I recently watched a webcast where Michael Dowling President & CEO of Northwell Health was a participant. Mr. Dowling made 2 comments that resonated with me, the following are not direct quotes but in the spirit of what Mr. Dowling expressed; we need to balance reality with hope and if there is one positive we have gained from the pandemic, it taught us to be innovative and creative.
While we may struggle with our current reality there is always hope. I hope all of our Metro NY chapter members, their family, friends and colleagues are safe and well. I hope our anxieties dissipate and are replaced with happiness and joy. I hope that each tomorrow is brighter and our circumstances improve. We will get through these trying times and we will be stronger for it.
Entering my year as president of the Metro NY chapter I had many mixed emotions, disappointment, sadness & frustration, but as days went on I made the conscious effort to look at things differently. How grateful I am to have a great team of officers; Sean Smith, Cathy Ekbom & Andrew Weingartner that I trust and rely on. How fortunate I am to have another team of past presidents and a Board of Directors who are always willing to share their advice and knowledge. How lucky are we to have a chapter of wonderful volunteers who have stepped up to carry out our mission in new and creative ways. And how very fortunate am I to have Corporate Sponsors who even though we are currently not hosting in-person gatherings, still believe in supporting our chapter through the Corporate Sponsorship Program. Thank you Corporate Sponsors! We are looking into new ways to introduce you to our membership, stay tuned.
Under the leadership of the General Education chairs, the chapter has been busy collaborating with the Region 2 webinar committee and collectively we have held 19 programs to date. A big accomplishment during challenging times.
In October the Finance Committee is kicking off a series of webinars for our Finance Friday’s program. Where the committee will host a variety of webinars and panel programs on Friday mornings throughout the remainder of 2020. The 1st program was held on 10/9, check your email for registration information and the chapter website for additional information.
Alyson Belz, co-chair of the General Education Committee collaborated with the Connecticut Chapter and put together a web-panel discussion; Secrets of Effective Communicators. Panelists include Carolyn Gomes, President & CEO, Stony Brook University Hospital; Louis Shapiro, President & CEO, Hospital for Special Surgery; Kathleen Silard, MS, BSN, RN, FACHE, President & CEO, Stamford Hospital; Susan Fox, President & CEO, White Plains Hospital; and Diane Kelly, President, Yale New Haven Health Greenwich Hospital. The program is 10/28 8:30-9:30 AM check our website, email blasts & LinkedIn for registration information.
Now that we have acclimated to our current situation we all need to kick back and relax and what better way to reconnect with old friends & colleagues than thru social networking. We are in the process of finalizing the chapter’s 1st virtual networking program that will be held in November. We promise this will be a fun, entertaining evening look for details on our website, Linkedin and watch for your emails.
As a safety precaution the chapter decided that our Annual Institute (AI) will be virtual. The AI committee is confirming our speakers and details will be shared shortly. I guarantee that you will be impressed with the caliber of our programs and speakers, so please mark your calendars for March 10th, 11th & 12th. We are definitely thinking out of the box…more details to come!
Again, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to our Corporate Sponsors who support our chapter. We will continue to reach out to you to participate in our virtual educational programs and are exploring ways to introduce you to the chapter membership through virtual social networking programs. In the meantime if you have program ideas please reach out to me at dskura@ehs.org or the VP of Education, Cathy Ekbom @ cekbom@betzmitchell.com.
Be well & stay safe,
Donna
