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KNOWN FOR OUR EXPERTISE. CHOSEN FOR OUR CARE.
Dr. Dennis McKenna Named Albany Med’s Next President and CEO Dennis McKenna, MD, an Emergency Department physician who has held positions of increasing responsibility since joining Albany Med in 2000, and who has spent 20 years in the military with numerous tours of combat duty, has been named Albany Med’s next president and chief executive officer. The announcement was made in June by Robert T. Cushing, chairman of Albany Med’s Board of Directors.
Dr. McKenna, a graduate of Albany Medical College, was unanimously selected by the 35-member Board of Directors. He will succeed James J. Barba, who will retire as president and CEO on March 31, 2020, after 25 years of service.
“We have complete confidence that Dr. McKenna is the ‘right’ individual to lead Albany Med into the future. He is a proven leader with exceptional integrity, compassion and intellect, and a deep understanding of Albany Med and its unique role in our community,” Mr. Cushing said. “He has a clear vision of how to ensure that the Medical Center continues to lead our region in providing exceptional health care, education and research built on the strong
foundation created over the past 24 years under Jim Barba.
“During the last 19 years of his association with Albany Med, Dr. McKenna has developed strong working relationships with employees throughout the Medical Center, both on the front lines caring for our patients and in the Board room with our leaders. He brings to this new role an undeniable commitment to working with our employees to continue to create a truly extraordinary environment of caring at Albany Med, now and into the future,” continued Mr. Cushing.
Dr. McKenna is currently serving as executive vice president, president of the Faculty Practice, which includes more than 500 physicians, and senior associate dean for Clinical Affairs. Previously, he served as medical director of the hospital and medical director of the Emergency Department. He graduated from Albany Medical College, Class of 1992, and completed his medical residency at Albany Med.
Also a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Albany and Cornell University, Dr. McKenna
attended Albany Medical College on a military scholarship. After graduation, he spent five years in service to the United States on active duty as a medical officer, including a deployment as a battalion surgeon for the Marines to Somalia. He joined the Reserves in 1997 and was mobilized to active duty three times after 9/11, including two tours with the Marines to Iraq. He retired as a Navy Captain. He lives in Bethlehem with his wife, Karen, who is a registered nurse at Albany Med, and their four children. He and his wife have been medical volunteers at the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne for seven years.
“I am at once truly humbled and very honored to be selected to lead Albany Med and carry forward our proud tradition of providing outstanding patient care and medical education as well as innovative scientific research. I stand ready, with great energy and enthusiasm, to continue to work alongside the best workforce in the region, a dedicated and talented team of doctors, nurses and medical professionals, and the very important non-clinical staff, who, together, make Albany Med the region’s best hospital,” Dr. McKenna said.
JULY 2019
McKenna, continued on page 2
TODAY
Saratoga Springs Family and Foundation Make $1M Gift to Albany Med In June, Dan and Jennifer Pickett and the Pickett Family Foundation generously gifted $1 million to Albany Med in support of The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, the region’s only pediatric emergency department.
The donation underscores a guiding principle that has been in place since 1992 when the Pickett family launched nfrastructure, a small technology company, in the basement of a liquor store. Today that company, Zones nfrastructure, is the services company of Zones, one of the largest private technology companies in the world.
“When we started nfrastructure and continuing through to today, many dedicated people from our local community have been key to our story and success. In appreciation of this, it has always been important to us to give back to our community. This belief led to the founding of the Pickett Family Foundation, which is committed to making life better for people and communities
by working collaboratively with deserving organizations dedicated to making a positive difference,” said Dan Pickett, who noted the foundation focuses on helping support education and health care—and innovative technology in both these fields.
“Certainly, the new Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center is one of those deserving organizations,” he said. Pickett has served on the Albany Med Board of Directors since 2012. The family and foundation gift has been designated for The Massry Center’s waiting room.
