TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
TOURO UNIVERSITY
PRESIDENT’S
REPORT
2026-2027 TOURO.EDU | 1
Contents ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY 10 Q&A WITH DR. SHLOMO ARGAMON Associate Provost for AI NSA DESIGNATES TOURO UNIVERSITY 12 A CENTER OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR CYBERSECURITY NEW LAUNCHES NEW YORK COLLEGE OF PODIATRIC 16 MEDICINE JOINS TOURO UNIVERSITY 18 BREAKING GROUND Touro College of Dental Medicine Opens New Mexico’s First Dental Clinical Training Facility RESEARCH AT TOURO 22 FULL RECOVERY Touro PsyD Professor Develops New Model for Rehabilitation After Attempted Suicide FIGHTING LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE 24 DISEASES How New York Medical College is Leading the Charge SUGAR HIGH 26 A Groundbreaking New Study from Renowned Researcher and Touro University California Professor Could Help Prevent Chronic Conditions and Save Countless Lives REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTHCARE 28 Touro’s Research Expansion Drives Medical Breakthroughs 30 A PROMISING BOOST A Scientist and Her Medical Students Are Employing Their Medical and Research Knowledge to Extend the Life of Donated Kidneys for Transplant Patients PROMOTING JEWISH IDENTITY INSPIRING TORAH 34 ACTION IN THE FACE OF ANTISEMITISM 36 38 BRIDGING MEDICINE AND JEWISH LAW 40 CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY ON CAMPUS 42 SPEAKING UP FOR ISRAEL COMMUNITY SERVICE TWO-FOLD MISSION: LIVING TOURO’S 46 PURPOSE THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE 50 MORE PROVIDERS WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST Adding PA Students to Rural Healthcare
SPOTLIGHTS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS ATTENTION TO DETAIL 54 Saul Bakst 56 FROM TOURO TO GLOBAL COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Judah Hammer 58 FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS Dr. Oliver Viera 59 DOCTOR ON CALL Dr. Kevin Lemaire ENVISION, DESIGN, BUILD—REPEAT 60 Dean Glas STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS FULL SPEED AHEAD 62 Ella Morris 64 SOFTWARE ARTISAN Nicole Mandel 65 BLENDING TRADITION AND INNOVATION Rajsumeet Macwan CALM AND COOL UNDER PRESSURE 66 Abigail Smurzynski FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS A POLYMATH THRIVES 68 Dr. Mill Etienne TOURO HISTORY PROFESSOR FINDS 70 MODERN MEANING AND MEDIEVAL TIMES Dana Fishkin THE PATIENT ALWAYS COMES FIRST 71 Dr. Michael Liu A COUNTRY’S REPUTATION IS PART OF 72 NATIONAL SECURITY Ido Aharoni Aronoff A FRAMEWORK FOR THEIR 73 OWN TREATMENT Dr. John Loike 74 NATURAL BORN SCHOLAR Dr. Susan Weissman 76
ABOUT THE SCHOOLS
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TOURO CELEBRATES UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF ACCREDITATION
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N A N D TO S E E O U R W I D E - R A N G I N G P R O G R A M S , V I S I T W W W.TO U R O. E D U 2
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
“At Touro, we are driving innovation by advancing research and embracing technology, while remaining committed to our core values—serving the underserved and strengthening the Jewish heritage. Our outstanding students, dedicated faculty and accomplished graduates are making a meaningful impact across the globe—shaping industries, strengthening communities and exemplifying the values of service, responsibility and humanity that define Touro.” — Dr. Alan Kadish, President
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BY THE
NUMBERS ENROLLMENT
21,000+ 21,000+ students across all Touro University programs FINANCIAL SUPPORT
$145,191,000 $145+ million in scholarships and sponsored research MEDICAL EDUCATION LEADERSHIP
19% & 2.8% 19% of New York’s new doctors and 2.8% of all new doctors in the U.S. are Touro University graduates
STUDENT FINANCIAL COSTS REDUCED
$1.1 million
Students saved over $1.1 million in free textbooks and workbooks through Open Educational Resources
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POST-GRADUATION SUCCESS
96%
96% of Touro New York undergraduates were employed or enrolled in graduate programs within 6 months of graduation
ACADEMIC IMPACT
55,000
Over 55,000 citations received for Touro publications on Scopus (Used in U.S. News and World Report University Rankings)
CPA EXAM SUCCESS
#2
#2 in NYS CPA exam pass rate (AICPA data)
PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE RATES
• 100% to law school • 100% to dental school • 98% to medical school TOURO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY EXCELLENCE
• Topped New York City rate for the 2nd year • Ranked #2 for first-time NAPLEX and MPJE pass rates in New York State • Nearly 100% post-graduation employment
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Montana
Illinois New York
Nevada California New Mexico
Florida
TOURO UNIVERSITY Touro is a full-service university that occupies a unique space in the American academic world. Innovative and entrepreneurial while remaining loyal to its mission of service to humanity, Touro develops responsible and ethical citizens of the world who become society’s leaders. In the following pages, read about our pioneering research and technology, new programs and campus launches and the outstanding students, faculty and alumni who bring our mission to life every day. 6
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
TOURO UNIVERSITY AT A GLANCE
130,638 ALUMNI
Germany Russia
21,000 STUDENTS
Israel 132 PROGRAMS
38 SCHOOLS
4 COUNTRIES
1 1 TOURO
#wearetouro TOURO.EDU | 7
ADVANCES IN
TECHNOLOGY
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TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 2025
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Advances in Technology
Q&A with Dr. Shlomo Argamon ASSOCIATE PROVOST FOR AI
