National Healthcare East

Tom Ahn

VP Real Estate Division
Mount Sinai Health System

Thomas Ahn is a civil engineer with over 30 years of experience in facilities, real estate management and leadership of a large institutional/corporate organization. He is currently System Vice President for Real Estate for the Mount Sinai Health System which includes: Mount Sinai, St. Luke’s, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai Brooklyn Hospitals, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Mount Sinai Queens Hospital and The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In this capacity, he is involved in all aspects of ownership and management, including staff housing of over 3,000 apartments, off-campus medical and administrative offices, design and construction, property management and acquisitions, leasing of commercial and retail facilities and the operation of all Mount Sinai's real estate holdings of over 14 million square feet of office and medical office space.

Kimberly Wright

VP Facilities Planning
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Kimberly Wright is the Vice President of Facilities Planning at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where she has worked for over 16 years. Kimberly is responsible for a facilities master plan adding more than 2 million square feet of new clinical, research, academic and administrative space, which will be completed next year. She works directly with MSK’s executive, clinical, scientific, administrative, and financial leadership on strategic and tactical space planning and programming, and has primary responsibility for managing the critical interdependencies among individual projects and determining their optimal sequence to facilitate their successful implementation. She is also responsible for directing the commercial real estate activities in New York City and the regional network: identifying opportunities, negotiating terms and supervising lease document development.

Amador Centeno

SVP, Facilities Management, Operations, and Planning; Vice Dean for Student Services
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

A results-oriented senior executive with a proven record of growth and accomplishment in health care administration and facilities management, Amador Centeno launched his career at Mount Sinai Medical Center and has held leadership positions at Continuum Health Partners and Columbia Health. He earned an MS in health service administration from Iona College and a BS in economics from Lehman College. Under Amador's leadership, Facilities Management and Campus Services has physically transformed Columbia University Irving Medical Center, raising two new buildings: the 100,000-square-foot Vagelos Education Center and the 60,000-square-foot School of Nursing building. Programmatic transformations at the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library and Student Health Service have revolutionized how students learn about and receive health care.

Emme Deland

SVP & Chief Strategy Officer,
New York-Presbyterian

Emme Deland, MBA, is Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer for NewYork-Presbyterian. She is responsible for developing clinical and corporate strategies for the enterprise, and for identifying, disseminating, and commercializing new innovation. She also serves on the board of the NewYork-Presbyterian Health Policy Center. Ms. Deland joined NewYork-Presbyterian in 2000. Previously, she worked at Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Prior to joining the health care field, she was an international banker at Chemical Bank. Ms. Deland graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies and obtained her Master of Business Administration from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. She is a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, a Director of the Kornfeld and Zeitz Foundations, a board member of Library of America, The American Memorial Hospital in Rheims, France, The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and The Helsinn Corporation.

Anthony Viceroy

CEO
Westmed Medical Group

Anthony Viceroy is the chief executive officer of Westmed Medical Group, a nationally-recognized independent multispecialty medical practice serving Westchester and Fairfield counties. Westmed Medical Group is an award-winning team of 500 physicians and advanced practice providers and over 1,500 employees who are dedicated to partnering with patients in their comprehensive lifelong care. The group offers more than 60 medical specialties across 13 locations in New York and Connecticut. Mr. Viceroy oversees the strategy, profitable growth and the overall operations of the organization. He focuses on the group’s delivery of care through employee, patient, physician and outcomes-driven engagement which has led to consistent growth of 20% annually. With an unparalleled commitment to service excellence, Westmed has earned repeated industry recognition as one of the “Best Workplaces” in the country by Fortune Magazine. Prior to assuming the position as CEO of Westmed Medical Group in 2015, Mr. Viceroy was President of Westmed Practice Partners, a division of Optum / United Health Group. In this role, he directly oversaw all strategic support and healthcare management services including the sale of the management service company to Optum. Before joining Westmed, Mr. Viceroy spent 10 years at Omnicom Group, one of the world’s largest global marketing and communications organizations. There, he served as global president and as CFO of Porter Novelli, a worldwide public relations firm within Omnicom’s Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division. In this position, Mr. Viceroy led business functions and operations to drive performance improvement and capture efficiency for global brands like HP, McDonald’s, P&G, SXSW, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services as its clients. He joined Porter Novelli from DAS, where he was senior vice president of financial management and client partnership. Prior to joining Omnicom Group, Mr. Viceroy spent five years as the North American treasurer of the Danish biopharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Mr. Viceroy received his MBA in global management and corporate finance from Fordham University, and his BBA in public accounting from Iona College. He holds an executive certificate from Cornell University in Healthcare Leadership. He is a certified public accountant and a charted global management accountant. Mr. Viceroy is a member of the Board of Advisors for NY Medical College and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Westchester County Association, Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, Bedford Physicians Risk Retention Group and as a CEO Council Member of the American Medical Group Association (AMGA).