Albany Med President and CEO Jim Barba said, “Thanks to the Pickett Family Foundation’s generous donation, the children of our region have access to excellent care in a place created exclusively for them. The Pickett Family Foundation gift reflects an admirable guiding principle, and we are so grateful for Jennifer and Dan’s support.”
2 ALBANY MED TODAY JULY 2019
“Dennis McKenna is an accomplished leader and outstanding physician, as well as a man of great character and action,” Mr. Barba said. “He has led numerous critical and complex initiatives here at the Medical Center with much success and has earned the great respect of countless colleagues during his many years of service to Albany Med. He brings a unique combination of energy and intellect that I had hoped for in the next CEO,” said Mr. Barba, who has been president and CEO of Albany Med since 1995 and is credited with the vision that has made Albany Med what it is today.
Dr. McKenna will work closely with Mr. Barba to ensure a smooth transition of leadership during the remaining months of Mr. Barba’s tenure. Under Mr. Barba’s leadership and through his vision, Albany Med recovered from the brink of bankruptcy to become the region’s leading health care provider, a vast organization delivering a scope of medical treatments available typically only in major metropolitan areas. The Albany Med system now serves patients in more than 100 locations throughout the region.
Among the characteristics the Board sought in Albany Med’s next CEO, according to Mr. Cushing, who chaired the Board’s Succession Committee, were a strong commitment to Albany Med’s mission and the institution’s current positive trajectory; proven leadership skills; honesty, integrity and compassion; proven communications skills; respect for Albany Med’s employees, innovative thinking; understanding of the uncertainties of health care funding and delivery across the nation; and a deep understanding of Albany Med’s unique role in the community and of the importance of the leadership role Albany Med plays in the community.
McKenna, continued from page 1
From left: Jennifer and Dan Pickett with Dean Vincent Verdile.
-Tyler J. Kenning, MD, FAANS, left, associate professor of neurosurgery and director of pituitary and cranial base surgery, has authored his second textbook, “Endoscopic and Keyhole Cranial Base Surgery,” published by Springer. Maria Peris-Celda, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurosurgery, and Carlos Pinheiro-Neto, MD, PhD, associate professor of otolaryngology, contributed chapters to the book.
Hyacinth Mason, PhD, MPH, CHES, assistant dean for student support and inclusion, is currently serving as the principal investigator of a study examining the academic experiences of U.S. medical students for the Association of American Medical Colleges Northeastern Group on Educational Affairs. At the association’s annual conference in April, Dr. Mason and her collaborators, research coordinators Carolina Ruiz and Tanuj Sharma, won the Excellence in Medical Education Oral Presentation Award for their presentation “The Path Through Medical School: Does Generation Status
Matter?” This is the second consecutive year Dr. Mason’s team has received the award. She was also the lead author of an Association of American Medical Colleges’ Curriculum in Context report that detailed Albany Medical College’s student research program. Mandeep Sidhu, MD, assistant dean for student research and scholarship, and Peter Vincent, PhD, associate dean of graduate studies, were co-authors.
NEWS AND NOTES
Badar M. Mian, MD, left, professor of surgery in the Division of Urology, was invited by the American Society of Clinical Oncology to address its “What’s New in Oncology” symposium at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation in Pakistan. Dr. Mian, one of several prominent international speakers, gave lectures on new advancements in the treatment of bladder cancer and prostate cancer.
Edward Wladis, MD, FACS, right, professor of ophthalmology, was recently inducted into the American Ophthalmologic Society (AOS). Along with John W. Simon, MD, left, professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics, who nominated him and has served the society since 2006, they are the only members of the AOS in the Capital District. Dr. Wladis was also recently chosen by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons, to participate in its leadership development program.
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VOL. 14, NO. 7 JULY 2019 Albany Med Today is published monthly by the Department of Policy, Planning and Communications at Albany Med. Comments and story suggestions can be directed to Public Relations at (518) 262-3421 or [email protected].