What AI skills should today’s college students, specifically those in nontechnical fields, master before graduating? College students in all fields need to master AI literacy, including ethical considerations. They also need to know how to collaborate with technical professionals. They need to understand basic AI concepts and terminology, and how to use AI tools effectively. This includes recognizing and addressing AI biases and understanding common risks associated with AI. Additionally, students should learn to use AIpowered software relevant to their field and be capable of collaborating with technical professionals to use AI effectively in their work. How are you teaching AI skills across the Touro system? What is your goal? AI@Touro is working to integrate AI education across all disciplines to prepare students for AI-driven careers. Touro now offers multiple new AI courses for students, including a new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Systems and an Advanced Certificate in Applied AI through the Graduate School of Technology. AI is also being integrated into existing courses across disciplines, including in the general education curriculum. The goals are to prepare students for working with AI, foster innovation and 10
critical thinking, and ensure they can handle AI-related risks ethically and effectively. An essential component of our strategy is working with all of our faculty and administrators, training them in AI through a variety of bootcamps and workshops, and building a sense of collective teamwork around AI initiatives. Will AI make certain jobs unnecessary? In what fields might that happen? AI is more likely to transform jobs rather than eliminate them, with significant effects in some areas like manufacturing and transportation. While AI will not destroy jobs overall, it will change the nature of many roles. People who can effectively use AI will tend to replace those who cannot, leading to a shift in the job market. We are likely to see an increasing shift towards jobs that emphasize human interaction, such as in the service sector. Fields like manufacturing, where automation and robotics can handle repetitive tasks, and transportation, where self-driving vehicles could revolutionize trucking and logistics, are likely to see the most disruption. How are professionals currently using AI in medicine and finance to benefit patients and clients? AI enhances healthcare and financial services through advanced data analysis and
AI-based automation. In medicine, AI assists in medical imaging analysis, supports radiologists, accelerates drug discovery, personalizes behavioral medicine with wearable technology, provides early-stage virtual health assistants for patients and improves surgical outcomes through robotics. It also streamlines administrative tasks, freeing up healthcare professionals to spend more time on patients. In finance, AI-driven algorithms optimize investment strategies, detect fraud, improve customer service with chatbots, automate routine tasks, analyze financial documents and provide predictive analytics for market trends. Will colleges and universities need to incorporate AI
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Dr. Shlomo Argamon, associate provost for AI, Touro University
into training for all disciplines? What about high schools? Incorporating AI into education, starting at the high school level, is essential to prepare students for the future economy and society. Colleges and universities need to integrate AI education into various subjects to ensure students are ready to address AI use effectively in their careers. High schools should introduce basic AI concepts to create informed citizens and consumers. Vocational training should also include specific AI applications relevant to fields like manufacturing, construction and agriculture. Does AI have biases in terms of race, gender or religion? What kind of impact does that have on the results people get when using AI? AI systems work by incorporating large amounts of public or private information into a large language model (LLM). AI is “trained” by the data it incorporates from these sources. AI systems amplify biases in their training data, leading to potentially discriminatory outcomes. Biases in AI stem from the training data, which often reflects societal biases. If not properly managed, this can result in discriminatory outcomes in areas like hiring, lending and law enforcement. Mitigating these biases involves using diverse datasets and bias detection tools and adjusting how the tools are used to support human decision-making. While bias can never be entirely removed, it must be continuously monitored and addressed to minimize its impact. TOURO.EDU | 11
Advances in Technology
NSA Designates Touro University a Center of Academic Excellence for Cybersecurity
WITH NATIONAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION RECOGNITION, TOURO IS SET TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF MUCH-NEEDED CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS
Nearly every day, there’s another news report about a data breach that’s exposed the sensitive information of millions of people or some hacker group that’s using ransomware to extort money from a corporation. In today’s information-driven world, knowing how to protect data systems and networks is not only a highly sought-after skill—it’s also critical for both personal and national security. Touro University is training the next generation of much-needed cybersecurity professionals, and the school’s Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Network Administration program was awarded the National Security Agency’s (NSA) prestigious designation of Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). Out of 4,000 colleges in the U.S., only 400—and just 19 in New York—have earned this designation. “The National Science Foundation and the Department of Homeland Security designed this program to cultivate a culture of excellence in
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cybersecurity through rigorous curriculum and program requirements,” explains Touro’s Associate Director of Cybersecurity Satchit Hegde. “Touro is proud to be part of this community of schools committed to developing the cyber workforce.” NSA Designation in Cyber Defense NSA designation is a distinction that’s awarded