Sharon Greenberger

President & CEO
YMCA of Greater New York City

Joseph Schulman

SVP & Regional Executive Director, Western Region
Northwell Health

Joseph Schulman is responsible for the operational performance of Northwell’s facilities in Manhattan, Staten Island and Westchester. Prior to his current role, Mr. Schulman was instrumental in helping lead Northwell’s population health efforts, serving as executive director of Northwell Health Solutions, the health system’s care management organization. Health Solutions, co-established by Mr. Schulman in late 2013, is the corporate division responsible for the management, implementation and performance of the health system’s population health portfolio. In his role Mr. Schulman was responsible for Northwell’s care management business strategy, scaling and capabilities. Mr. Schulman has worked for Northwell since 2002, having joined the organization as corporate director of internal audit services. In 2005, he was appointed chief financial officer of Zucker Hillside Hospital and served as deputy executive director prior to his appointment as the hospital’s executive director in 2009. Before Northwell, Mr. Schulman was an operations consultant and manager for the former Mount Sinai-NYU Health System’s corporate Audit Services Department, and managed logistics business operations for pediatrics and obstetrics at NYU Medical Center. In addition, Mr. Schulman supervised health care client engagements for Arthur Andersen’s risk consulting practice. Mr. Schulman earned his master of public administration degree in health services management from New York University.

Dr. Richard Park

Vice Chair
Summit/CityMD

Dr. Richard Park is founder and chief executive officer of CityMD, the leading urgent care provider in the New York Metro Area and Seattle, Washington. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and completed his medical studies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Dr. Park studied emergency medicine in the Long Island Jewish Medical Center's residency program, where he served as chief resident. He then worked as the Associate Program Director of the residency program in NS-LIJ's emergency department and was awarded the Teaching Attending of the Year Award by his residents in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Dr. Park was recognized as an expert educator, receiving a system-wide award in 2007. He then taught in the "Teach the Teacher" fellowship program. Dr. Park is the author and co-editor-in-chief of McGraw-Hill's Intensive Review of Emergency Medicine. He also educates both residents and attending physicians as the co-director of the NS-LIJ's Manhattan Board Review for Emergency Medicine. Dr. Park holds expertise in all facets of urgent care delivery and operation. His unparalleled education combined with his vision for delivering highly accessible, top-quality medical care has made CityMD the largest urgent care network in the New York Metro Area. Dr. Park lives on Long Island with his wife and two children.

James Demetriades

VP Operations
Penn Medicine Princeton Health

James G. Demetriades, MBA, is Vice President, Operations, of Princeton Health. As a member of Princeton Health Senior Management team, Mr. Demetriades is responsible for surgical services, including Pre-admission Testing, Admitting, the ORs, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Anesthesia, the Post-anesthesia Care Unit, Endoscopy, Cystoscopy, Pain Management and all surgical service lines; the Interventional Suite, which includes Interventional Radiology, the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, and Vascular Services; Pharmacy Services, Laboratory and Pathology Services, Radiology and Diagnostics and Edward and Marie Mathews Center for Cancer Services; and the PMC Breast Health Center. Mr. Demetriades rejoined Princeton Health in his current position in 2010, after serving as Vice President for Trauma and Surgical Services at the Reading Hospital and Medical Center in West Reading, Pa. Prior to his tenure at Reading, Mr. Demetriades worked for six years at Princeton Health, progressing from Manager of Contract Management, to Administrative Director of the former University Medical Center at Princeton Surgical Center, to Executive Director of Surgical Services. He came to Princeton Health from HealthSouth, where he served as Regional Director, Commercial Operations and Managed Care. Mr. Demetriades began his career in healthcare with an administrative residency at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, Pa. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pa., Mr. Demetriades earned a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and was valedictorian of Scranton’s Panuska College of Professional Studies. He earned his MBA from the Fox School of Business at Temple University, Philadelphia. Mr. Demetriades is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Elena Danilova

Director, Capital Projects
Northwell Health

Elena is a results-oriented, hands-on construction and design LEED Accredited Professional with 15+ years of experience in project management, architectural design, planning, and construction. She holds a B.S in Business Management from SUNY at Stony Brook as well as a M.S. in Interior Design from Pratt Institute. Fusing her educational background and practical experience, Elena has successfully managed multimillion dollar projects through coordinating trades, developing partnerships, and building a positive rapport with architects, engineers, local agencies, vendors, and clients while maintaining costs. Elena joined Northwell Health in September 2015 as a Senior Project Manager and is currently Project Director responsible for ambulatory projects in Central Region, NSUH, LIJ Valley Stream, and LIJ Forest Hills campus capital construction projects with a focus on the needs of visitors, patients and staff alike.

Kevin Mannle

Director of Facilities Operations
New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornel Medical Center

Kevin Mannle recently joined the New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornel Medical Center as the Director of Facilities Operations. In this role, he oversees all maintenance, infrastructure and plant operations for approximately 3 million square feet of healthcare facilities including the new David H. Koch Center. Kevin has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry covering leadership roles in operations and maintenance, planning design and construction, real estate, strategic planning, safety, energy management, bio medical engineering, housekeeping, laundry and support services. Prior to joining New York-Presbyterian, Kevin was the Vice President of Facilities at Nassau University Medical Center on Long Island, and he held several leadership roles in the facilities division of New York-Presbyterian Queens.

Susan Solomon

Founder & CEO
The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute

Susan L. Solomon is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, the world’s leading independent non-profit research institute dedicated to translating cutting- edge stem cell research into clinical breakthroughs and cures for patients. A veteran healthcare advocate, Ms. Solomon serves on the boards of a number of prominent diabetes and regenerative medicine organizations including the College Diabetes Network and the Global Alliance for IPSC Therapies. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Regional Plan Association. Ms. Solomon has received numerous awards for her work with NYSCF, including the New York State Women of Excellence Award from the Governor of New York, the Triumph Award from the Brooke Ellison Foundation, and recognition as a Living Landmark from the New York Landmarks Conservancy. A lawyer by training and a chief executive and entrepreneur by experience, Ms. Solomon has decades of leadership experience in starting and building effective and focused organizations. Ms. Solomon started her career as an attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton, then held executive positions at MacAndrews and Forbes and APAX (formerly MMG Patricof and Co.). She was the founder and President of Sony Worldwide Networks, the Chairman and CEO of Lancit Media Productions, an Emmy award-winning television production company, and then served as the founding CEO of Sothebys.com, prior to starting her own strategic management consulting firm Solomon Partners LLC in 2000.

Kevin B. Mahoney

CEO
University of Pennsylvania Health System

Kathleen Chavanu Gorman

EVP of Patient Care & COO
Children's National Health System

Kathleen Chavanu Gorman, MSN, RN, FAAN, is Executive Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Operating Officer. Kathy is a nurse leader who has advanced patient safety, quality, and clinical resource management to improve care outcomes and inform policy for children and families. Kathy rejoined Children's National from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) where she served as Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, and Assistant Dean of Clinical Practice at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Prior to her tenure at CHOP, Kathy was at Children’s National as Vice President of Quality and Clinical Support Services until 2009. During that time, she also led the Quality Program, Clinical Resource Management Program, and Family Service Department, and played a critical role in the process of achieving Magnet® status in March 2010. Kathy has presented and published extensively on quality, safety, outcomes and leadership in healthcare. In advancing the national agenda on improving child health through pediatric quality, she has led and participated in committees under the National Quality Forum, The Leapfrog Group, Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), American Board of Pediatrics, Institute of Medicine and others. Kathy serves on the Board of Directors for The DAISY Foundation and the Quality, Safety and Performance Committee for CHA. She was the recipient of the distinguished Alumni Award for the University of Nebraska Medical Center and is a graduate from Wharton School of Business: Johnson & Johnson Nurse Executive Fellow program. In 2017 Kathy received the American Hospital Association’s prestigious Grassroots Champion Award for Washington, DC, in recognition of her tireless advocacy on behalf of patients, hospitals and communities. In addition, she has been recognized as a top woman leader by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Kathy was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2014. She received her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing.

