NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health today announced the honorees for its 2026 Masquerade Gala, “Every Child Thrives,” taking place Thursday, November 12, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The evening will recognize four leaders and one community health center whose work helps ensure every child in New York City is seen early, supported fully, and given the opportunity to reach their full developmental potential.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261106782468/en/

Top row, from left: Dava Schub, Chief Executive Officer and Museum Director, Children's Museum of Manhattan; Manny Saez, PhD, Senior Vice President of Facilities Development, NYC Health + Hospitals; and The Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center. Bottom row, from left: Jacqueline Narine, Chair, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors; and Elissa Macklin, Member, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors.

Top row, from left: Dava Schub, Chief Executive Officer and Museum Director, Children’s Museum of Manhattan; Manny Saez, PhD, Senior Vice President of Facilities Development, NYC Health + Hospitals; and The Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center. Bottom row, from left: Jacqueline Narine, Chair, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors; and Elissa Macklin, Member, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors.

This year’s honorees span early learning, public health care, community health centers and Gotham Health’s own leadership: Dava Schub of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan; Manny Saez, PhD, of NYC Health + Hospitals; The Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center; and Jacqueline Narine and Elissa Macklin of the NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors. Each has made a lasting contribution to the health and well-being of New York City’s children and families.

2026 Honorees

  • Dava Schub, Chief Executive Officer and Museum Director, Children’s Museum of Manhattan For more than 50 years, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) has supported early childhood development through learning, exploration, and play, with a commitment to ensuring access for all New York City families. Through partnerships with city agencies, public schools, Head Start programs, and shelters, CMOM extends its impact beyond the museum’s walls to children and families across the five boroughs. Bringing more than 30 years of experience leading cultural organizations and nonprofits, Schub is guiding CMOM into its next chapter with a new museum at Central Park West and 96th Street, expanding opportunities for children and families to connect, grow, and thrive.

  • Manny Saez, PhD, Senior Vice President of Facilities Development, NYC Health + Hospitals Dr. Saez oversees roughly 20 million square feet of real estate across NYC Health + Hospitals, including a capital portfolio of more than 300 projects. A healthcare veteran with over 30 years of experience, he played a central role in keeping the system’s facilities running and rapidly adapting them during the COVID-19 response. He has been integral to Gotham Health’s expansion, helping bring care closer to the neighborhoods it serves.

  • The Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center A Federally Qualified Health Center with five locations in Southeast Queens and Red Hook, Brooklyn, Addabbo is dedicated to expanding patient access and advancing health equity. As a close partner to Gotham Health in Far Rockaway, the center shares its mission of bringing equitable care to the community.

  • Jacqueline Narine, Chair, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors A Brooklyn native, Narine retired after 33 years with NYC Health + Hospitals, rising from Hospital Care Investigator to Assistant Director for Clinical Operations for the North Brooklyn Health Network. As chair of the Cumberland Community Advisory Board, she secured capital funding for the site, and she now leads Gotham Health’s Board of Directors.

  • Elissa Macklin, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Board of Directors Macklin spent decades in health care operations, including as Director of Operations for Ambulatory Care at Harlem Hospital Center and Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center and as Chief Operating Officer of Morris Heights Health Center in the Bronx. A past president of the New York Association for Ambulatory Care, she has served as a grant reviewer for Susan G. Komen NYC and the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

The honorees represent a shared commitment to strengthening healthcare, supporting families, and creating opportunities for healthier communities. Their leadership and service reflect the mission of Gotham Health to provide accessible, high-quality care while building a healthier future for all New Yorkers.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, and reach their full potential,” said Michelle Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health. “We are proud to honor Dava Schub for her leadership and commitment to enriching the lives of children and families. Her work reflects the spirit of our ‘Every Child Thrives’ theme and the importance of investing in our children’s future. We are equally proud to recognize our other distinguished honorees, whose dedication and contributions continue to strengthen healthcare and the communities we serve.”

The gala will also feature keynote remarks from Dr. Mitchell Katz, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. Both leaders will join healthcare professionals, community partners, and supporters to celebrate the importance of accessible healthcare, strong community partnerships, and continued investment in the health and well-being of New York City’s children and families.

This year’s gala will spotlight Gotham Health’s Childhood Development Initiative, which supports children’s developmental, emotional, and behavioral health needs through comprehensive, family-centered care. By providing early intervention, coordinated services, and access to essential resources, the initiative helps children reach important developmental milestones and build a strong foundation for lifelong health and success.

The evening will also feature a special performance by Kes, the internationally recognized Caribbean music artist known for his vibrant soca sound and energetic performances.

The 2026 Gotham Health Masquerade Gala will bring together healthcare leaders, elected officials, community partners, and supporters for an evening celebrating outstanding leadership, meaningful partnerships, and a shared commitment to building healthier communities across New York City.

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health is a Federally Qualified Healthcare Provider formed in 2015 to enable individuals and families to address their health care needs in their own neighborhoods. Serving more than 100,000 New Yorkers annually in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Queens, Gotham Health consists of 29 healthcare sites in all five boroughs of New York City. Gotham Health provides easy-to-access, high-quality, affordable health care services with a focus on primary care. It is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and building healthy communities, with a focus upon providing patients and families convenient access to high-quality preventive care, such as annual check-ups and immunizations. Health care teams are trained to help patients manage ongoing conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire