Primary Care Forward: Driving New York’s Health Care Transformation

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Primary care is essential to a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable health care system. Primary Care Forward: Driving New York’s Health Care Transformation will bring together leaders and innovators to explore ideas with the potential to transform primary care across New York State.

The conversation will focus on three key opportunities: strengthening the primary care workforce, ensuring sustained investment in primary care, and harnessing technology and AI to improve access, quality, and outcomes. Together, we will explore what it will take to move from incremental change to meaningful transformation—and make primary care a driver of New York’s health care future.

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Museum of Jewish Heritage

36 Battery Place,

2nd Floor Events Hall,

New York, NY 10208

Museum of Jewish Heritage

36 Battery Place,

2nd Floor Events Hall,

New York, NY 10208

Dress Attire:

Parking Information:

Additional Information:

 

Agenda 0

8:30 AM EST

30 MINS
8:30 AM EST 30 MINS

Networking, Registration and Breakfast

Connect with New York’s health care policymakers, providers, advocates, funders, innovators and industry leaders to explore how primary care can drive health care transformation across the state.

Connect with New York’s health care policymakers, providers, advocates, funders, innovators and industry leaders to explore how primary care can drive health care transformation across the state.

Connect with New York’s health care policymakers, providers, advocates, funders, innovators and industry leaders to explore how primary care can drive health care transformation across the state.

Connect with New York’s health care policymakers, providers, advocates, funders, innovators and industry leaders to explore how primary care can drive health care transformation across the state.

9 AM EST

10 MINS
9 AM EST 10 MINS

Opening Remarks

Aparna Mekala
Aparna Mekala
CEO
Primary Care Development Corporation
Aparna Mekala
Aparna Mekala
CEO
Primary Care Development Corporation
Aparna Mekala
Aparna Mekala
CEO
Primary Care Development Corporation

9:10 AM EST

20 MINS
9:10 AM EST 20 MINS

Keynote Speaker Remarks: The State’s Vision for Primary Care

9:30 AM EST

20 MINS
9:30 AM EST 20 MINS

Keynote Speaker Remarks: The City’s Vision for Primary Care

Dr. Alister Martin
Dr. Alister Martin
Commissioner
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Dr. Alister Martin
Dr. Alister Martin
Commissioner
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Dr. Alister Martin
Dr. Alister Martin
Commissioner
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

9:50 AM EST

50 MINS
9:50 AM EST 50 MINS

Panel 1: Legislative Action

David Sandman (moderator)
David Sandman (moderator)
President and CEO
New York Health Foundation
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
Member
Committee on Health and Committee on Insurance
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
Chair
Assembly Committee on Health
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Chair
Committee on Health
David Sandman (moderator)
David Sandman (moderator)
President and CEO
New York Health Foundation
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
Member
Committee on Health and Committee on Insurance
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
Chair
Assembly Committee on Health
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Chair
Committee on Health
David Sandman (moderator)
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
+2
2 more speakers
David Sandman (moderator)
David Sandman (moderator)
President and CEO
New York Health Foundation
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
Member
Committee on Health and Committee on Insurance
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
Assemblymember Amy Paulin
Chair
Assembly Committee on Health
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Chair
Committee on Health
David Sandman (moderator)
Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest
+2
2 more speakers

10:40 AM EST

10 MINS
10:40 AM EST 10 MINS

Refreshment Break

10:50 AM EST

50 MINS
10:50 AM EST 50 MINS

Panel 2: Transformation in Practice

Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Vice President of Consulting & Training
Primary Care Development Corporation
Robert Martiniano
Robert Martiniano
Senior Program Manager
Center for Health Workforce Studies
Ursula Rozum
Ursula Rozum
Co-Director of Campaigns’ Organizing
Citizen Action of New York
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
Founder & Chairman
SOMOS Community Care
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Vice President of Consulting & Training
Primary Care Development Corporation
Robert Martiniano
Robert Martiniano
Senior Program Manager
Center for Health Workforce Studies
Ursula Rozum
Ursula Rozum
Co-Director of Campaigns’ Organizing
Citizen Action of New York
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
Founder & Chairman
SOMOS Community Care
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Robert Martiniano
+2
2 more speakers
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Vice President of Consulting & Training
Primary Care Development Corporation
Robert Martiniano
Robert Martiniano
Senior Program Manager
Center for Health Workforce Studies
Ursula Rozum
Ursula Rozum
Co-Director of Campaigns’ Organizing
Citizen Action of New York
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
Founder & Chairman
SOMOS Community Care
Isaac Kastenbaum (Moderator)
Robert Martiniano
+2
2 more speakers

11:40 AM EST

20 MINS
11:40 AM EST 20 MINS

Closing Remarks

Aparna Mekala
Aparna Mekala
CEO
Primary Care Development Corporation
Aparna Mekala
Aparna Mekala
CEO
Primary Care Development Corporation
Aparna Mekala
Aparna Mekala
CEO
Primary Care Development Corporation

12 PM EST

12 PM EST

Event Concludes

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