Diversity and Inclusion | Mount Sinai Today

The Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health at Mount Sinai Provide Undocumented Immigrant Workers With the Care They Need

Updated on Mar 14, 2023 | Community, Diversity and Inclusion, Featured

Many of the approximately eight million undocumented immigrants in the United States workforce hold critical and essential jobs. Some of these jobs are in construction, cleaning services, transportation—jobs that ensure we have everything from electric power to groceries to child care.

Undocumented workers are more likely to suffer work-related injury or illness than native-born workers, and more likely to experience dangerous working conditions than documented immigrants.

Yet undocumented immigrant workers are less likely to seek care and benefits for their work-related injury or illness.

There are many reasons for this: fear of employer retaliation, including wage theft, firing, and deportation; lack of awareness of rights and resources; intimidation by complex systems and processes; and mistrust in government and health care institutions. Anti-immigrant rhetoric in the United States intensifies many of these fears.

The Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health at Mount Sinai are dedicated to providing all workers, including undocumented immigrant workers, with the care they need.

Michael Crane, MD, MPH

“All workers have the right to health and safety on the job. It is essential that undocumented workers be made aware of and connected to the services they need and deserve,” says Michael Crane, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the Selikoff Centers. “We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care to all workers across our community, including those who are undocumented.”

Undocumented workers have rights and protections under health, safety, and anti-discrimination laws. The Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health at Mount Sinai, as part of its mission through the New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network, provides no-cost, confidential health care and other support services to all workers who have suffered a work-related injury or illness, regardless of documentation or insurance status. This includes evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of work-related conditions. Services also include screenings for hazardous exposures (such as asbestos, lead, and other toxins), injury prevention, benefits counseling, and social work services.

“As members of the New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network, we provide health and safety-related services designed to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses,” says Dr. Crane, who is also a Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “We diagnose and treat ill and injured workers with the goal of safely returning them to work. Our doctors are experts in occupational medicine who understand work-related injury and help their patients obtain appropriate Workers’ Compensation benefits. Our patients may also avail themselves of the guidance and support of our experts in ergonomics, industrial hygiene, social work, and vocational counseling.”

Agata Bednarska

Undocumented workers are eligible for New York State Workers’ Compensation. This law provides benefits for lost wages and medical treatment when a worker becomes sick or injured because of their job. At the Selikoff Centers, Workers’ Compensation coordinators guide patients through the process, which can be overwhelming and confusing. This is especially important for those facing language barriers or who are mistrustful of government systems.

“Navigating the New York State Workers’ Compensation system can be challenging for many injured and sick workers” says Agata Bednarska, Outreach and Education Manager. “Our Workers’ Compensation coordinators are here to educate, support, and assist patients with filing for New York State Workers’ Compensation benefits. We place significant emphasis on educating our patients about their legal rights. Advocacy, education, and treatment by our specialists can reduce the very significant economic burden of injury or illness on the worker and their family.”

Celebration Week for Nurse Practitioners—Ever Rising to Meet the Needs of Patients

Updated on Nov 18, 2022 | Diversity and Inclusion, Featured, Nursing, Stories of Excellence

The Mount Sinai Health System celebrates nurse practitioners (NPs) during the week of Sunday, November 13, to Saturday, November 19—and recognizes their commitment toward furthering the mission and vision of the organization. “Nurse practitioners are a critical link in the comprehensive compassionate care we provide,” says Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive, Mount Sinai Health System.

Since the NP role began more than 50 years ago, nurse practitioners have risen to meet each challenge, worked to eliminate health care disparities, and strengthened the nation’s ability to ensure patients have equitable access to high-quality care, says Priscilla Samuel, DNP, FNP-BC, Vice President of Advanced Practice Nursing, Mount Sinai Health System.

“NPs are integral in promoting clinical excellence and fostering patient safety and quality,” Ms. Samuel says. “In collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, we provide exceptional patient care while ensuring that patient preferences and values guide all clinical decisions.”

