Upstate Medical’s Wolff named chair of Health Foundation board

SYRACUSE — The board of trustees of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York announced it has elected Dr. L. Thomas Wolff as the new board chair.

Wolff is a professor emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine at the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University.

Wolff also serves as the medical director of the physician-assistant program at Upstate Medical.

He previously served as the vice chair of the Health Foundation board.

The Health Foundation board also announced it has elected Sally Berry as secretary. She is the former senior vice president of policy and program development at Loretto in Syracuse.

The board also includes four new trustees, including two with a Central New York connection.

Michael Shaffer of Syracuse most recently served as vice president of fiscal affairs for St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center prior to his retirement in 2013. 

Raymond D’Agostino of Auburn, a partner at Hancock Estabrook, LLP, is the former leader of the firm’s health-care practice and has been a member of the firm’s executive committee.   

D’Agostino has represented several hospitals and other health-care facilities in Central and Northern New York, the Health Foundation said.  

The Health Foundation board of trustees has a “very broad” understanding of the major health issues facing the communities the organization serves, Ann Monroe, president of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York, said in a news release.

“As the health care landscape shifts, they will bring their expertise and knowledge in identifying what the future of health care looks like. I am confident that their leadership will enhance our reach and impact across western and central New York,” said Monroe.

The Health Foundation for Western and Central New York is an independent private foundation that works to improve the health and health care of the citizens of Western and Central New York, according to its news release.

The organization invests in, and partners with, organizations and communities to improve health and health care for “vulnerable and underserved populations, including frail elders and children ages birth to five living in poverty,” it said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com