher education.

Social Impact and Shared Values

Unlike other corporate executives who join university boards, Dowling has a Master of Social Work and began his career as a professor of social policy. While his background mirrors �鶹��ýӳ��’s dedication to community impact, he is also widely recognized for taking a stand on some of the nation’s toughest societal issues—from gun violence prevention and the youth mental health crisis to caring for an aging population.

“As seen in his transformative work, Michael shares �鶹��ýӳ��’s deep commitment to the public good,” President Balboni added. “His compassion and dedication to helping others throughout his career are a true reflection of his character.”

In addition to his healthcare leadership, Dowling brings higher education and corporate governance experience to �鶹��ýӳ��. He served on the board of trustees of Fordham University for eight years and held board appointments with BankUnited, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the Foreign Policy Association and the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School at University College Dublin.

About Michael Dowling

Michael Dowling is CEO Emeritus of , having served as its president and CEO for more than 24 years before stepping into his current advisory role in October 2025. Under his visionary leadership, Northwell grew into a clinical, academic and research enterprise with more than 106,000 employees and nearly $25 billion in annual revenue.

Prior to Northwell, Dowling served in the New York state government for 12 years, including seven years as state director of health, education and human services and deputy secretary to former Gov. Mario Cuomo, and later as commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services. A native of County Limerick, Ireland, he earned his undergraduate degree from University College Cork and his Master of Social Work from Fordham University, where he served as a professor of social policy and assistant dean of the university’s Graduate School of Social Service, and director of the Fordham campus in Westchester County.

He was named a “Titan” on the TIME100 Health 2025 list and ranked No. 1 on Modern Healthcare’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare in 2022. Dowling is the acclaimed author of several books, including Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis (Skyhorse, 2020); The Aging Revolution (Skyhorse, 2024); and his memoir, (Arcade, 2020).

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I am thrilled to share more exciting news regarding the governance and future of �鶹��ýӳ��. Healthcare visionary and social impact leader Michael Dowling, CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health, has officially joined our Board of Trustees.

Michael’s remarkable career spans global leadership roles in healthcare, public policy and crisis management. During his more than 24 years as president and CEO, he built Northwell Health into New York’s largest private employer and the Northeast’s largest healthcare provider, renowned for its clinical, academic and research excellence. He knows firsthand what the modern workforce demands, and his guidance will be invaluable as �鶹��ýӳ�� continues to educate and graduate the next generation of frontline healthcare workers, administrators, and mental health professionals.

My relationship with Michael dates back many years before his time at Northwell, when he served in the New York state government for 12 years. He played a critical role in ensuring New Yorkers received essential services and support as state director of Health, Education and Human Services and deputy secretary to New York Governor Mario Cuomo, and later as commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services.

As seen in his transformative work, Michael shares �鶹��ýӳ��’s deep commitment to the public good, higher education and community impact. Holding a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Fordham University, he began his career as a professor at Fordham and served as director of its Tarrytown campus. He later became a professor of social policy and assistant dean at the Graduate School of Social Services, and served on Fordham’s board of trustees for eight years. He has consistently taken a bold stand on important societal issues, including gun violence prevention, pandemic resilience, youth mental health and caring for an aging population.

His compassion and dedication to helping others throughout his career are a true reflection of Michael’s character. From growing up poor as a child in Ireland working on a farm to help support his family, to being an immigrant worker on the docks in Manhattan while in college, Michael embodies the American dream and has a special understanding of the human experience.

Michael joins an already formidable and highly experienced Board of Trustees, including fellow healthcare and business trailblazer Chair Leonard C. Achan ’99 (CEO of LiveOnNY). Together, with the rest of our trustees demonstrating expertise across law, business, real estate, marketing, finance, infrastructure and higher education, our board represents a diverse, experienced coalition of leaders dedicated to guiding �鶹��ýӳ�� into its next chapter.

Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Michael Dowling as he joins our university community.

Warm regards,

Michael Balboni ’81, JD
President

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I am thrilled to share some exciting news about one of our distinguished alumni who is making an incredible impact in our community. The �鶹��ýӳ�� Board of Trustees appointed Leonard C. Achan ‘99, MA, RN, ANP, as our new board chair following a special meeting in July, taking over from Trustee William Fuessler ’79, who stepped up as acting chair for the past five months.

Chair Achan’s story truly embodies the �鶹��ýӳ�� spirit. A proud first-generation American born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, he began his professional journey right here on our campus, earning his bachelor’s degree in nursing. Like so many of his fellow nursing alumni, Chair Achan started his career at the bedside as a medical ICU nurse and adult acute care nurse practitioner—an experience that deeply informed his compassionate approach to leadership as he became an accomplished healthcare executive and community and business leader.

