Adelphi Appoints Healthcare and Business Leader Leonard Achan '99 as Board Chair
Queens-Brooklyn Native, Bellmore Resident Named Adelphi's Board Chair
Garden City, NY (08/31/2026) — The Adelphi University Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of alumnus Leonard C. Achan Jr. '99, MA, RN, ANP, as its chair. Achan, a native of Queens-Brooklyn, residing in Bellmore, NY, assumed the board's chair role following a special meeting in July. He takes the helm from Trustee William Fuessler '79, who served as the board's acting chair since March.
"As a proud Adelphi alumnus, I am deeply honored to serve as chair of the Board of Trustees," said Achan. "Adelphi has played a meaningful role in my own journey, and I look forward to helping shape the University's next chapter of growth, innovation, and impact."
A Proud Adelphi Alumnus and Healthcare Pioneer
A first-generation American, born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, Achan began his professional journey at Adelphi, earning his bachelor's degree in nursing. Like many fellow nursing alumni, he started his career in healthcare at the bedside, as a medical ICU nurse and adult acute care nurse practitioner. Achan says that experience deeply informed his compassionate approach to leadership on his path to becoming an accomplished healthcare executive and community and business leader.
Today, Chair Achan serves as president and CEO of LiveOnNY. He previously served as the inaugural president of the Innovation Institute at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) after serving as their chief innovation officer. Prior to that, he led major executive initiatives across several roles at the Mount Sinai Health System and served as senior associate dean for global communications, branding and reputation at the Icahn School of Medicine. As co-founder and chairman of Quality Reviews Inc., he built a digital health platform deployed in more than 150 hospitals, elevating the care experience for more than 30 million patients nationwide.
Throughout his career, Achan's dedication to Adelphi has never wavered. While serving more than a decade as a trustee, including five years as a board officer, he consistently invested his time and resources into the University-returning to lecture, establishing two endowed scholarships, and founding the Achan Family Interfaith Center to support the spiritual well-being of the campus community.
"Chair Achan's story truly embodies the Adelphi spirit. Having worked with him during my time on the board and in our recent conversations, I have seen his razor-sharp intellect, energy, and deep passion for our university firsthand," said Adelphi University President Michael Balboni. "He is a shining example of our strength in producing leaders in nursing, health care and business, and I have the utmost confidence that his ambition and commitment to higher education will continue to drive Adelphi forward."
Learn more about the Adelphi University Board of Trustees.
About Adelphi: A modern metropolitan university with a personalized approach to higher learning
Adelphi University, New York, is a highly awarded, nationally ranked, powerfully connected doctoral research university dedicated to transforming students' lives through small classes with world-class faculty, hands-on learning, and innovative ways to support academic and career success. U.S. News & World Report named Adelphi a 2026 Best National University, Best College for Veterans, and Top Performer in Social Mobility. In addition, Forbes has ranked Adelphi the top private university on Long Island for three past three years.
Adelphi serves more than 7,300 students at its beautiful main campus in Garden City, New York-just 23 miles from New York City's cultural and internship opportunities-and at dynamic learning hubs in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley and Suffolk County, as well as online.
More than 125,000 alumni Adelphi graduates have gained the skills to thrive professionally as active, engaged citizens, making their mark on the University, their communities and the world.
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CEO of LiveOnNY Leonard C. Achan Jr. ‘99, MA, RN, ANP, has been appointed Adelphi University's Board Chair.
Adelphi University / New York
Taylor Damian, 516-877-4040, tdamian@adelphi.eduShare this Story
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