President Rodríguez, UAlbany receive Empire Whole Health Hero Award

President Rodríguez welcomes New York Governor Kathy Hochul for a tour and COVID-19 briefing at The RNA Institute.
President Rodríguez welcomed New York Governor Kathy Hochul for a tour and COVID-19 briefing at The RNA Institute in January. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 17, 2022) – UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez is among the recipients of the 2021 Empire Whole Health Heroes Awards, announced during a virtual celebration event on Wednesday.

The Empire Whole Health Heroes Awards honor Capital Region residents who “reflect the dedication of Empire BlueCross to improving the health of every single New Yorker and maintaining the vitality of our great state.”

Yesterday’s virtual celebration was hosted by Jason O'Malley, regional vice president at Empire BlueCross and Casey Seiler, editor and vice president at the Albany Times Union. It featured a keynote from Mark Eagan, president and CEO of the Capital Region Chamber and a member of UAlbany's University Council, and recognition of the 25 executives and teams who were selected as the recipients of the Empire Whole Health Heroes Awards. 

Volunteers hold up a sign to celebrate the 100,000th vaccine administered at the New York State COVID-19 vaccination site on campus.
President Rodríguez joined site personnel to celebrate the 100,000th vaccine administered at the New York State COVID-19 vaccination site on campus last March. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

“The research, teaching and service of UAlbany faculty, staff and students directly benefit the Capital Region daily,” said President Rodríguez, in an article shared by the Times Union profiling award recipients.

“Our atmospheric science researchers are working to make New York’s communities and its economy more weather resilient; our RNA Institute has tracked COVID-19 variants across the state and conducted hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 tests to help keep offices and schools throughout our community open and healthy; and our experts in social welfare, public health, public policy, emergency preparedness and other fields have helped New York better understand the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health care and education exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, our home communities are testbeds for this globally significant research.”

In addition to President Rodríguez, the full list of Empire Whole Health Heroes include:

  • The Pride Center of the Capital Region
  • The United Way of the Greater Capital Region
  • Hudson Valley Community College President Roger A. Ramsammy
  • Ruth Leslie, regional planning lead at Albany Medical Center
  • Pamela Schorr, regional director of rehabilitation at Gem Rehab
  • Jeff Buell, principal at Redburn Development Partners
  • Jahkeen Hoke, CEO of Business for Good
  • State Employees Federal Credit Union (SEFCU)
  • Laurie Malone, nurse clinician at Albany Medical Center
  • Colonie Senior Service Centers 
  • KIPP Albany
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area
  • Annmarie Lanesey, founder of AlbanyCanCode
  • Clark House Hospitality
  • Trinity Alliance and the 518SNUG program
  • The Free Food Fridge Association
  • Centro Civico
  • The SEAT Center 
  • Joseph’s House & Shelter
  • Parks & Trails New York
  • Chris Graber, CEO of CDChoices
  • Susan Waters, director of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
  • Kim Siciliano, CEO of YWCA of Northeastern New York
  • Raymond A. Keyser, owner of Claverack Pump Service

You can learn more about this year’s winners inside a special section of the Times Union on Sunday, March 20, or by visiting: www.wholehealthheroes.com