Today, Chair Achan serves as president and CEO of LiveOnNY. He previously served as the inaugural president of the Innovation Institute at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) after serving as their chief innovation officer. Prior to that, he led major executive initiatives across several roles at the Mount Sinai Health System and served as senior associate dean for global communications, branding, and reputation at the Icahn School of Medicine. As co-founder and chairman of Quality Reviews Inc., he built a digital health platform deployed in more than 150 hospitals, elevating the care experience for more than 30 million patients nationwide.

Throughout his career, Chair Achan’s devotion to �鶹��ýӳ�� has never wavered. While serving for more than a decade as a trustee, including five years as a board officer, he has consistently invested back into our campus—returning to lecture, establishing two endowed scholarships, and founding the Achan Family Interfaith Center.

Having worked with him during my time on the board and in our recent conversations, I have seen his razor-sharp mind, energy, and deep passion for our university firsthand. He is a shining example of our strength in producing leaders in nursing, health care and business. I have the utmost confidence that his ambition and commitment to higher education will continue to drive �鶹��ýӳ�� forward.

I also want to thank Trustee Fuessler for his steady leadership of the board. His partnership with our senior leaders helped maintain our standard of excellence during an important time of transition at �鶹��ýӳ��. As one of our longest-tenured trustees and someone who has built a family legacy here, it came as no surprise that he approached this responsibility with great care. His ongoing service on the board will continue to benefit our University and serve as a trusted resource for our new chair.

Please join me in celebrating Chair Achan and thanking Trustee Fuessler for their outstanding service to the University.

Warm regards,

Michael Balboni ’81, JD
President

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I am pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Cheung-Gaffney, JD, as �鶹��ýӳ��’s general counsel, as well as the formal establishment of the Office of Legal Affairs.

This strategic shift to internal legal counsel was one of my first priorities after taking office in June. �鶹��ýӳ�� has traditionally relied on outsourced legal services from external law firms, and transitioning to a dedicated, in-house legal model will allow us to operate with significantly greater efficiency, improve response times, reduce external legal costs and provide proactive, hands-on guidance to units across our University. In the evolving landscape of higher education regulations, governance and compliance, having on-campus legal leadership integrated into our daily operations will prove essential to our long-term success.

About Elizabeth Cheung-Gaffney

Liz brings a wealth of higher education, administrative and legal expertise to �鶹��ýӳ��, making her a highly respected leader in regional higher education circles. Most recently, she served as university counsel and secretary to the board of trustees at Long Island University (LIU), where she managed university compliance, board governance, collective bargaining agreements, litigation, student affairs and NCAA compliance.

Prior to LIU, Liz served as general counsel and interim executive director for New York University’s Office of the President Emeritus, as well as general counsel and senior program officer for The Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education. Earlier in her career, she was a first-chair litigation and arbitration attorney with the New York City Department of Education’s General Counsel Office and practiced complex commercial litigation at law firms in Washington, D.C., and New York.

Liz earned her Juris Doctor from Notre Dame Law School, where she served on the Journal of Legislation staff. She completed her B.A. in Economics and Political Science at Columbia University. At Columbia, she was an Academic All-Ivy League soccer student-athlete. She was inducted into the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. Liz is also a published scholar on sports law and humanitarian development.

Office Structure and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the president, the newly established Office of Legal Affairs oversees and manages all university legal matters, risk management and regulatory compliance.

The following units benefit from this new organizational structure:

• Contracts and Policies: Oversight of university contract review, management and institutional policy frameworks now fall under the Office of Legal Affairs.
• Office of Community Concerns and Resolutions: This office reports directly to University Counsel.
• Title IX Office: University Counsel provides executive legal oversight and administrative supervision for the Title IX Office, ensuring full compliance with federal, state and institutional standards.

I look forward to working closely with Liz and the Office of Legal Affairs as it develops into a trusted resource and partner to everyone in our community. If you have any questions about this restructuring or how you can engage with Legal Affairs, feel free to contact me.

Please join me in warmly welcoming Liz to �鶹��ýӳ�� as she helps guide our institution forward.