Nicole McKnight

Managing Director
BioLabs New York

Matthew Weir

Executive Vice President
Taconic Partners

Matt oversees Taconic’s commercial property portfolio and is responsible for all aspects of asset management including marketing, leasing, development, contract negotiations, portfolio strategy, and dispositions. Since joining Taconic in 2006, Matt has been responsible for or directly involved in repositioning over 7 million square feet of commercial space. Matt earned his Master of Science in real estate with a concentration in development from New York University and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Ben Ochs

CEO
Anchor Health Properties

Ben Ochs is CEO of Anchor Health Properties and is based in the firm’s Charlottesville, VA, offices. Mr. Ochs has spent the majority of this career in the Development, Ownership, Operations, Financing, Asset Management, Leasing, Acquisition and Disposition of Healthcare Real Estate to hospitals, physician practice groups, and private and institutional healthcare real estate investors throughout the Southeast. Previous to that, Mr. Ochs served as a Financial and Underwriting Analyst at a boutique consulting firm.

David Storto

Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer
Wellforce

David Storto is executive vice president and chief strategy and growth officer of Wellforce, the Eastern Massachusetts health system that includes Tufts Medical Center, Tufts Children’s Hospital, Circle Health, MelroseWakefield Healthcare (formerly Hallmark Health) and Home Health Foundation. Together the system, founded in 2014, has more than 2,000 physicians and 13,000 employees across its community hospital and academic campuses. David is highly regarded for his track record of successfully leading organizations through periods of rapid growth and transformation, while ensuring optimal consumer and employee experience. At Wellforce, he oversees growth initiatives and strategic partnerships with a focus on enhancing quality, affordability and convenience. Prior to joining Wellforce, David served as president of the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, which includes two rehabilitation hospitals, a long-term acute care hospital, a skilled nursing facility and 28 outpatient sites. Spaulding has consistently been ranked by US News & World Report as a top rehabilitation hospital and in 2021 was the #3 hospital in the nation. David led Spaulding’s development as a member of Mass General Brigham, formerly Partners HealthCare. The award-winning organization, which cared for many of the catastrophically injured survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings, has garnered national acclaim for its inclusive and sustainable design and LEED Gold Certification. Spaulding is home to Harvard Medical School’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and its residency program has been ranked #1 by Doximity. David also created and then led Mass General Brigham Home Care for 23 years, growing the organization into one of the largest home care systems in Massachusetts. Prior to joining Mass General Brigham and Spaulding, David was the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, another nationally ranked hospital. He served in progressively responsible roles during his 18-year tenure and was recognized for his expertise in operations management, program development, strategic planning and governance. David has served on the Massachusetts Hospital Association Board of Directors and the Regional Policy Board of the American Hospital Association (AHA). He was also as a member of AHA’s Post-Acute Care Strategy Steering Committee and vice chair and board member of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA). David has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Boston Business Journal’s Champions in Healthcare Lifetime Achievement Award, the AHA’s Grassroots Champion Award and the MHA William Lane Hospital Advocate Award. Most recently he received the 2020 Edward A. Eckenhoff Memorial Award for national leadership and advocacy from AMRPA. David received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, with distinction, and a master’s degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago. He received his juris doctor degree from the Loyola University School of Law.

