Matthew Bruderman out as NUMC chair; Nassau health commissioner nominated to top board post, Blakeman says

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced late Thursday that he replaced Matthew Bruderman as board chair of Nassau University Medical Center and will appoint the county's health commissioner to the top spot. 

Blakeman confirmed to Newsday just before 10 p.m. that Nassau’s Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman would replace Bruderman. The late night move cut short Bruderman’s board term, which was supposed to last until Feb. 28, 2027.

A spokesman for Blakeman did not respond to questions about Bruderman's sudden exit as NUMC board chair nor why Gelman was picked to replace him. A spokesperson for NUMC did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

"We thank Matt Bruderman for his service as Chairman of the Board of Nassau University Medical Center," Blakeman wrote in a statement.

Blakeman called Gelman "a health care professional who has demonstrated throughout the course of her career, the highest level of professionalism," adding that she was a "uniquely qualified person to lead the NUMC Board as a member and chair."

"I am totally confident in her abilities and believe under her leadership that she will be a tremendous asset to NUMC, its patients, and staff," Blakeman wrote.

In his statement, Blakeman also thanked Dr. Kamal Nayyar for resigning from the board, opening up a slot for Gelman to serve as both a member and board chair. 

Blakeman ousted an NUMC board member to appoint Bruderman as chair in March 2022, sparking a lawsuit and heated battle in court.

"If you want to get on the other side of me, I’m going to mow you down," Bruderman said in an emergency board meeting following his appointment. "I’m going to be the chairman, and if you keep fighting that, I’m going to hold you accountable."

Gov. Kathy Hochul has alleged years of mismanagement at the hospital that’s driven the facility into hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. Hospital leaders are suing the state for $1 billion over allegedly withholding funds it is owed for serving a large share of low-income patients. Hospital executives are also suing the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the county's financial watchdog, in hopes of stripping the agency of its power over the hospital’s finances.