Contact: Stephany Fong, fong@nyhealthfoundation.org
October 10, 2019 (New York) – The New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) has named Avital Havusha its new Vice President for Programs, effective November 4th. Ms. Havusha currently serves as Managing Director, Performance Improvement at the Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC) and previously held senior roles at Public Health Solutions and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
“Avital is an experienced leader with a deep understanding of both health care delivery and public health in New York State,” said David Sandman, PhD., President and CEO of NYHealth. “From primary care and health insurance to food and nutrition and maternal health, Avital has the passion and expertise that make her a perfect fit for NYHealth.”
“I am honored to join NYHealth to address some of the greatest public health and health care challenges and opportunities facing New Yorkers,” said Ms. Havusha. “NYHealth has established itself as a leading organization to improve the health of all New Yorkers. I look forward to working with NYHealth’s excellent staff, grantees, and partners to build on this success and to contribute to programs and policies that improve New York’s health care system and promote healthier communities.”
As Vice President for Programs, Ms. Havusha will play a leadership role in developing and implementing the Foundation’s goals and strategies. A key advisor to the President and CEO, she will also have a central role in further developing the Foundation’s program areas; identifying emerging opportunities and strategic niches; building partnerships with other foundations; and ensuring quality and accountability.
At PCDC, Ms. Havusha serves on the executive team and leads and directs the Performance Improvement Practice. In this role, she oversees operations, strategy, project execution, and business development for PCDC’s capacity-building and technical assistance programs, supporting primary care practices and teams to provide patient-centered and coordinated care. Ms. Havusha was previously the Deputy Director of Programs at Public Health Solutions, overseeing large-scale health and human service programs in the areas of food and nutrition, reproductive health care, maternal and child health, and health care access. Earlier, she was the Policy Director for the Bureau of Health Planning in the Division of Health Care Access and Improvement at DOHMH, where she played a lead role in coordinating the department’s response to federal and state health care reform and was a member of the leadership team that developed the Take Care New York policy agenda.
Ms. Havusha has also held roles at Yale University’s School of Public Health and at an anti-hunger organization in Massachusetts. She received her Master in Public Health degree with a concentration in health policy and administration from Yale University and her bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
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About the New York Health Foundation
The New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) is a private, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable. Today, NYHealth concentrates its work in two strategic priority areas: building healthy communities and empowering health care consumers. The Foundation is committed to making grants, informing health policy and practice, spreading effective programs to improve the health care system and the health of New Yorkers, serving as a convener of health leaders across the State, and providing technical assistance to its grantees and partners.