Deborah Visconi

President & CEO
New Bridge Medical Center

Dr. Michael Jaff

President
Newton-Wellesley Hospital

Globally recognized as an expert on vascular medicine, Dr. Michael R. Jaff became president of Newton-Wellesley Hospital (NWH) on October 4, 2016. He is invigorating the hospital with a bold vision to build an innovative health care delivery system that exceeds all patient expectations. Prior to coming to NWH, Dr. Jaff served as the inaugural Paul and Phyllis Fireman Endowed Chair of Vascular Medicine and Medical Director of the Fireman Vascular Center at Massachusetts General Hospital since 2004. Under Dr. Jaff’s leadership, NWH is implementing innovative programs that focus on exceeding patient expectations and ensuring unparalleled quality of care. He has established an innovation task force led by the hospital’s first chief medical and innovation officer. Additionally, the NWH focus on the patient, employee and provider experience is unparalleled—a multidisciplinary team is led by the hospital’s chief quality and experience officer. Dr. Jaff has also overseen the development of hospital programs to combat the opioid epidemic and initiated an acute care surgery program which ensures 24/7 community-based coverage for urgent surgical needs—a program which is not commonly found in the community hospital setting. True to his commitment to patient care and experience, he also continues to see patients as a practicing consultant in vascular medicine. Dr. Jaff is a highly-respected speaker and thought leader with a direct and approachable style. He speaks on numerous topics including the national upheaval in the health care industry, innovation in healthcare delivery and quality control, insurance markets and disruptive healthcare service models. He has been interviewed on WBUR’s “Morning Edition” and CNN, and featured in the Boston Business Journal, The Boston Globe, Crain’s Boston, Sirius Satellite Radio and Modern Healthcare. He has published extensively in the field of vascular medicine including more than 280 peer-reviewed publications and 10 textbooks. He trained in internal medicine and vascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, before beginning his career in private practice in community hospitals, including Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He is the past President of the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology and the first physician to receive the designation as Master of the Society for Vascular Medicine. He is also the recipient of the Jess R. Young, MD Lifetime Educator Award in Vascular Medicine from the Society for Vascular Medicine, in recognition of his groundbreaking work in the field of vascular medicine, preeminence as an educator and vision for multi-specialty programs. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention and is a registered physician in vascular interpretation (RPVI). Dr. Jaff is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School He recently served on the steering committee for the NIH funded research study/ATTRACT Trial (December 2017), which released findings related to the treatment of blot clots and is currently on the NIH funded BEST-CLI trial. He serves on the board of directors of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber and Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Outside of his work as a clinician and hospital leader, Dr. Jaff is the founder of VasCore, Vascular Ultrasound Core Laboratory – the largest of its kind in the United States. He is also an alumnus (November 2011) of Harvard Business School General Management Program. Dr. Jaff resides in Newton with his wife Debra. He has two adult children and enjoys music, golf and photography.

David Braunstein

VP, Acquisitions
Seavest Healthcare Properties

David Braunstein is a Vice President focusing on acquisitions with Seavest Healthcare Properties. Mr. Braunstein assists in the identification and evaluation of new investment opportunities. Prior to joining Seavest, Mr. Braunstein was an Originations Associate for Hudson Realty Capital, a New York-based real estate equity fund manager with over $1.5 billion in assets under management. Preceding his time at Hudson Realty Capital, Mr. Braunstein held acquisition and asset management roles at Argent Ventures and DRA Advisors in New York. Prior to this experience, he served as an Analyst in Real Estate Finance with UBS and as a Senior Accountant at Ernst & Young. Mr. Braunstein holds a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Tulane University and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Real Estate from New York University.

Doug Thiede

SVP, Life Sciences & Healthcare
NYCEDC

Doug Thiede is Senior Vice President of Life Sciences & Healthcare at NYCEDC. In this role, Doug is responsible for leading LifeSci NYC, New York City’s Ten Year, $500 million commitment to catalyze commercial life sciences growth. LifeSci NYC invests in infrastructure, real estate, talent and funding to support economic growth in the life sciences industry. Additionally, Doug oversees the Healthcare portfolio, including efforts to support and expand Community Health & Digital Health innovation in New York City. Doug leads a strong team of professionals committed to these efforts in New York City. Prior to joining NYCEDC, Doug worked in both the pharmaceutical and medical device industry including Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Spinal Concepts, Leica Microsystems, and Confluent Surgical. In 2009, Doug moved to New York City to help launch Gerson Lehrman Group’s life sciences business. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

Loretta Beine

Senior Director, Business Development
Empire State Development

Loretta Beine is a Senior Director of Business Development for the Department of Economic Development doing business as Empire State Development. Empire State Development, New York State’s economic development agency is committed to promoting business investment and growth that leads to job creation and prosperous communities across the state. Though based on Long Island, Loretta offers business development financial and technical programs and services to companies in the biomedical sector throughout the state. Loretta is an advocate for the 401 Project. 401’s focus is to unite affected families, to increase awareness and to fund research projects designed to advance a cure for MECP2 Duplication Syndrome (MDS). MECP2 Duplication Syndrome (MDS) is a genetic mutation ideally suited for targeted gene therapies. Nearly all cure research has been funded by families and friends of those affected by the set of symptoms.

Chick Atkins

Managing Principal
Atkins Companies

Chick Atkins has been a managing principal of the Atkins Companies for over 40 years. Atkins Companies is a New Jersey based, three-generation family real estate firm that has developed, owned and managed over two million square feet of commercial properties. Healthcare real estate has been their primary focus for over 30 years as they continue to seek new development, acquisition, and management of HRE with strong affiliations to healthcare systems and leading physician groups.