This achievement is a monumental milestone for our institution, and it signifies our commitment to providing toptier cybersecurity education” by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program, which is managed by NSA’s National Cryptologic School. The program was established as a partnership with educational institutions to develop cybersecurity curriculum standards of excellence and to ensure the competency of students and faculty. It also promotes the integration of cross-discipline cybersecurity practices and encourages leadership, community outreach and the pursuit of solutions related to
cybersecurity education. “At Touro, we have always prided ourselves on offering a robust and comprehensive cybersecurity program,” shares Payam Bina, deputy chair of the Touro University Computer Science Department. “Achieving this designation not only validates the strength and quality of our program but also underscores our commitment to excellence in cybersecurity education.” “This achievement is a monumental milestone for our institution, and it signifies our commitment to providing toptier cybersecurity education,” Bina asserts. “It underscores the quality and rigor of our cybersecurity program and places us among the elite group of institutions recognized for their excellence in cyber defense education.” Students who choose a CAECD designated program like Touro’s B.S. in Cybersecurity and Network Administration will learn the most up-to-date information and build the most relevant skills needed to succeed in the industry. CAECD programs are continuously updated and improved to keep up with the quickly evolving field of cybersecurity and maintain their designation. Graduates from Touro’s Cybersecurity and Network
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Administration bachelor’s program have already found success in the industry and currently work for organizations like Google; Citi; TransUnion; the City of New York Office of Labor Relations; the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration; Fabuwood; and Global Tech Solutions in roles such as cybersecurity consultant, DevOps engineer, cybersecurity architect, data engineering manager, director of technology and security analyst.
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NEW
LAUNCHES
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TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026 2025
Touro Leadership cuts the ribbon for the New Mexico campus of Touro College of Dental Medicine, along with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller
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New Launches
New York College of Podiatric Medicine Joins Touro University
PODIATRY SCHOOL JOINS EXISTING TOURO NETWORK OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY EDUCATING 8,100 STUDENTS
New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM) joined the Touro University system this year. Founded in 1911, NYCPM was the nation’s first medical college devoted to educating and training doctors of podiatric medicine. It combines outstanding classroom instruction with clinical training in one of the world’s largest foot care clinics. “As healthcare moves towards a team-based approach, podiatrists will become increasingly important. Touro healthcare
Podiatrists also prevent serious complications, such as limb-threatening infections, through specialized care for diabetes and chronic conditions, often saving billions in healthcare costs” educational systems and their clinical healthcare delivery systems have integrated New York College of Podiatric Medicine in a way that improves patient care and transforms the experience for students and faculty,” says Dr. Michael Trepal, dean of NYCPM. Touro serves over 21,000 students across 38 campuses and locations. Touro’s highly regarded health sciences, dental, pharmacy as well as osteopathic and allopathic medical schools, make it a 16
national leader in comprehensive health education and care. “Touro is known for its ability and willingness to innovate rapidly, and we are adept at finding the best educational techniques and solutions to meet the needs we identify. Some of the best job opportunities currently exist in the healthcare field, and our goal is to offer an array of choices and prime our students for success. Educating approximately 8,100 students annually in the health sciences, Touro has become one of the largest healthcare educational systems in the U.S. Adding podiatric medicine to our existing network of medical and health science schools and programs serve to augment and strengthen our academic offerings. Podiatrists treat complex foot and lower limb disorders, which are essential for maintaining mobility and overall quality of life. Podiatrists also prevent serious complications, such as limbthreatening infections, through specialized care for diabetes and chronic conditions, often saving billions in healthcare costs,” says Dr. Alan Kadish, Touro University president.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
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New Launches
Breaking Ground
TOURO COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE OPENS NEW MEXICO’S FIRST DENTAL CLINICAL TRAINING FACILITY
Last year, Touro University opened a clinical branch of Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) in New Mexico. This clinical facility is located in Albuquerque, on the campus of Lovelace Biomedical Research Facility, a part of Touro University. Touro Dental Health New Mexico is TCDM’s clinical training facility that provides 200 TCDM students a new dental practice location. Joseph Parkinson, DDS, MPA, FAGD, was named executive assistant dean, leading all aspects of the dental college’s operations and clinical training programs. “Touro University is committed to delivering quality education as well as integrity and respect for all members of our new Touro community in New Mexico,” says Touro University President Alan Kadish, M.D. Students at TCDM spend their first two years in the classroom studying basic biological sciences, and the last two years seeing patients in the clinics. Going forward, 100 students from each TCDM class of 220 will do the classroom portion of their training on TCDM’s New York campus and spend their final two years treating patients from the Albuquerque community in the new clinical facility. The first class to be split in this way is seeing patients under highly skilled faculty, supported by profes18