ALBANY MED OFFICERS
JAMES J. BARBA, JDPresident and Chief Executive Officer
STEVEN M. FRISCH, MDSenior Executive Vice President for the Integrated Delivery System
VINCENT VERDILE, MDThe Lynne and Mark Groban, M.D. ’67, Distinguished Dean of Albany Medical College and Senior Executive Vice President for System Care Delivery
FRANCES SPREER ALBERTExecutive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
GEORGE T. HICKMAN Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Analytics Officer DENNIS P. MCKENNA, MDExecutive Vice President, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and President of the Faculty Group Practice
FERDINAND J. VENDITTI, MDExecutive Vice President for System Care Delivery and Hospital General Director
DIANE CAREY, MSN, RNInterim Chief Nursing Officer
JOHN DEPAOLAExecutive Associate Dean of Albany Medical College and Chief Administrative Officer for System Care Delivery
LOUIS FILHOUR, PHD, RNChief Executive Officer of Better Health for Northeast New York
NOEL HOGANSenior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer
MATTHEW JONES, JDSenior Vice President and General Counsel
KEVIN M. LEYDENSenior Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships
MOLLY NICOL Senior Vice President for Development and Communications
HENRY POHL, MDVice Dean for Academic Administration
DARLEEN SOUZASenior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
SCOTT ST. GEORGESenior Vice President of Finance
ROBERT WELCH Senior Vice President for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services
Albany Med Researchers Investigating New Ways to Treat Chronic Kidney DiseaseSome of the 30 to 40 million Americans who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) will eventually develop end stage renal disease and will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive. “CKD is a very complex disease and there are currently only limited therapies available to treat it,” said Rohan Samarakoon, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology. He is one of the senior authors of a new study published in The FASEB Journal that describes how targeting the protein Rac-GTPase may offer a possible new pathway to treat CKD. The researchers hope that future studies will eventually lead to the creation of a drug that can be tested in a clinical setting. Pictured (left to right) are co-authors urology resident Alex Arnouk, MD; PhD student Jiaqi Tang; Dr. Samarakoon; and Paul Higgins, PhD, professor and chairman of the Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology. Albany Med co-authors not pictured are Samik Patel, MD; Jessica M. Overstreet, PhD; Sandybell Anorga; and urology resident Fei Lian, MD.
JULY 2019 ALBANY MED TODAY 3
TODAY
The 25th Annual Asthma, Allergy and Immunology
Conference Thursday, July 18, 2019
Saratoga Springs City Center at The Saratoga Hilton
522 Broadway Saratoga Springs
The Department of Medicine, the Division of Allergy and Immunology, and the Office of Continuing Medical Education will present a comprehensive program on allergic and immunologic diseases of the lungs in adults and children. The conference is designed for allergists, immunologists, primary care physicians, pediatricians and respiratory therapists. Nurses, allied health practitioners, residents and students are welcome to attend. For more information, please contact education coordinator Jacqueline Hawkins in the Office of Continuing Medical Education at [email protected].
High Honors for Longtime LeadersFor the vital roles they played in helping Albany Med overcome financial hardship in the 1980s and ’90s to become the region’s largest system of health care, President and CEO Jim Barba and retired Chief Operating Officer Gary Kochem each received the Pillars Award. The award, given out during the Annual Board Dinner in June, is one of Albany Med’s highest honors.
Barba, who will retire next year, is the longest serving head of Albany Med, becoming president and CEO in 1995. An attorney, he began his association with the Medical Center in 1979 as a College Trustee. He was named chair of the Board of Directors in 1994, a position he held concurrently with his job as president and CEO until 2006. Under his leadership and through his vision, Albany Med recovered from the brink of bankruptcy to become a vast organization delivering a scope of medical treatments available typically only in major metropolitan areas.
“For four decades, we have been privileged to benefit from Jim’s service, extraordinary vision, business expertise, leadership, compassion and wise counsel. For many, Albany Med has been synonymous with Jim Barba,” said Robert Cushing, chair of the Board of Directors, at the awards ceremony at the Albany Country Club.