​Peter Mulcahey​

VP, Healthcare and Life Sciences
JRM Construction

With over 23 years of extensive experience in the healthcare and life science construction market Peter Mulcahey has managed over 3 million square feet of hospital, medical and pharmaceutical research new construction and renovation throughout the tristate area. Peter has a proven track record of achieving on-time and under budget project completions with innovative use of technology. Peter is responsible for overseeing JRM Construction Management’s healthcare and life science division where he is driving strategic growth by optimizing efficiencies to deliver the highest quality work. Prior to joining JRM Peter was Vice President & Healthcare Area Manager at Gilbane Building Company, and held project management roles on healthcare & life science projects for Lend Lease, Structure Tone, and Whiting-Turner.

David Pfeffer

Partner
Tarter Krinsky & Drogin

David J. Pfeffer is a partner, chair of Tarter Krinsky & Drogin’s Construction Practice, and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. Mr. Pfeffer serves as a business partner to his clients – including real estate owners and developers, educational institutions, high-net-worth individuals, healthcare organizations, and cultural centers – and advises on all aspects of their construction, development, real estate, and business needs. His work has helped reshape skylines through some of the most significant construction and development projects in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island City. Mr. Pfeffer leverages his keen insight into the business climate to provide clients with sophisticated guidance in order to mitigate risks and manage their complex issues. Combining his understanding of business-focused solutions with a legal perspective, Mr. Pfeffer focuses his practice on project delivery strategies and the preparation and negotiation of design, construction, and related contracts for private and public real estate development projects. He handles matters such as contract preparation, development, continuing operation, leasing and dispute resolution, and also maintains an active practice in business negotiation. David is a frequent speaker, published author, and quoted source who has been featured in Law360, The Real Deal, Crain’s New York Business, The New York Post, and Real Estate Weekly, among others. He has been ranked in Chambers as a leading construction lawyer in New York (2006–2021) and recognized as a 2020 New York Trailblazer by the New York Law Journal. Mr. Pfeffer serves on various boards including John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Albert Thompson

Managing Executive
TPG Architecture

Al joined TPG in 1997, and is an Managing Executive and Studio Director of the firm’s Long Island office. He has managed a wide array of project types including corporate interiors, institutions, hospital expansions,and base building architecture. He has extensive experience overseeing programming, planning, construction documents, and construction administration. Al strives to provide his clients with a high degree of attention that is reflective in the long standing client relationships he has developed. These clients continue to provide repeat business because of their trust in Al.

Jonathan Hernandez

Partner
Gilsanz Murray Steficek

Jonathan C. Hernandez has designed new construction work as well as renovations and rehabilitations. He is the lead partner of the GMS Hospitals and Healthcare initiative. Jonathan’s projects include the infrastructure and facility upgrades at Lenox Hill Hospital and MEETH on the Upper East Side, a new Central Utility Plant and Mother Baby Hospital Wing at Staten Island University Hospital and repurposing of existing big box retail space into new Medical Facilities. Recently completed projects include a new orthopedic practice in Tarrytown New York, a new Ambulatory Care Facility in Union Turnpike, Queens and a new Orthopedic – PT Facility in Scarsdale NY. Jonathan is the President of the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) and is a past member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA). He is certified by the Structural Engineering Certification Board (SECB), and a member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI), CoreNet Global, The Architectural League of New York, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and SEAoNY.

Christopher Norris

Business Unit Director
Talisen Construction

Talisen is a commercial construction firm founded in the New York Metro marketplace in 2009. Focusing on the Healthcare and Education markets over the last five years has brought Talisen success in the ambulatory centers, medical office buildings, charter schools, private universities, and special projects areas. As Business Unit Director at Talisen Construction, Chris offers over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. His responsibilities include overall coordination and management of Talisen projects, from estimating to close-out. Chris is responsible for supervising and training members of the project management staff, as well as key project responsibilities such as estimating, trade coordination, logistics and safety planning. An overall role in the bidding process includes contract negotiation, financial status reports, punch lists, and overall quality control. In his time with Talisen Construction, Chris has lead several projects to success in the corporate, medical, and education fields. The projects included high profile work for Northwell Health, Island Eye Surgicenter, Pratt Institute, Google, Success Academy Charter Schools, Cushman & Wakefield, and Cornell University.