Here are the thoughts of several of Mount Sinai’s dedicated nurse practitioners on what inspires them, what fills them with pride, and what they wish people knew about their role:

Lena Chang, MSN, RN, ANP-BC
Clinical Program Manager, Cardiology
Mount Sinai Beth Israel

I’ve been working at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Mount Sinai Union Square for 28 years, 24 of which have been in the Cardiovascular Services Department.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as an NP?
As a nurse practitioner and Clinical Program Manager, I am able to involve myself directly with the patients along with system-wide projects. I have a wonderful team of nurse practitioners and am so proud of their hard work to make the department excel.

I am also a co-chair of the Mount Sinai Downtown and Mount Sinai Heart Diversity Councils. This work is extremely important to me, and so relevant during these tumultuous times. I also enjoy community projects, such as my involvement in American Heart Association community events. Aside from my hospital involvement, I sit on the Leadership Council for the Chinese-American Planning Council, which provides resources for senior and youth programs in New York City. I was recently accepted onto the Board of Directors of New York City’s Home Care Program. I look forward to doing more important work for senior programs in the city.

I am involved in wellness programs within the Cardiovascular Services Department, and like to encourage participation in our walking events, including the Heart Walk, the premier event of the American Heart Association, and meditative practice within our staff. I am most proud of all the work we have done as a department to provide the highest standards of care, as well as the work of the Mount Sinai Downtown Diversity Council to strive toward diversity, inclusion, and equity.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I wish people knew how much nurse practitioners do for our patients, using the latest evidence-based research treatment protocols. They are also excellent problem solvers and strong patient advocates.

Charleen Jacobs, MS, ANP-BC
Sickle Cell Nurse Practitioner
The Mount Sinai Hospital

I work in the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your job?
As a sickle cell nurse practitioner at The Mount Sinai Hospital, the most interesting aspect of my job is having the ability to provide longitudinal care to a unique population. Sickle cell disease requires specialized care. Our approach to care is holistic, preventative, and lifespan-focused.

Every day at work, I have the opportunity to care for patients in inpatient and outpatient settings. The sickle cell nurse practitioners provide consult services to inpatient teams once a patient arrives in the Emergency Department, and continue to follow them throughout their hospital course. Once a patient is discharged, we can provide outpatient follow-up care, as well. With this approach, we can provide high-quality, evidence-based care, identify potential gaps, and prevent long-term complications associated with sickle cell disease.

As a Black health care provider, I am most proud that I can provide care for my community, which is disproportionately affected by sick cell disease. As their nurse practitioner, there is no feeling more incredible than knowing I can serve people with this disease. It is one of the most fulfilling parts of this role.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I hope that others in the larger health care community understand the value of nurse practitioners. There is so much diversity among nurse practitioners—from those in leadership, academia, clinical care, and research. With this, nurse practitioners are well-posed to participate in significant decision-making due to our wide experience in a variety of health care roles.

David Skovran, NP
Internal Medicine Associates
Respectful and Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program
Division of General Internal Medicine
Director of Nursing, East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership

I am a primary care provider currently with Mount Sinai Doctors Internal Medicine Associates at The Mountain Sinai Hospital.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
The most inspiring aspect of my role is having the opportunity be a primary care provider with my own panel of patients. I have cared for some patients for the past six years, which has allowed me to establish long-term relationships with my patients, encourage open communications, and strive to provide personalized care.

I am proud to be part of the Respectful and Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program. As part of this program, I am able to provide a comprehensive, patient-centered, harm reduction approach to primary care for persons who use alcohol or other drugs, and for individuals living with hepatitis C. As part of this program, I have had the opportunity to present at national conferences on buprenorphine treatment, stigma-free risk reduction counseling, hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, and overdose response training. I am most proud of being able to educate people about the important work this program does within the Mount Sinai Health System.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners play a vital role in our nation’s health care system. They provide acute and primary care to patients across the health care continuum, from assessing, diagnosing, and treating illnesses to educating communities on disease prevention.

