City & State presents a full-day conference to explore how public officials, corporations, advocacy groups, academia and the media can work to create effective policies to address overall health, physical activity and wellness and the impact on its communities. Hear from some of New York’s leading experts and connect with top decision-makers from both the public and private sectors. Participants, consisting of government agencies, lawyers, nonprofits, and the media will address the biggest issues, programs and challenges facing New York’s communities.
New York Health & Wellness Summit
Upcoming Events

















Registration & Networking Breakfast
Opening Keynote by Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Acting Commissioner, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Investing in Primary Care for All
Primary care services in New York and across the country are reaching a crisis point as fewer doctors are practicing these general services and rising medical costs are making primary care centers untenable. Lack of access to quality primary care can result in negative health outcomes and lead to more intensive and expensive clinical care. How can policymakers and community health providers work together to invest in access to adequate primary care for all New Yorkers?
- Dan Goldberg, Health Reporter, Politico (moderator)
- Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Chair, Assembly Health Committee
- Sonia Angell, Deputy Commissioner, Prevention & Primary Care, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Theodore G Long, MD, MHS, Vice President for Primary Care, New York City Health + Hospitals
- Dr. Ramon Tallaj, Chairman, SOMOS Community Care
- John D. Bennett, President and Chief Executive Officer, Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc.
- Louise Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Primary Care Development Corporation
Building Community Partnerships to Address Health and Well-being
There are many complex economic and social factors that can explain the health disparities in New York communities, particularly those serving low-income and/or vulnerable populations. What are the potential benefits of better collaboration between community-based organizations and larger health care providers sharing their expertise, knowledge and networks to produce healthier communities? Our panel of experts will discuss best practices for successful partnerships between health care and community-based organizations to improve health equity for all New Yorkers.
- Zach Williams, Reporter, City & State (moderator)
- Lorelei Vargas, Deputy Commissioner, Child and Family Well-Being, NYC Administration for Children’s Services
- Javier Lopez, Assistant Commissioner, Center for Health Equity, NYC Dept. of Health
- Sharon Greenberger, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater New York
Lunch & Awards
Access to Physical Activity for all New York Communities
Regular physical activity in from youth to adulthood to old age is important for promoting lifelong health and well-being and preventing various health conditions. However, the lack of personnel and space has caused schools to fail to meet the minimum physical education standards mandated by NYSED. What are policymakers doing to ensure access to the beneficial health impact of sports, fitness and physical activity in the daily lives of all New Yorkers?
- Sakara Bey, Program Director, WorkWell NYC, Office of Labor Relations (moderator)
- Senator Gustavo Rivera, Ranking Member, Health Committee
- Laudrey Lamadieu, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, New York City Department for the Aging
- Council Member Barry Grodenchik, Chair, Committee on Parks and Recreation
- Chrissy Odalen, Senior Director of Youth & Community Programs, New York Road Runners
Innovations that Influence Health and Wellness Programs
Technology has the power to influence the health of individuals and communities through coordinating better care; screening for social determinants, such as food and housing; connecting people with social services; identifying areas with particular needs and spreading messaging about healthy behaviors. How are health care disruptors innovating the industry? Our panel of experts will show how inventive solutions can be applied to produce better health outcomes while ensuring privacy and security of patients.
- Prachi Bhardwaj, Tech & Policy Reporter, City & State (moderator)
- Michelle Anand, Senior Project Manager, Healthcare, New York City Economic Development Corporation
- Patrick Germain, Executive Director of Policy, Planning and Strategic Data Use, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Jennifer March, Executive Director, Citizens' Committee for Children of New York