Sincerely,

Michael Balboni ’81, JD
President

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Kristopher Amplo ’00 is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive with a dynamic career spanning construction, real estate and philanthropy. As president and CEO of J.C. Steel Erectors Corp., he leads a commercial steel company of more than 300 employees and $100 million in annual sales, delivering landmark projects such as UBS Arena, LaGuardia and JFK Airports, and TSX Broadway. His real estate ventures include multifamily developments, self-storage facilities and vacation rentals across the United States. He is also deeply committed to charitable work, founding the Amplo Family Foundation and co-founding the DezyStrong Foundation, while serving on the boards of multiple nonprofits. With prior experience as a history teacher and business owner, he holds degrees from SUNY Farmingdale, �鶹��ýӳ�� and Stony Brook University, and currently contributes his expertise to several industry boards, including the Subcontractors Trade Association and Allied Building Metal Industries.

LeeAnn Black ’83 is the chief operating officer of Latham & Watkins, where she oversees the firm’s global business operations, financial management and strategic direction. Under her leadership, Latham has expanded significantly, while maintaining the culture that defines its success. Black has been instrumental in Latham’s rise as a top global law firm, overseeing its international growth and operational evolution. She has championed innovation and the early adoption of technologies to enhance efficiency and client service. A certified public accountant, she began her career as a senior auditor at Arthur Andersen & Co. and now draws on three decades of leadership experience at Latham. She has been recognized as a trailblazer in the legal sector and was named one of the Top 10 Innovative Individuals in North America by The Financial Times in 2017. Black previously served on the �鶹��ýӳ�� President’s Advisory Council, chairs the board of trustees of The Chapin School, and devoted 15 years to the board of Pro Bono Net, an organization dedicated to expanding access to justice. She is also co-chair of �鶹��ýӳ��’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference.

Bruce A. Jones ’82, PhD, is a renowned educational leader, scholar and administrator who is currently a professor of political science in the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University. He previously served as Howard University’s senior vice president for research and was instrumental in securing its historic R1 Carnegie Classification. Over a dynamic career spanning higher education and public education policy, Dr. Jones has held prestigious academic and administrative posts, including vice provost for academic affairs and interim dean of the Graduate School at the University of Houston. He has also held endowed faculty chairs at the University of South Florida and the University of Missouri. A proud alumnus who earned his undergraduate degree from �鶹��ýӳ��, he has a PhD in political science from Columbia University. His research foci include leadership and public policy in higher education and K–12 education, the politics of education, the sociopolitical history of education, studies in community development, and institutional assessment and program evaluation in education and the nonprofit sector.

Walter P. Schmidt ’84 is a co-founder of Rockwood Capital, a prominent private equity real estate investment firm, and has 40 years of experience in real estate investment on behalf of institutional clients. He served as a senior managing partner until 2022, when he became senior partner focusing on strategic client relationships. With the formation of Harrison Street Asset Management in 2025, he continued as senior adviser. He began his career in 1984 with Touche Ross & Co (currently Deloitte). He is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association, AFIRE and INREV and served on the President’s Advisory Council of �鶹��ýӳ��. He also serves on advisory boards serving youth development programs in the United States and Central America.

In addition to welcoming new trustees, the board welcomed back Charles J. Fuschillo ’83, Dennis J. McDonagh ’78 and Michael J. Tiedemann ’89 during the past year after they had previously stepped away due to other obligations.

Learn more about the �鶹��ýӳ�� Board of Trustees.

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Despite these impressive and lofty titles, Balboni has made himself accessible to the �鶹��ýӳ�� community. And nowhere is this more evident than his TikTok series, Coffee With the Chair From a Chair. Although it was discontinued after Balboni’s ascension to president, this series offers a glimpse at a president who’s willing to listen to his students, hear their stories and share his own.

Creating a Series for TikTok

TikTok is currently one of the most popular platforms across social media. According to , approximately 63 to 68 percent of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 use TikTok, with one in five reporting that they use the app “almost constantly.” �鶹��ýӳ�� initially lacked a strong TikTok strategy, viewing it as just another hosting platform like YouTube. It was �鶹��ýӳ��’s board of trustees who recognized the missed opportunity of using this platform to engage with young people and prospective �鶹��ýӳ�� students. Creating TikToks suddenly became a top priority for the University.

The board tasked the Office of University Communications and Marketing with producing TikTok content to share the �鶹��ýӳ�� story with young people. In the end, the board chair himself, Michael Balboni, became directly involved in the project. He agreed to a refreshingly simple concept: unscripted, unrehearsed conversations with students over coffee. With near-zero production costs and maximum authenticity, the series Coffee With the Chair From a Chair was born.

Each video featured Balboni chatting comfortably one-to-one with a different �鶹��ýӳ�� student at the campus Starbucks. featured �鶹��ýӳ�� ’26, a political science major who is now a business graduate student. She discussed her rigorous schedule and her favorite memories at �鶹��ýӳ��.