Katherine D. Reina, DNP, APRN, AGNP-C
Clinical Program Director, Delirium Program
Mount Sinai Morningside
Faculty Member, Committee on Professionalism

I work for the Mount Sinai Health System’s Delirium Program, a one-of-kind approach that enables early recognition and treatment of patients who develop delirium while hospitalized, which I oversee at Mount Sinai Morningside.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
As a nurse practitioner, I am honored and humbled to be a part of the Health System’s interdisciplinary team caring for some of our most vulnerable patients and their families. I feel that nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to manage patients across their lifespan. As nurse practitioners, we get to combine the best of nursing and medicine to optimize the health care delivery model. I truly believe the Health System is at the forefront of innovation and research in health care.

I am most proud of first being a part of the Delirium Program. As a nurse practitioner, I have helped expand the program at Mount Sinai Morningside while helping to manage patients. My work within the program has helped reimagine the role of the nurse practitioner as one that includes serving as a lead consultant for a clinical program. It has also increased awareness of delirium and best evidence-based practices to improve management of our patients.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners are the fastest growing career field in the United States, with more than 355,000 nurse practitioners practicing across the country. Nurse practitioners hold the potential to become the foundation of health care delivery models and standards.

Luz Lucero-Calabro, MS, RN
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse Specialist
Mount Sinai Brooklyn

I am a nurse practitioner engaged in system policy changes, standardizing pressure injury prevention practices, managing products, and providing education for the staff.

I started in 2019 as the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse (WOCN) Nurse Practitioner specialist at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, with a unique position as an educator, provider, and nurse administrator. While I work mainly at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, I am also engaged in a number of Mount Sinai Health System initiatives related to the prevention of hospital acquired-pressure injuries.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
I have the autonomy to plan and develop treatment plans as a provider while also engaging in a holistic approach due to my nursing roots. I take into account the patient as a whole. It is rewarding to make a difference in the wound and ostomy community.

I am most proud of helping to create the Mount Sinai Brooklyn Skin Care team with registered nurses and personal care assistants. I am also proud of collaborating on the development of a program to improve electronic reporting to the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators®, which provides reporting of structure, process, and outcome indicators to evaluate nursing care at the unit level, and using the data for quality improvement projects. I am also proud of my engagement in standardizing the WOCN practice throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, and serving as chair of the WOCN Steering Committee.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
We uphold the highest professional standards for ourselves, and desire to succeed and model care through our practice.

James Murphy, DNP, ANP-C
Administrative Director
Advanced Practice Nursing
Mount Sinai South Nassau

I am currently the Administrative Director of Advanced Practice Nursing at Mount Sinai South Nassau. Clinically, I work with the Critical Care team as a provider on the Rapid Response team.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
I love clinical work and being able to spend time caring for and speaking with patients and their families regarding care. I also enjoy assisting the resident physicians with their education through the Rapid Response team. Both are very rewarding.

I am co-chair of the Resuscitation Committee at Mount Sinai South Nassau and love working on this proactive committee. I believe we all work well together and make changes where it counts most—through policies and at the bedside of patients. I am also called upon to review charts and medical team cases when questions arise. I have also had the pleasure of working on the Mount Sinai Health System CPR Committee, which worked on a system-wide medical team policy.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I wish more people knew who we are and what we can offer. Nurse practitioners take time with our patients and are holistic in looking at all aspects of our patients’ physical and emotional care. We see the whole patient.

Kimberley Ennis DNP, APRN-BC
Senior Director of Nursing
Mount Sinai Queens

I am a nurse practitioner currently practicing as a nurse leader at Mount Sinai Queens, overseeing all operations of medical-surgical units, cancer center, dialysis, catheterization/electrophysiology, and hospital administrator team. I also act as liaison to the Magnet Recognition Program for nursing excellence, and oversee advanced practice nurses.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
The most inspiring part of my role is the ability to mentor, coach, and inspire new and experienced nurse leaders and other nurses and nurse practitioners who aspire to leadership roles.

I am proud to be a part of a system that is leading change in diversity, equity, and inclusion and a system that has many opportunities for RNs to advance to nurse practitioners. I am proud of the projects and initiatives I have led, in opening a new clinical unit and lab and significantly impacting multiple quality metrics at Mount Sinai Queens. I am even more proud to be a mentor to Mount Sinai Health System nurses and nurse leaders.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I want more people to understand the multifaceted roles of a nurse practitioner in the health care setting.

Monica An, PhD, RN
Inpatient Oncology Nurse Practitioner
Hematology and Oncology Infusion Center
Mount Sinai West

I am currently an inpatient consultant for a non-teaching service in the Hematology/Oncology program.

What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
Inpatient consultants have a big responsibility to optimize the patient’s oncologic care during hospital admission. My role is to provide a unique inpatient nurse practitioner service, which bridges oncologic care with that of the primary medicine and primary oncology teams.

I am proud that the Mount Sinai Health System supports our nurse practitioner service as an advanced practice provider in many ways, such as orientation programs that combine essential, detailed information with extensive mentorship for new nurse practitioners. The Health System also supports nurse practitioners in initiating research projects. And leadership consistently provides a supportive environment for nurse practitioners who want to advance their degrees, which was instrumental in my earning a PhD. Working as a nurse practitioner at the Health System has been a precious and extraordinary experience that has allowed me to grow in my profession.

What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
Everything we do, including the critical role we play in nursing and medicine. Nurse practitioners practice with independence, profound knowledge, and experience. As such, we are crucial in ensuring better outcomes and greater satisfaction for our patients.

Patient Dining Associate Recognized for Her Commitment to the Patient Experience

Updated on Oct 31, 2022 | Diversity and Inclusion, Featured, Stories of Excellence

Tessor Tyrell, Patient Dining Associate at Mount Sinai West

Tessor Tyrell, Patient Dining Associate at Mount Sinai West, is considered to be a shining example of how the Department of Food and Nutrition Services can make a significant impact on the patient experience.

John Gkanios, Patient Service Manager, explains: “Tessor is totally focused on the needs and preferences of her patients. Before she leaves a patient’s room, she asks if they are happy with their meal and follows up before coming back to the kitchen to set up for the next meal period. If there is a non-food issue that the patient brings to her attention, Tessor always informs the appropriate nurse to ensure the concern is addressed.”

Tessor recently received the following praise from a patient in a letter addressed to Kenneth Davis, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Sinai Health System: “Ms. Tyrell demonstrates a passion for her job and people. Always with a smile and a wonderful positive attitude, Ms. Tyrell makes a patient feel comfortable in an atmosphere of uncertainty and stress. It certainly takes a team to address the physical issues and the mental conditions as well. Health care professionals will work to keep the body healthy. It is the other team members, from housekeeping to food and nutrition, that are essential to keeping the mind as positive and healthy as the body. Ms. Tyrell has exceeded in all of these categories, and I would appreciate your acknowledging Ms. Tyrell as a professional, caring, and outstanding employee and member of your team.”

Tessor is clearly dedicated to her patients.

“I love my job,” she says. “I like taking care of people and giving patients the care and attention they need. If they want to tell me their stories, once all my rounds are completed, I am happy to listen. Patients have even given me their numbers so I can follow up with them after they are discharged.”

Not only does Tessor serve her patients with care, she also is appreciated for her skills in the kitchen.

“Lucky for us,” John says, “Tessor is also a great cook! She volunteered and prepared a dish for the Juneteenth Celebration, which was enjoyed by the entire hospital.”

PhD Students Get Lab Coats, Marking the Start of New Journeys in Research and Training

Oct 19, 2022 | Diversity and Inclusion, Featured, School

Dozens of members of the 2022 PhD and MD/PhD matriculating class of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences were presented with lab coats in a celebratory event held Monday, September 19, amid the cheers and applause from the audience—which included faculty, mentors, and the students’ families and friends. Wearing their coats, the students would later take a vow, together, “to uphold the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, scholarship, and honor,” as they embarked on new scientific paths.

Marta Filizola, PhD

“We hold this ceremony to mark the start of our students’ journey in academic research and training,” said Marta Filizola, PhD, the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Sharon & Frederick A. Klingenstein-Nathan G. Kase, MD Professor. “The lab coats we present to them are a symbol of the professionalism and authority that trainees develop and foster during their time in our programs,” added Dr. Filizola, who is also Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, Neuroscience, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health. Mount Sinai offers PhD degrees in biomedical sciences, neuroscience, and clinical research, and a dual MD/PhD medical scientist training program degree, in addition to nine master’s program degrees.

Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD

Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, Dean for Academic Affairs at Icahn Mount Sinai, and Chief Scientific Officer for the Mount Sinai Health System told the students: “Getting a PhD is hard work. There is no way around that. It’s hard work because PhDs—unlike all professional degrees, for example, an MD or law degree—require each of us to create a body of knowledge that is new to the world.” Still, he encouraged each not only to “work hard—but play hard,” adding, “Life must go on. No one should defer having a social life during their PhD studies.” Dr. Nestler is also Director of The Friedman Brain Institute and Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience.

A rousing keynote speech was presented by Xiaosi Gu, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, and Founding Director of the Center for Computational Psychiatry. Dr. Gu, a foremost researcher in the area of computational psychiatry, received her PhD degree in Neuroscience at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Gu shared her thoughts on curiosity, which she described as the one “secret Ingredient” capable of helping the students face the PhD journey, while making it enjoyable—and successful.

Xiaosi Gu, PhD

“Curiosity is the fundamental reason why you are still sitting here today instead of already working in a tech company, or Wall Street,” she began. “What should we be curious about? Be curious about science, be curious about people, and be curious about life.

“First, be curious about your work … you must love what you do,” she urged. “Be curious about people. A huge reason I feel pumped every morning going into the office is the people I work with. Face-to-face meetings, small talks in the hallway, grabbing lunch together, these are the daily doses of happiness that keep a day going.

“Finally, be curious about life. This, I believe, is the holy grail of curiosity … We, as scientists, have an obligation to stay curious about the real world and pursue work that can meet human needs … Staying curious about humanity and its issues might be the only way to unlock your intellectual potential and find your path.”

This was followed by a lively presentation of the lab coats, an effort sponsored by the Mount Sinai Alumni Association, and finally, the reading of the PhD Oath. “I will conduct my research and professional endeavors with honesty and objectivity,” they said in unison, while wearing their crisp white lab coats, and reciting a pledge to uphold a set of guiding principles as they launched their science training at Mount Sinai.

What makes this class special? This is who they are:

Read why one student is getting a PhD in clinical research

Learn more about the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Social Worker at “Coming Home” Program Helps Former Inmates Build a Better Life

Oct 12, 2022 | Diversity and Inclusion, Stories of Excellence

Iris Bowen, LMSW

Since 2006, the Coming Home program at Mount Sinai has worked to improve the physical and mental health and the emotional and social well-being of men and women during their transition from prison or jail to the community. The program, a division of the Institute for Advanced Medicine, was originally conceived to serve patients with HIV and now provides services to anyone with a history of arrests. In addition to primary care, the program connects clients with medical specialists if needed. Importantly, some of the case management is provided by formerly incarcerated staff who understand well the challenges of returning to a pre-prison life. Clients have access to supportive counseling individually and in groups. In addition, the Coming Home Program trains integrated teams of medical providers, clinicians, and staff to ensure that formerly incarcerated patients receive their health care in a safe and welcoming environment.

Iris Bowen, LMSW, joined the Coming Home program in 2013, and knows how tough a transition can be for her clients. “People come out of prison confused and not sure of their next steps. My clients say they never had anyone to care for them or listen to them—so many come from a history of foster care or group homes before they went to prison,” Iris says. “They tell me about physical and mental abuse. About having families they cannot care for. We do not judge them. We listen to them, we care for them. We meet them where they are and go from there. That means connections to health care, of course, including mental health and help with substance abuse, but also education and job training.”

Iris has forged special relationships with all of her clients, but is very proud of John Gargano, a man who spent 12 years in prison on drug charges and completely turned his life around with the support of Coming Home.