sional dental staff from New Mexico. “TCDM is thrilled to expand to New Mexico and has created the first ultra-modern, worldclass dental clinical training facility in the state. Our mission is to improve oral healthcare and graduate outstanding dental professionals who deliver excellent healthcare service to diverse communities,” says TCDM Dean Ronnie Myers, DDS. “With the first pre-doctoral dental student clinical educational facility in New Mexico, we are providing an opportunity to deliver much needed low-cost oral healthcare to underserved communities
We anticipate that there will be a significant number of graduates who remain in New Mexico” while at the same time expanding local access to New Mexico students interested in becoming dentists.” Addressing the Dental Shortage in New Mexico New Mexico lags behind the nation in the average number of oral healthcare professionals servicing residents of the state. Recent studies reveal that the number of dentists per 100,000 people in New Mexico is only 48.4—below the national average of 60.84. “We anticipate that there will be a significant
number of graduates who remain in New Mexico to pursue their dental careers filling this void, adding to our incentive to build the new facility and clinic in the land of enchantment,” says Dr. Myers. New Mexico’s first dental school clinical training facility encompasses more than 70,000 square feet of educational and clinical space. It houses more than 100 dental operatories, including units to provide specialty care in oral surgery, orthodontics, endodontics and pediatric dentistry, accommodating the students who will complete their education at TCDM’s new facility and campus. TCDM’s faculty of general dentists and highly skilled specialists including periodontists, prosthodontists, endodontists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, dental anesthesiologists and radiologists enables the school to provide a full range of dental care under one roof while providing students with hands-on exposure to and training in all dental disciplines. Touro University is investing an estimated $50 million in New Mexico, including the property acquisition and construction of the dental college, positively impacting educational and economic development in Albuquerque and throughout the state. TCDM plans to provide new high-paying jobs for New Mexicans to support the school and clinic.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Breaking ground for our new campus in New Mexico
Students and faculty welcome patients to the new Touro dental clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, led by Dr. Joseph Parkinson, executive assistant dean of Touro College of Dental Medicine New Mexico (left) and Dr. Jen Oki, director of clinical education (right)
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RESEARCH AT TOURO
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TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
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Research at Touro
Full Recovery
TOURO P sy D PROFESSOR DEVELOPS NEW MODEL TO REHABILITATE THOSE WHO ATTEMPT SUICIDE
The CDC estimates that 1.6 million Americans attempted suicide in 2022, and 13.2 million seriously thought about it. 49,000 died by suicide that year. Touro professor Yosef Sokol, Ph.D., has devoted much of his research to helping people who have attempted suicide recover. The current approach to recovery focuses on preventing more suicidal thoughts. Sokol doesn’t believe this is an effective approach. Instead, he believes that helping these people develop a sense of who they are and create meaning in their lives will lead to recovery. Trying to prevent more suicidal thoughts in people who have attempted suicide is not
necessarily helpful, says Sokol, clinical assistant professor in the PsyD program at Touro University School of Health Sciences. The standard cognitive behavioral models tend to focus on changing thoughts and emotions but don’t consider a person’s identity.
This last stage becomes the foundation for their unique life worth living” Sokol conducted a comprehensive review of the research on recovery, including models for people with other conditions like addiction and schizophrenia. Through this research, he developed a model of recovery that helps people develop meaning in their lives. The new study, which was published in the Archives of Suicide Research, shows that the slow process of putting one’s life back together after a suicide attempt tends to follow a common three-stage path: precontemplation, contemplation and active growth. Through the first two stages, people move from having no hope to starting to see a possibility for recovery and glimpses of their meaningfulness to
others. In the third stage, they start to take small steps in developing coping skills, strengthening their relationships, and rediscovering a sense of meaning and purpose. “This last stage becomes the foundation for their unique life worth living. They continue to work within this stage to maintain their growth as challenges occur,” says Sokol. The model draws on Transtheoretical Model of Change, a framework to understand how people overcome addiction. It also builds on Sokol’s prior research developing the COURAGE model, which outlines seven key components of a thriving life after suicidal despair: Choosing life, Optimizing identity, Understanding oneself, Rediscovering meaning, Acceptance, Growing connectedness and Empowerment. “We often think of recovery as this monumental, binary thing—either you’re ‘cured’ or you’re not,” says Sokol. “We want people to know that recovery is a process, and it looks different for everyone. But it is absolutely possible to find meaning and hope again.” Sokol hopes that his model will be adopted by clinicians working with people recovering from attempted suicide.
