The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Not for Profit News

The Tremendous Impact of Stefanie May’s Brainchild–‘THE CAP CARES’ Volunteer Rewards Program

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Editor’s Note: Behind the scenes of the iconic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, impressive efforts to help the community in multiple arenas, are an ongoing pursuit, thanks to the efforts of Marketing Director Stefanie May and her small army of volunteers.  Here’s but a snapshot of #TheCapCares programming, and how you can make a difference too simply by supporting the amazing shows and artists performing throughout the year. Visit www.thecapitoltheatre.com 

When Stefanie May took on the role of Marketing Director at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, she knew she wanted to make a difference. Beyond selling out shows with successful marketing campaigns from Tame Impala & Kacey Musgraves to Elvis Costello & Cheap Trick, Stef created “The Cap Cares” volunteer rewards program that has made a tremendous impact on the local community.

  • Stefanie hand-picked volunteer opportunities last September and October, from gardening to sorting medical supplies, that community members could pick from and receive free concert tickets for their hard work.
  • After seven weeks, Stefanie gathered 192 volunteers across 18 events from 11 non-profit organizations, with 475 hours of service (more stats below).
  • Stefanie is working to make the volunteer program part of a larger year-round program that will promote food drives, toy drives, and fundraising campaigns aimed at improving lives within the venue’s community.
  • She has worked with Westchester County companies like Afya Foundation, which “rescues unused medical supplies and equipment and humanitarian goods to help those in need around the world,” the non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization Our New Way Garden, which was created to educate the public about locally and naturally grown food, and the Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center, which is dedicated to the development and advancement of sustainable agriculture.
  • Due to the devastating effect that COVID-19 has had on the live music industry, Stefanie also volunteered her time on the Social Media team for the National Independent Venue Association to pass the Save Our Stages Act in December 2020
  • About The Capitol Theatre: Designed by celebrated architect Thomas Lamb in 1926 and listed in The National Register of Historic Places, The Capitol Theatre is located 30 miles from NYC. The 2,000-capacity theater, known as “the original rock palace,” showcased legends such as Traffic, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. Jerry Garcia called it one of his two favorite venues in the USA. In 2012, the theatre underwent a major renovation under the guidance of music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro. Since then, it has hosted major performers including Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Skrillex, Bonnie Raitt, Snoop Dogg, Kacey Musgraves, The Strokes, Tom Petty, Cyndi Lauper, and Willie Nelson, as well as comedians like Kevin Hart and Amy Schumer. The New York Times raves: “A rock theater that looks and sounds as good as the Capitol is something to celebrate.”

Northern Westchester Hospital Awarded Certification in Spine Surgery from The Joint Commission

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Mount Kisco, NY – Northern Westchester Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in Spine Surgery by demonstrating continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

The certification recognizes health care organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of care for Spine Surgery. The certification evaluates how organizations use clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care, as well as to educate and prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge.

Northern Westchester Hospital underwent a rigorous, onsite survey during which the team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards, including: effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines through the continuum of care, organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities, as well as delivering and facilitating clinical care in compliance with national standards. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“Disease-Specific Care Certification in Spine Surgery recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Northern Westchester Hospital for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for Spine Surgery patients.”

Dr. Marshal Peris, co-director of the Orthopedic and Spine Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital added, “We are proud of this achievement and will continue to hold our spine program to the rigorous standards of the Joint Commission, as part of our ongoing commitment to provide the highest level of patient centered care. We are particularly proud to be one of only three hospitals in New York State that are Certified in Spine Surgery.” The other certified hospitals are fellow Northwell Health facilities, North Shore University Hospital and South Shore University Hospital.

For more information on the Joint Commission Spine Certification, please visit The Joint Commission website.

For more information on Northern Westchester Hospital’s Orthopedic and Spine Institute, visit https://nwh.northwell.edu/orthopedic-spine-institute/spine

HHREC Announces Summer 2022 Community Guided Tour of Holocaust Museums in Germany and Poland

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The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center  (HHREC) of White Plains, has announced a guided tour of Holocaust Museums in Germany and Poland from June  18-29, 2022. The HHREC Community Guided Tour and Trip is being offered to those interested in visiting these museums and to hear from experts in the field.

“This trip was created to expand the comprehension of this monumental event in human history.” said Steven Goldberg, Co-Director of Education at HHREC in White Plains, New York. “We are very excited to offer this guided tour, to help participants gain first-hand knowledge to help understand the meaning of the Holocaust and pass on lessons learned for the future.”

The Summer 2022 guided tour of Holocaust Museums in Germany and Poland is now open for applications, and trip highlights for 2022 HHREC Community Tour include:

  • Sightseeing Coach Tour of Berlin, including the Berlin Wall Memorial, Brandenburg Gate, Bebelplatz
  • Holocaust Memorials in Berlin
  • Tours at the Berlin Jewish Museum, House of the Wannsee Conference, and Polin (Museum of the History of Polish Jews) in Warsaw
  • Tours at Sachsenhausen and Auschwitz-Birkenau camps
  • Tour of Warsaw Ghetto and other Holocaust sites
  • Tour of Kasimierz (historic Jewish section of Krakow)
  • Panel discussion on Jewish life and antisemitism in Germany today and visit to the Neue Synagogue in Berlin
  • Interactive workshop on the effects of the Nuremberg Laws of the 1930’s

Services provided as part of this trip and tour include Intercontinental roundtrip  flights from New York (Newark) to Berlin, Germany and  National and Intra-European transportation by public transportation, local, coach, taxi, local and long-distance trains. Accommodations include breakfasts in 4-star hotels (10 nights) in Berlin, Warsaw, and Krakow, along with group lunches and dinners, and tickets for the Chamäleon Theater in Berlin, and lectures,  discussions,  and  local guided  tours  in  English  or with  English  translation.