Iris met John shortly after he found out he was being discharged into the New York City shelter system from a halfway house. John told his inspiring story of prison and post-prison life in the blog Humans of NY: He was referred to Iris by a fellow inmate, and he was prepared to be disappointed. Instead, John says, Iris had a “calm and comforting” presence and wanted to know everything about him. Iris helped him find an apartment, arranged for him to have hip surgery, get through the red tape of applying to school, and into a job-training program. With her encouragement, he completed a bachelor’s degree at New York University (and was the keynote speaker at graduation) and land a job as the General Manager of Craft Restaurant in Manhattan, where he works today.

Iris loves being a member of the highly dedicated Mount Sinai Morningside Social Work team and the Coming Home program staff and helping patients. “I tell my patients that we can make it happen, that they can have a better life. I like to see people be happy and become productive and successful, and most of all, empower them.”

Members of the Coming Home program team (left to right): Jennifer Guzman, MSW, Substance Use Specialist, Cory Butler, Outreach Coordinator, Serina Yancey, Peer Education Specialist, Jesus Robles, LCSW, Program Coordinator.

At African American Day Parade, Mount Sinai Shares a Message of Health and Equity

Updated on Oct 7, 2022 | Community, Diversity and Inclusion, Featured

Mount Sinai staff, family, and friends marched in the African American Day Parade in Harlem, in a procession that included a festive float, messages of health equity and antiracism, and the Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening van.

The Mount Sinai Health System sponsored the 53rd Annual African American Day Parade on Sunday, September 18, with a festive group of close to 80 employees and their family and friends in attendance. Held in Harlem on the third Sunday in September, the event is the nation’s largest parade in celebration of African American culture, heritage, and unity.

The theme of this year’s parade was “Good Health Is Essential,” and two members of Mount Sinai’s leadership were among the Grand Marshals: Gary C. Butts, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the Mount Sinai Health System, and Dean for Diversity Programs, Policy, and Community Affairs at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Pamela Abner, MPA, Vice President and Chief Diversity Operations Officer for Mount Sinai Health System.

The Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening van followed the Mount Sinai float as it proceeded up Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, from 111th to 136th Street, making certain that spectators were aware of this critical resource.

Mount Sinai participants in the parade later expressed what it meant to them: “As a participant in the BLACC employee resource group and staff member at Mount Sinai, I felt a call to action as an African American to give thanks to my community,” says Celeste Valentine, Facilities Coordinator for the Facilities Management/Engineering Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “Both my parents died of cancer. Their respective passing moved me into the field of health care, and I am also an advocate of preventive health, dealing with my own health issues. I try my best to make sure that those around me get regular checkups and live a healthier lifestyle.”

Jacobie Ricard, Senior Director of Planning Design and Construction at Mount Sinai Morningside, wanted to acknowledge his colleagues for their role in the success of the parade, including Leroy Francis, Administrative Director of Cardiovascular Services, Mount Sinai Queens, and Kimberley Ennis, DNP, APRN-BC, Senior Director of Nursing, Mount Sinai Queens.

“As we proceeded, you repeatedly heard the same thing from the crowd: ‘There goes Mount Sinai!’ I now know that the Health System touched the lives of this community. The people of Harlem wanted us there, and they let it be known, from 111th to 136th Street. I was lost for words, as I didn’t expect this type of reception from the crowd,” says Mr. Ricard, who also joined the procession as a representative of the Mount Sinai Health System’s GOALS initiative, which works to encourage and empower Black male employees through connections and networking. “My role is not patient-facing, so this was an amazing feeling. To my colleagues in the Health System, this is a testament to what you do.”

Ms. Valentine had a similar reaction: “During the parade and seeing the faces of all the people smiling and waving at our float, I felt my ancestors’ spirit, especially my parents, applauding and hearing their words, saying, ‘Job well done,’ and ‘Good health is essential.’”

Mount Sinai honorees
Advisory Board Member Theresa Mack, MD, and Grand Marshals Pamela Abner; MPA, and Gary C. Butts, MD

Leaders of Four Mount Sinai Hospitals
From left: Cameron Hernandez, MD; Evan L. Flatow, MD; Scott Lorin, MD, MBA; and James Tsai, MD

Mount Sinai’s Anthony Smalls, MBA, right, and his DJ team provided a soundtrack

The Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening van

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