Stuart Rabinowitz, the former Hofstra University president tapped by Gov. Kathy Hochul last year to help steady Nassau University Medical Center, abruptly resigned on Monday, stepping away from leadership of the county’s public hospital. He said the arrival of a permanent CEO and recent state support made this the right time to move on. Even with those changes, the hospital still faces a steep operating gap and remains under heightened state oversight.
Hospital officials and the governor’s office confirmed Rabinowitz’s departure, according to the New York Post. Rabinowitz told officials that “this is the right moment for me to step aside” and said that with Tom Stokes now in place and the hospital “operating on firmer footing” he could return to private life. The Post reports that he described the chair role as voluntary but time intensive.
New CEO in place
Thomas W. Stokes was unanimously named NUMC’s permanent CEO after a nationwide search and began in January, NUMC said in a NUMC release. In that release Stokes said, “I’m truly honored to become NUMC’s next CEO,” and pledged to focus on stabilizing operations and finances. The board said the selection followed a review of nearly 400 candidates and included input from union and clinical leaders.
Big budget hole, state money
NUMC adopted a 2026 budget projecting a $167.1 million operating deficit, according to budget documents reviewed by Long Island Press. In mid-January the state announced roughly $109.6 million in targeted funding intended to cut the hospital’s shortfall, according to reporting by ABC7. Hospital leaders say the combination of new funding and a permanent CEO is meant to accelerate stabilization, but the gap remains significant.
State takeover and local backlash
The governance changes that put Rabinowitz in place last year provoked immediate pushback from Nassau County leaders, with County Executive Bruce Blakeman publicly opposing the state’s reorganization and declining to participate in board appointments, Long Island Business News reported. The takeover followed a wave of leadership departures and has become a flashpoint in local politics as officials spar over funding, oversight and the hospital’s future. Advocates and lawmakers have alternately pressed Albany for aid while criticizing past management.
What happens next
As of this writing the NUMC public Board page still lists Rabinowitz as chair, suggesting the change is being processed internally. The governor’s office required the restructured board to submit a study by Dec. 1, 2026 exploring options to stabilize NUMC, a deadline that will shape the next steps as Stokes consolidates leadership and officials sort the vacancy, according to the Governor's Office. Local leaders say they will be watching whether the new management and state aid narrow the gap and shore up patient confidence.