Dr. Yosef Sokol, clinical assistant professor, PsyD program, Touro University School of Health Sciences 22
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
THE STATS ON SUICIDE
13.2 million seriously thought about committing suicide
1.6 million Americans attempted suicide
49,000 died by suicide (2022 estimates by the CDC)
ADDRESSING SUICIDE TRAITS AND PATTERNS Montana has been in the top three states for suicide deaths in the U.S. for the last three decades. Researchers at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Montana are investigating what factors are putting Montanans at greater risk. Heather Harvey, DrPH, associate professor of public health, and Brenda Canine, Ph.D., assistant professor and Weissman Hood Institute of Research faculty, and their students, reviewed 12 years of state data to identify populations that are at greater risk. By identifying clusters of people with similar traits, they can pick up characteristics that put people at an increased risk of suicide. “It is critical to identify traits and patterns when it comes to suicides,” says Harvey. “It helps us target certain groups for suicide prevention,” she says. “Because prevention is not one size fits all.” The researchers identified two main clusters. The vast majority of people in the first cluster were male, white and former military. They were over 60 years old and about 50 percent were divorced or separated. They were likely low-wage workers, including laborers and service industry workers. Suicide among laborers in Montana is double the national suicide rate.
Native Americans largely fell into the second cluster, who had an average age of 30 and were single. The youngest in this second group, those 10-14 years old, were Native Americans. The students plan to publish more detailed research focusing on youth suicides among Native Americans, and former military suicides and gun use in Montana (70 percent of suicides in this group were from handguns). Using this data, the team is working with the head of Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to target high-risk populations with prevention programs. Based on their research, they’re targeting Native American youth, low-wage workers and older military service members. One program they’re piloting focuses on training primary care providers to better recognize patients at risk of suicide and to connect them to resources such as mental healthcare. There is help available for those experiencing crisis. In the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline—free, confidential and available 24/7. For international resources, visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s website at https://iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres TOURO.EDU | 23
Research at Touro
Fighting Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases HOW NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE IS LEADING THE CHARGE
Lyme disease has been a growing public health threat for decades, and New York Medical College (NYMC) has been at the forefront of the battle— pioneering research, improving diagnostics and developing treatments that have saved countless lives. Back in the 1980s, when Lyme disease cases were surging across the Northeast, NYMC quickly became a leader in understanding and addressing this mysterious illness. With tick populations exploding in areas like Westchester County, Long Island and Connecticut, the College launched a multifront approach: treating patients, conducting field research and performing cutting-edge lab studies. A Pioneer in Lyme Disease Research One of the early trailblazers was Dr. Gary P. Wormser, professor of medicine and head of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He diagnosed his first Lyme disease patient in 1981— long before most doctors even knew what to look for. What started as a handful of cases quickly grew into a flood of patients suffering from flulike symptoms, often with the telltale bull’s-eye rash. Dr. Wormser has spent decades refining Lyme disease treatment, championing the use of doxycycline for early-stage infections and ceftriaxone for advanced cases. His expertise has shaped national guidelines for treating Lyme 24
disease, and in 2018, he helped identify the first human tick bite in the U.S. from the rare Haemaphysalis longicornis tick. Beyond Lyme: Tackling Other Tick-Borne Diseases NYMC’s impact in terms of public health and research of tick-transmitted pathogens goes beyond Lyme disease. The College has been instrumental in researching babesiosis, a lesser-known but serious tick-borne illness that mimics malaria but is endemic in the U.S. Unlike Lyme disease, babesiosis can be transmitted through blood transfusions,
Advancing tafenoquine to treat babesiosis when other treatments have failed has been incredibly rewarding” making it a growing concern for public health officials. NYMC is also at the forefront of investigating the impact of co-infection with multiple tick transmitted diseases at the same time from a single tick bite including babesiosis and Lyme disease. In a groundbreaking study, Dr. Wormser and Dr. Dana G. Mordue, associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology, explored the use of tafenoquine, an FDA-approved malaria drug, as a potential treatment for babesiosis. Their research showed
promising results, paving the way for clinical trials. “Advancing tafenoquine to treat babesiosis when other treatments have failed has been incredibly rewarding,” says Dr. Mordue. Lyme Disease or Something Else? NYMC researchers are also tackling a critical but often-overlooked issue: Lyme disease can sometimes mimic serious neurological conditions like ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Dr. Robert Ollar, a clinical assistant professor of neurology, is leading efforts to uncover how Lyme disease might contribute to these conditions, shedding light on its complex and often misunderstood effects. Revolutionizing Lyme Disease Testing For more than a decade, Dr. Paul M. Arnaboldi, assistant professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology, and Dr. Raymond Dattwyler, professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology, have been working to improve how Lyme disease is diagnosed. Their discoveries have already led to an FDA-approved diagnostic test and a new, highly sensitive T-cell activation test that could change the way Lyme disease is detected. Now, they’re working with engineers at UCLA to develop a rapid point-of-care test—one that could diagnose Lyme disease in just 15 minutes using AI-enhanced technology. Published in Nature Communi-
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Dr. Paul M. Arnaboldi (left) and Dr. Dana G. Mordue (right) are among the New York Medical College faculty researchers advancing the treatment of tick-borne illnesses and improving Lyme disease diagnostics
cations and backed by the NIH, this breakthrough could make early detection faster and more accessible than ever before. Spreading Awareness, One Tick at a Time Beyond research, NYMC is committed to educating the public. From producing public service announcements on tick bite prevention to featuring faculty in national and international media, the College is making sure people know how to protect themselves.