To register or for more information, visit hhrecny.org/educators-study-tours/summer-community-tour/  or contact Stephen Goldberg sgoldberg@hhrecny.org  or call 914.696.0738.

About The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is a not-for-profit organization based in White Plains New York that serves Westchester, Fairfield and neighboring counties. Their Mission is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. We encourage students to speak up and act against all forms of bigotry and prejudice. Their work with students and teachers helps schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum. Since 1994, they have brought the lessons of the Holocaust, genocide and human rights crimes to more than 1,500 teachers, and through them to thousands of middle and high school students. Through their volunteer Educators Program Committee, the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center gives teachers the unique opportunity to develop programs for themselves and others. These programs not only enrich teachers’ knowledge about the Holocaust and related issues, but they   also provide the lens through which to view all other human rights violations. For more information call 914.696.0738 email info@hhrecny.org 

More Than 120 Job Seekers Attend Westchester County’s Tourism & Hospitality Job Fair

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On October 14, Westchester County hosted a Tourism & Hospitality Job Fair at the Marriott Westchester Tarrytown which offered more than 120 job seekers the opportunity to connect with 32 employers and learn about the various career paths available. Among the companies seeking talent at the event were local hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “The turnout at today’s job fair was very encouraging. We were able to connect members of our tourism and hospitality industry to talent from Westchester County and beyond, which is critical as we welcome visitors back to Westchester for business and leisure.”

Natasha Caputo, Westchester County Tourism & Film Director, said: “Visitors are eager to return to Westchester and experience our expansive range of attractions and amenities. Helping our tourism and hospitality industry find the talent to help meet this demand is critical, and we were pleased to offer them an opportunity to connect with these individuals through the job fair.”

Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County Economic Development Director, said: “We are committed to helping the companies in our tourism and hospitality sector stage a strong comeback. It was great to see the room filled with job seekers who were enthusiastic about joining this vibrant industry and eager to start down a new career path.”

Thom Kleiner, Executive Director, Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board, said: “Job seekers – and employers – have been understandably nervous about the hiring process as we begin to emerge from the challenges posed by COVID. The good news is that this successful job fair suggests that individuals are ready to put themselves forward and businesses are ready to engage them to augment and improve their workforce.” 

Alvin Alcera, Director of Human Resources, Sonesta White Plains Downtown, said: “There was a great buzz. It was an efficient way to meet and interview many qualified candidates at once. We appreciate the support from all the County organizations to get the job fair together and support our industry’s staffing needs.”

The job fair was sponsored by Westchester Tourism & Film, in conjunction with the Westchester County Office of Economic Development, Westchester-Putnam Career Center Network, Westchester Hotel Association, the Westchester Marriott and The Business Council of Westchester. Complimentary transportation provided by Red Oak Transportation.

Westchester County Tourism & Film is the official destination marketing organization of Westchester, N.Y. Its mission is to generate economic benefits for the County by enhancing and promoting its image as a premier Hudson Valley business and leisure destination. Encompassing big cities, small towns, farms, and vast expanses of natural beauty, Westchester is easily accessible by car, its own regional airport (HPN) and three major rail lines. Accommodation choices range from independent to internationally branded hotels and conference centers.  Learn more at visitwestchesterny.com and connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Westchester County Office of Economic Development works to improve the County’s economic well-being and quality of life.  This includes a broad range of activities to attract, create and retain jobs, and to foster a resilient, pro-growth and inclusive economy. For information, visit https://westchestercatalyst.com/. 

 

Dr. Sherri Sandel Named Medical Director for Northern Westchester Hospital

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Sherri Sandel, DO, FACP, has been named Medical Director for Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH). Dr. Sandel succeeds Dr. Marla Koroly, who transitions into a new leadership role as associate ambulatory physician executive for Northwell’s Westchester and Connecticut region.

“Dr. Sandel’s academic experience and private practice insights, along with her strong working knowledge of Northern Westchester Hospital and our culture will be invaluable as she leads physician talent and works collaboratively with our medical staff, nursing, hospital leadership and all other disciplines to help assure the delivery of high-quality, effective, efficient, and person-centered care,” said Derek Anderson, executive director. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Sandel into this position and thank Dr. Koroly for her years of steady, expert leadership.”

Dr. Sandel joined NWH in 2018. Most recently, she served as Associate Medical Director, Director of Hospital Medicine and Director of Medical Education. Prior to that she held numerous roles at Lenox Hill Hospital including Physician Advisor for Patient Experience and Chief, Hospitalist Division. Additionally, Dr. Sandel holds the position of Assistant Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine Hofstra/Northwell.

She has presented and authored publications on a variety of topics including quality improvement, patient experience, safety, and training and education.  Dr. Sandel was recognized by Northwell Health with innovation awards in patient experience for two large scale programs, “Goodnight Rounds” and “Let’s Connect.” She received teaching awards from Lenox Hill and Northwell Health.  Additionally, she has an extensive clinical research background.

Dr. Sandel received Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Spanish from Muhlenberg College. She received a Doctor of Osteopathy from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Sandel completed her Internal Medicine Residency, received an HIV Fellowship Certification, and served as Chief Medical Resident at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dr. Sandel is a resident of Somers, NY.

News Courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital