Michael Dowling
President and CEO
Northwell Health
Michael Dowling is one of health care’s most influential voices, taking a stand on societal issues such as gun violence and immigration that many health system CEOs shy away from. As president and CEO of Northwell Health, he leads a clinical, academic and research enterprise with a workforce of more than 71,000 and annual revenue of $13.5 billion. Northwell is the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State, caring for more than two million people annually through a vast network of nearly 800 outpatient facilities, including 220 primary care practices, 52 urgent care centers, home care, rehabilitation and end-of-life programs and 23 hospitals.
Northwell also pursues pioneering research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and a visionary approach to medical education highlighted by the Zucker School of Medicine, the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies and one of the nation’s largest medical residency and fellowship programs. Dowling has received numerous awards, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and a number of honorary degrees from Fordham University, University College Dublin (Ireland) and the prestigious Queen’s University Belfast. He was also selected to serve as the Grand Marshal of the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in NYC and he chairs the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Prior to joining Northwell in 1995, Dowling served in New York State government for 12 years, including leadership roles as director of health, education and human services, commissioner of social services, deputy secretary and a chief adviser to former Gov. Mario Cuomo. Earlier, he was a professor of social policy and an assistant dean of the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services.