Since early treatment of Lyme disease and other tick transmitted infections is critical to prevent potential long-term damage, it is important that people are aware of practical ways to avoid tick bites and to remove ticks promptly. Both transmission of Lyme and babesiosis pathogens require ticks to remain attached to a person for more than 24 hours, so prompt removal of ticks is important to prevent infection. It is also increasingly important that clinicians and the
public are aware that a single tick bite can transmit multiple pathogens that cause different diseases and require different treatments. Through groundbreaking discoveries, innovative treatments and tireless public outreach, NYMC continues to lead the fight against Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. And with every new advancement, they’re helping ensure a healthier future—one tick at a time. TOURO.EDU | 25
Research at Touro
Sugar High
A GROUNDBREAKING NEW STUDY FROM RENOWNED RESEARCHER AND TOURO UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA PROFESSOR COULD HELP PREVENT CHRONIC CONDITIONS AND SAVE COUNTLESS LIVES
Most people know that eating too much sugar can be bad for your health. Now, NIH-funded research from Touro University California has shown that fructose—particular from processed foods—can cause liver problems that lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease. Fructose is a type of sugar that occurs naturally in fruit and is also added to processed foods in the form of high fructose corn syrup. In fact, over 40 percent of caloric sweeteners added to processed foods come from high fructose corn syrup, and it can be found in everything from soft drinks and candy to breakfast cereals, canned soups, fruit juice and packaged cookies and crackers. Consuming high fructose corn syrup has been connected to obesity, which affects 42 percent of Americans, as well as cardiovascular disease, which kills one American every 33 seconds. With the new findings from this research, consumers now know for certain that limiting fructose from processed food may help them to avoid chronic disease and live longer, healthier lives. The study was funded by a $2.86 million grant from the NIH and led by Dr. Jean-Marc Schwarz, professor at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUC-COM) and director of the Touro Metabolic Research Center and Core Lab. Dr. Schwarz has been high26
ly recognized for his research involving how fructose impacts the body and has conducted multiple studies in collaboration with UCSF and UC Davis. By meticulously tracking the processing of fructose molecules by various organs and tissues, Dr. Schwarz and his team have discovered that fructose metabolism overloads the liver, triggering a dangerous rise in blood lipids, liver fat and visceral fat. Dr. Schwarz warns,
It’s the added fructose from processed food that’s the major problem” “These elevated lipids are a ticking time bomb, leading to chronic diseases like fatty liver disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease—the leading killer in the U.S.” The team also learned that the body responds differently to the naturally occurring fructose found in fruit than it does to the added fructose in processed foods. “Fructose from fruit is delivered in a different way, so there’s no ‘tsunami effect’ or sugar rush, especially to the liver,” says Dr. Schwarz. “It’s the added fructose from processed food that’s the major problem.” One of the key goals of this research is to identify the connection between sugar and lipid metabolism and to estab-
lish a causal link with diseases. “We already know that the less processed food you have, the better off you are, but implementing that is difficult for physicians,” he expounds. “Touro University California puts an emphasis on providing students with a strong nutritional background, and we teach them about metabolic pathways. They need this knowledge so they can provide good patient recommendations based on science.” Dr. Schwarz also notes that working at Touro has enabled his research to thrive. “Being in a smaller university that’s fairly young in California has given our team the ability to brainstorm and work together in different ways, and there’s been a lot of support for our research,” he enthuses. “With both teachers and researchers, it’s a friendlier environment. We also were able to develop a lab and a metabolic research center, and that has been a really fantastic journey. It’s been very satisfying.” Next, Dr. Schwarz, along with Dr. Grace Jones, associate professor at TUC-COM, and their team aim to explore how fructose can be processed by the intestines, which may provide more insight how the gut can protect the liver from fructose overload. It’s another opportunity for Touro research teams to break new ground that will create a healthier tomorrow for everyone.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Dr. Jean-Marc Schwarz, director of the Touro Metabolic Research Center and Core Lab, working with a student on NIH-funded research
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Research at Touro
Revolutionizing Healthcare
TOURO’S RESEARCH EXPANSION DRIVES MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
From groundbreaking treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease to advancements in diagnosing and managing traumatic brain injuries, Touro’s expanded research partnerships are redefining the future of medicine. These transformative collaborations—with the prestigious Weissman Hood Institute and Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute—are fueling lifesaving innovations while providing Touro students invaluable, hands-on experience alongside world-renowned researchers in cutting-edge facilities. Weismann Hood: A New Era in Medical Innovation In September 2024, the McLaughlin Research Institute in Great Falls, Montana, was renamed the Weissman Hood Institute, marking both 70 years of pioneering research and a new alliance with Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Montana. Through this strategic partnership, Touro combines its commitment to tackling urgent medical challenges with Weissman Hood’s world-class research in neurodegenerative diseases as well as stem cell biology, cancer treatment and personalized medicine. The renaming honors two remarkable Montana natives: Dr. Irving Weissman, the Institute’s first intern in 1956 who became a visionary leader in stem cell biology and cancer research, and Dr. Leroy Hood, a pivotal figure in the Human 28
Genome Project. Dr. Weissman’s pioneering work in hematopoietic stem cell biology has revolutionized our understanding of cellular development, blood disorders and cancer treatment. Dr. Hood is a renowned expert in systems biology and his transformative contributions to personalized medicine through his work with the Human Genome Project have reshaped the way we approach complex diseases. Dr. Hood expresses his enthusiasm for the new Touro alliance. “This relationship unites the strength of the basic science of Weissman Hood
This is a crucial step in our mission to improve the health of our communities” Institute with the possibility of translating these basic observations into clinical actionable possibilities that could transform patients’ lives in a variety of different areas, including Alzheimer’s disease,” he says. Together, these two visionaries have transformed the fields of biology and medicine, and their legacy—now championed through Touro’s collaboration with Weissman Hood—promises to drive continued innovation and clinical breakthroughs. “This affiliation has significantly enhanced our research
capabilities, expanding our capacity to make a tangible impact on the health and lives of Americans,” says Dr. Alan Kadish, president of Touro University and New York Medical College. “Touro is committed to pushing the boundaries of medical research in ways that will truly benefit society, driving forward advancements that matter.” Touro Wins Grants that Drive More Research A significant milestone was reached in early 2023, when Weissman Hood, in collaboration with Touro, was awarded a $14 million NIH grant to support the creation of the Center for Integrated Biomedical and Rural Health Research. This initiative addresses healthcare challenges faced by rural communities, while advancing global research in neurodegenerative diseases. “This is a crucial step in our mission to improve the health of our communities while offering students unique opportunities to participate in this impactful work,” says Dr. Salomon Amar, Touro’s chief research officer and provost for biomedical research. “By partnering with research leaders, we provide our students with exposure to cutting-edge developments in many areas of medical science.” Additionally, Touro University Nevada’s College of Osteopathic Medicine recently received a $500,000 grant
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
advanced MRI techniques to detect subtle, often overlooked concussions, potentially steering athletes away from further career risks. This technology may also extend to prison populations, where it aids in identifying brain changes that could predict recidivism, offering key insights into rehabilitation and public safety. “Our partnerships open doors for research that improves lives,” says Dr. Amar. “We’re equipping the next generation of healthcare professionals to solve tomorrow’s challenges.”
Student researcher in the lab at Weissman Hood Institute, a partner of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Montana in research training
from the Engelstad Foundation to advance its cancer research, specifically in developing a drug to prevent metastasis. Led by a Touro Nevada research team, the project is approaching a breakthrough with the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment and make a significant global impact. Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute: Impacting Society Part of Touro University since 2022, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is one of the oldest not-for-profit biomedical research centers in the U.S., spe-
cializing in respiratory disease, neuroscience, toxicology and drug development. It also plays a critical role in protecting the nation from chemical, biological and nuclear threats. Through this affiliation, Touro leverages Lovelace’s infrastructure and expertise, particularly in clinical trials, while faculty from Touro’s New York Medical College serve as advisors for Lovelace’s trials and contribute to its infectious disease research efforts. Lovelace’s capabilities extend beyond traditional research. The Institute pioneered the use of
Changing the Face of Healthcare Touro’s collaboration with Lovelace also includes a groundbreaking project to develop an aerosol COVID-19 vaccine. This novel approach, which replaces traditional injections with a nebulizer-based system, could transform the way vaccines are delivered. Touro and Lovelace are actively pursuing funding to continue this research. Touro’s expansion into New Mexico is strengthening its leadership in public health research and academic excellence, particularly in underserved areas. Through its partnership with Lovelace, Touro opened a clinical branch of the Touro College of Dental Medicine in Albuquerque, offering crucial dental care to the community while providing hands-on training for 200 students. “By partnering with worldclass institutions, we’re not just expanding our research capabilities,” Dr. Kadish says. “We’re building an ecosystem where students can actively learn, contribute and lead in areas that are driving the next breakthroughs in medicine.” TOURO.EDU | 29
Research at Touro
A Promising Boost
A SCIENTIST AND HER MEDICAL STUDENTS ARE EMPLOYING THEIR MEDICAL AND RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF DONATED KIDNEYS FOR TRANSPLANT PATIENTS
In a lab at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM), a group of 14 students, led by a visionary professor and medical research entrepreneur, are working on a way to extend the life of desperately needed donor kidneys.
