Cocktails with the Chief was definitely the place to be on
January 19! Each year I am always impressed with our Chiefs.
They inspire me as I continue to move forward in my career.
My take-away thoughts: Keep an active network; be flexible, as not everything will
turn out according to plan; be humble, because sometimes it takes a little longer to
get to your desired outcome; and, most importantly, love what you do.

I'd like to thank Stephen S. Mills, FACHE, President and CEO of New York Hospital
Queens, for his continued support. Mr. Mills has been a strong advocate of
professional development in his organization and has been instrumental in putting
this program together with HLNY for the past four years.

At Cocktails with the Chief, we had a special surprise guest join the panel, Daniel
Sisto, President of Healthcare Association of New York State. This was serendipitous
as I had the opportunity to announce that Mr. Sisto is the HLNY 2011 Award of
Distinction Honoree to be honored at our 43rd Annual Gala on June 15.

Be on the lookout for the second Board of Governor's prep course coming this
summer/fall! This is HLNY's way to help you advance to Fellow. The first course took
place at the Center for Learning & Innovation at North Shore-LIJ Health System this
past fall (see sidebar story). With the help of our Regent, MaryAnn Brown, FACHE,
VHA Empire-Metro, we were fortunate to have Paula M. Zaluki, FACHE, President
and Founder, Salus Strategy Group, LLC, complete the 13-week course with a review
session in December. Ms. Zaluki is a former ACHE Regent for the Greater Dallas-Fort
Worth area and Past President of the ACHE North Texas chapter. Best of luck to those
taking the Board of Governor's exam!

Finally, I'd like to thank all of the HLNY committee chairs and members for their
wonderful accomplishments—our new website and this e-newsletter, the increased
number of Category I programs, the high caliber of program events, and the
synergies we are leveraging with other associations, such as the ACHE Regent's
Advisory Committee and our Higher Education Network schools. The strength of
this organization lies within the strength of our volunteers and supporters.

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Spring brings with it a farewell to snow, the beginning of greenery,
flowers and a feeling of newness. There is spring cleaning we all profess to do or
need to do. There is the chance to reconnect with friends and family as the long nights
of winter begin to disappear. There is the promise of new life and a rejuvenation
of spirit as the days get longer and the weather improves. Our spirits, minds and
bodies begin to feel reborn. Yes, spring is a wonderful season and a wonderful state
of mind.

It was just a short time ago that we celebrated together at the chapter's signature
program, Cocktails with the Chief, in mid-January. ACHE's annual Congress
on Healthcare Leadership is in full swing each spring. The endless opportunities for
new information and education, the possibilities for career enhancement, and the
experience of networking at its finest were especially plentiful this year in Chicago.

Given the success of ACHE and HLNY programs, plan to make the most of Spring
2011. I challenge you to accept the newness of spring and use it to take stock of your
professional career. Where are you today and where do you want to be tomorrow?
Most importantly, what is your plan to get there? It is essential that you take the time
to do a periodic check-up on your career. At least annually, you should be reviewing
your personal successes and measuring that against your work-life balance and
your short and long-term career goals. Spring is the perfect time to do this annual
evaluation. Use what you learned at Congress and at HLNY's Cocktails with the
Chief to jumpstart the assessment of your career goals. Remember that this
exercise should not be done in isolation and is best served when you reach out to
your mentor(s) and colleagues for their advice and counsel.

Are you the healthcare leader you want to be now? Are you on track to meet your
professional goals? Only you know the answer to these questions. How will you
make an impact on the health care of your community? Life provides us all with
opportunities: sometimes we see those opportunites, sometimes we avoid them
and sometimes we turn them into our own special chance to make a change. Be
watchful for these opportunities and maximize them. Always spring ahead, don't
ever allow yourself to fall behind.

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The momentum of our hugely successful Cocktails with the Chief event continued with
another great ACHE Category 1 credit event on February 17, at New York Hospital
Queens. How Accountable Care Organizations Could Cut Costs and Improve Quality
was moderated by Alan Gilbert, Vice President, Business Development, AxSys Health
Corp., and featured the following regional and national experts on ACOs: Kenneth J.
Abrams, MD, MBA, Senior Vice President, Clinical Operations and Associate Chief
Medical Officer, North Shore-LIJ Health System; Marc A. Bard, MD, Managing Director
and Healthcare Chief Innovation Officer, Navigant Consulting; and Stephen Rosenthal,
MSc, MBA, President/CEO, The Care Management Company of Montefiore and
Corporate Vice President for Network Management, Montefiore Medical Center.

The Marketing Committee received a $3,000 grant from ACHE, which provides
us with the opportunity to create an orientation video. The theme of the video is
"Connect, Learn, Lead, Advance, Succeed." We have been busy videotaping at pro-
gram events and conducting interviews with many healthcare leaders and students.
The orientation video will be premiered at the June 15 Gala! Look out for a
short-video tease on our website soon.

Do you want to start an on-line discussion about a work project or healthcare
area of interest and virtually network? Join HLNY on LinkedIn to connect to more
than 1,000 colleagues who would love to participate in active discussions.

Don't forget to check out pictures from HLNY's program events by joining our
Facebook group or viewing them on our website. Speaking of our website, be sure to
check it frequently, as we make regular updates. For instance, recent updates include
new sponsorship information and HLNY's 2011-2014 multi-year strategic plan.