“Having the opportunity to sit down with then-chairman of the board Michael Balboni and be interviewed for the series was a really unique experience. It made University leadership feel much more connected to the student body, and when I learned he would become �鶹��ýӳ��’s next president, I genuinely felt like the University was heading in the right direction,” said Munayirji. The video quickly garnered more than 2,500 views.

featured finance major Jerry Iavarone, who talked about his Greek life friends at �鶹��ýӳ�� and his family-owned gourmet Italian food market, . Iavarone’s is a favorite spot for many �鶹��ýӳ�� students, including, as it turns out, Balboni himself—who remembered going there as an �鶹��ýӳ�� student.

“I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what to expect or if I needed to give specific answers to the questions. A few seconds in, I realized the interview was going to be a fun experience after Mr. Balboni brought up Iavarone Bros.”

This video amassed more than 10,000 views, making it �鶹��ýӳ��’s top-viewed TikTok at the time.

“I didn’t expect the video to take off like it did,” said Iavarone.

Winning the Circle of Excellence Award

The execution and success of Coffee With the Chair From a Chair earned Balboni’s TikTok series an award nomination from the , a prestigious and global nonprofit association for educational institutions. Coffee With the Chair From a Chair wound up , bronze level, in the Communications/Digital Campaigns (Student-oriented) category. The CASE judges noted, “The concept behind this campaign was great for student engagement, and we were impressed by what they accomplished without adding any extra resources and by getting their board chair to participate.”

“This is a huge honor for our creative team, but it’s also a testament to how impressive our students are,” said Balboni. “The confidence and professionalism they have developed at �鶹��ýӳ��, as well as their natural charisma, truly shined in these videos. I had a great time discussing their favorite campus experiences, and I know their future is bright.” Although , this particular victory highlights the University’s success with executing a TikTok strategy—and it also marks a major win for Balboni as he begins his role as president of the University.

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I write to you today with a profound sense of gratitude, excitement and humility. It is the honor of a lifetime to be selected as the 11th president of �鶹��ýӳ��. I want to extend my deepest thanks to the �鶹��ýӳ�� Board of Trustees, Acting Chair William Fuessler and the Presidential Search Committee for their rigorous work and their confidence in me.

�鶹��ýӳ�� has been a central part of my whole life. When I graduated from Garden City High School, I attended my prom at the Ruth S. Harley University Center. I received my undergraduate degree in biology from �鶹��ýӳ�� in 1981. It was during my studies in political science that I developed my interest in government and decided to go to law school.

After graduating from law school, I won a seat in the New York State Assembly, and my district included the �鶹��ýӳ�� campus. During my interactions with the University, I reconnected with the late Professor Regina Axelrod, PhD, who encouraged me to join the adjunct faculty in the Department of Political Science.

After serving seven years in the State Assembly, I ran for and won a special election for the State Senate, and during that time I continued to teach at �鶹��ýӳ��. I was teaching on the tragic morning of 9/11 and was the first person to tell my students that our nation was under attack, linking me with them in perpetuity. I went on to chair the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs. My first public speech on homeland security was delivered at the Angello Alumni House at �鶹��ýӳ��.

My family’s roots here run deep. With a family legacy that includes my uncle, two sisters, my nephew and my daughter, Olivia (Class of 2015), I know firsthand the transformative power of an �鶹��ýӳ�� education across generations.

It is a profound honor and privilege to be given the opportunity to help shape our University’s future. I will work tirelessly to understand the complexities of the education we provide and to engage the essential constituencies to build a consensus on how we design the University for tomorrow’s students.

I am incredibly optimistic about the future, especially because of the “dual-engine” leadership team we are building. The absolute heart of �鶹��ýӳ�� is our academic mission and our exceptional faculty. I am thrilled to partner closely with Dr. Chris Storm in his new role as senior executive vice president of academic affairs and provost. His continued academic leadership will ensure that our curriculum, research and student success flourish while I focus on our external growth. I also want to personally thank Dr. Storm for his steadfast and expert guidance as interim president this past year.

Most importantly, as I prepare to officially step into this role, my immediate priority is to listen. In the coming weeks and months, I will be embarking on an outreach tour across campus to hear your insights, understand your priorities and needs, and collaborate on our shared vision. Whether you are a student, a faculty member, a staff member, a parent or an alumnus, your voice is essential to our success.

�鶹��ýӳ�� gave me the foundation I needed to reach for new goals. I am so proud to be given the chance to give back and help lead this extraordinary community into its next chapter.

Thank you all for this incredible opportunity and for welcoming me home.

In Panther Pride,

Michael A.L. Balboni ’81, JD
President

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