Barba has been a major voice in the arena of health care and health care reform, and he has served on numerous special commissions and councils by gubernatorial appointment and at the request of his peers. Additionally, he has been a strong and reliable supporter of nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life in Albany.
Kochem, a 38-year employee who retired last year, was by Barba’s side managing numerous projects that have had a transformative impact on both the Medical Center and the City of Albany, including the $110 million Albany Park South Plan for the Future, the new Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center and the Patient Pavilion.
“Beyond the main campus, he has overseen the acquisition and building or renovation of numerous Albany Med offsite facilities. His cool head and remarkable negotiating skills helped enable Albany Med to become a system of care serving patients in a 25-county region,” Cushing said.
The Pillars Award was established in 1997 to recognize individuals who epitomize the spirit of the institution, and whose work and contributions, over the course of many years, reflect the community-based nature of Albany Med’s missions.
\ The 2019 Pillars of
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER AWARD
this year’s recipients:
James J. Barba and
Gary J. Kochem
Pink Ribbon Garden Opens in AltamontPhysicians and staff from Albany Med’s Breast Care Center joined representatives from Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation (pictured above) to celebrate the official opening of the nation’s second—and New York State’s first—Pink Ribbon Garden Project.
The organic shared garden will provide healthy food for breast cancer survivors—who are tending the garden and who will harvest its
produce this summer—and their families, as well as breast cancer patients currently undergoing treatment. Located on land donated by Christmas Land, at 3068 Furbeck Road in Altamont, the Pink Ribbon Garden Project was conceived and designed by Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation and singer/songwriter and breast cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge. Albany Med is a proud local sponsor of the project.
Team Albany Med Rides to Help Cure Diabetes Twenty cyclists from Albany Med recently took part in the 2019 Capital Region Tour de Cure, raising nearly $10,000 for the American Diabetes Association.
Team members rode 10, 30, 50, 62.5 or 100 miles through Saratoga County to help raise funds to support Diabetes Association camp, research, education and advocacy for people living with type 1, type 2 and gestational
diabetes. Among Albany Med’s riders were James Desemone, MD, left, and his daughter, Marcela Desemone, ’22, right.
For information about participating in next year’s ride, please contact team captain Arup De, MD, division chief of anesthesiology at South Clinical Campus, at [email protected], or Heidi Blackwell, assistant
director of graduate medical education, at [email protected].
4 ALBANY MED TODAY JULY 2019
ALBANY MED FOUNDATION43 New Scotland Ave., MC-119Albany, New York 12208(518) 262-3322 • Fax (518) 262-4769Email: [email protected]
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COMMUNITY MATTERS … AT ALBANY MED
Stepping Out to Beat Heart Disease Last month, more than 100 walkers and runners from Albany Med proudly participated in the 2019 Capital Region Heart Walk & Run on the SUNY Albany campus, which was sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Led by Sulagna “Suzie” Mookherjee, MD, who was also one of this year’s walk and run co-chairs, Team Albany Med raised more than $25,000 to help the Heart Association make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by heart disease. As the region’s “Life is Why” sponsor, Albany Med and the American Heart Association continue to collaborate during 2019 to improve heart health in the Capital Region.
July is Sarcoma Awareness Month and momentum is building for the 2019 Sarcoma Strong Run/Walk—not just here in the Capital Region, but around the country, as well. The organization, founded in 2014 to support local sarcoma families and raise money for research, now has more than 10 aspiring sites around the U.S. using it as a model in the fight against sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that originates in the bones and soft tissues.
Since its inception, Sarcoma Strong has raised more than $300,000 for research to combat the disease, and it has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $100,000 for 2019.
Come lend your support to the cause! The 6th Annual Sarcoma Strong 5K Run/Walk will take place on Saturday, August 17, at 9 a.m. at the University of Albany.
Sarcoma Strong 5K Run/Walk Set for August 17
For more information, please visit: www.sarcomastrong.com.
