Healthcare Visionary Michael Dowling Joins Adelphi University Board of Trustees

Northwell Health CEO Emeritus and social impact leader brings healthcare, policy and crisis leadership to Adelphi's powerhouse governance team

Garden City, NY (09/14/2026) — Adelphi University has announced that Michael Dowling, CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health, has joined the University's Board of Trustees. Dowling, who built Northwell into New York's largest private employer and the Northeast's largest healthcare provider, brings his legacy of global leadership in healthcare, public policy and crisis management to the University. His appointment represents a major step forward for Adelphi, reinforcing the University's commitment to aligning its academic programming with the immediate, evolving needs of New York's healthcare sector.

"Michael Dowling knows firsthand what the modern workforce demands," noted Adelphi's President Michael Balboni, JD. "Our vision is to be Long Island's preeminent institution for healthcare education, and Michael's guidance will be invaluable as we graduate the next generation of frontline healthcare workers, administrators, and mental health professionals."

Adelphi has been named a Best College among National Universities for eight consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report, and the top-ranked private university on Long Island by Forbes for the past three years. One of the largest nursing schools in New York state, Adelphi's College of Nursing and Public Health has steadily risen the national rankings in recent years for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. Adelphi CNPH is also the home of its Clinical Education and Simulation Lab, the only lab of its kind on Long Island to be accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Adelphi's Powerhouse Governance Team

Dowling joins Adelphi's highly experienced and respected Board of Trustees known for its diverse expertise, deep tenure and civic reputation-adding his global heavyweight status to an already formidable governance team. He joins Leonard Achan '99, a fellow healthcare and business leader and CEO of LiveOn NY, who was recently named chair of Adelphi's board.

President Balboni's background in policy and homeland security, paired with the healthcare dominance of Dowling and Achan, positions Adelphi's board as a coalition of New York's most experienced, crisis-tested leaders.

"I'm extraordinarily proud to join the Adelphi board," said Dowling. "The university has a long, proud history of providing students with rewarding career opportunities in health care and so many other professions throughout Long Island and the entire metropolitan area. As the long-time CEO at Northwell where we developed mutually beneficial clinical and educational alliances with Adelphi, I'm well aware of the many talented nurses, public health professionals, administrators, mental health counselors and other graduates who helped fill vital roles within our health system. I look forward to lending my insight and expertise to the university and working with Mike Balboni and my fellow board members to strengthen Adelphi's standing as a preeminent institution for health care education."

Dowling's appointment follows the recent addition of four new trustees with diverse insights in law, business, real estate, infrastructure and higher education, and underscores Adelphi's commitment to utilizing enterprise-level, external leadership to thrive and address the complex challenges of higher education.

Social Impact and Shared Values

Unlike other corporate executives who join university boards, Dowling has a Master of Social Work (MSW) and began his career as a professor of social policy. While his background mirrors Adelphi's dedication to community impact, he is also widely recognized for taking a stand on some of the nation's toughest societal issues-from gun violence prevention and the youth mental health crisis to caring for an aging population.

"As seen in his transformative work, Michael shares Adelphi's deep commitment to the public good," President Balboni added. "His compassion and dedication to helping others throughout his career are a true reflection of his character."

In addition to his healthcare leadership, Dowling brings higher education and corporate governance experience to Adelphi. He served on the board of trustees for Fordham University for eight years and held board appointments with BankUnited, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the Foreign Policy Association and the Smurfit School of Business at University College Dublin.

About Michael Dowling

Michael Dowling is CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health, having served as its President and CEO for over 24 years before stepping into his current advisory role in October 2025. Under his visionary leadership, Northwell grew into a clinical, academic and research enterprise with over 106,000 employees and nearly $25 billion in annual revenue.

Prior to Northwell, Dowling served in the New York State government for 12 years, including seven years as state director of Health, Education and Human Services and deputy secretary to former Governor Mario Cuomo, and later as commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services. A native of County Limerick, Ireland, he earned his undergraduate degree from University College Cork and his MSW from Fordham University, where he served as a professor of social policy and assistant dean of the university's Graduate School of Social Services, and director of the Fordham campus in Westchester County.

He was named a "Titan" on the 2025 TIME100 Health list and ranked No. 1 on Modern Healthcare's list of the "100 Most Influential People in Healthcare" in 2022. Dowling is the acclaimed author of several books, including Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis, The Aging Revolution and his memoir, After the Roof Caved In: An Immigrant's Journey from Ireland to America.

Learn more about the Adelphi University Board of Trustees.

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