Dr. Hanna Wollocko, medical research entrepreneur, with students in the lab at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
In the U.S., some 800,000 patients are living with kidney failure, yet only 25,000 ever receive a donated organ. In spite of astonishing medical and scientific breakthroughs, most donor kidneys—along with other transplant organs—
still are packed in ice and shipped in coolers. Once outside the body, the organ begins to deteriorate immediately due to lack of blood supply. “We can’t change the severe shortage of organs available for transplants, but we do believe it is possible to dramatically improve the condition of the donor kidneys that are available so the organs arrive as healthy as possible, giving the recipients the best chance for a successful transplant,” says Dr. Hanna Wollocko, an adjunct clinical associate professor of internal medicine at TouroCOM in Middletown and president and CEO of the medical research firm OXYVITA, Inc. Wollocko and her research colleagues have created a way to perfuse the donor organ with a continuous blood substitute supply, by adding a hemoglobinbased oxygen carrier (HBOC), which replaces the oxygencarrying capacity of the body’s hemoglobin and, therefore, blood. “Ex-situ machine perfusion is an exciting and promising technology,” she says. The basic idea is to connect sterile tubing to the ex-vivo organ’s artery and vein in the prepared perfusion system. The tubing is then connected to a peristaltic pump, which circulates the solution with a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier into the organ. “We’ve tried it successfully on rabbit
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kidneys, and it has proven very promising,” Wollocko says. “Now, we will try it on a pig kidney. In science, it is repetition and patience, patience and repetition and finally, with hard work and a little luck, success!” Here’s where a collaborator from Touro, Dr. Nilank Shah, an associate physiology professor, and her students come in. One group prepares the perfusion system, using a plastic container connected by tubing with a peristaltic pump and a bioreactor containing the perfusion solution with the HBOC. Another group prepares the perfusion solution. The ultrasound group works on application of the technique for the assessment of the organ’s tissue conditions and guided biopsies of the organ during the process. The histopathology
We’re building an ecosystem where students can actively learn, contribute and lead” group conducts biopsies and the final assessment of the tissue deterioration after the experiment. The 3D printer group prepares the removable “bed” for the organ to place it in the perfusion container and gives access to it for the biopsies and ultrasound analysis during the 24-hour experiment. Those biopsies and ultrasounds, taken every couple of hours, indicate organ deterioration. “Let’s say the best match of a kidney in New York is to a transplant patient in California,” she says. “But it takes, say, six hours, to get the organ from here to there. In that time, there could be serious deterioration of that donor organ. If this works as we expect it to, that organ will arrive healthy and viable for transplant, potentially as good as if the donor was in the next room over. This has real-life implications for transplant patients.” TOURO.EDU | 31
PROMOTING
JEWISH IDENTITY
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Promoting Jewish Identity
Inspiring Torah
RABBI YONASON SACKS ON PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION, OVERCOMING NEW CHALLENGES
Harav Yonason Sacks, rabbi and Rosh HaYeshiva of the Lander College for Men (LCM) in Kew Gardens Hills, is a respected leader, prolific author and a dedicated educator who has spent decades shaping the next generation of Torah scholars and community leaders. Under his leadership, LCM has grown into a beacon of rigorous Torah study that, combined with the College’s academic excellence, prepares students for both spiritual and professional success. Rabbi Sacks’ achievements are vast, marked by his authorship of more than 50 scholarly works, including a comprehensive series on each portion of the Torah, Ethics of Fathers, and the Jewish holidays. Despite his remarkable productivity, he remains grounded in his mission: to inspire his students with the depth and relevance of Torah and Talmud in every aspect of their lives. A Vision for Torah Study For Rabbi Sacks, Torah study is not merely an intellectual exercise but a transformative experience. “Learning for us is a religious experience,” Rabbi Sacks says. “It embodies and reflects a uniquely profound relationship between rebbe and student. That instruction is an incredibly profound relationship.” This emphasis on connection is central to his teaching philosophy. Rabbi Sacks cites a passage in the Talmud that underscores 34
the importance of this bond. When a student is forced into exile, the Talmud states, the rebbe must accompany him. “The relationship between a rebbe and student is so essential,” he says. “Separating them would be equivalent to a death sentence.” In his role at LCM, Rabbi Sacks cultivates a vibrant learning environment where students are challenged to delve deeply into Torah study while balancing their rigorous college coursework. Rabbi Sacks’ philosophy of education integrates the intellectual and the practical. He believes in teaching not only by instruction but also by example. “So many mitzvos (commandments) are taught to us by example,” he notes, citing the Torah’s depiction of G-d visiting Abraham after his circumcision as a model for the mitzvah of visiting the sick. Similarly, the Torah emphasizes the importance of comforting one who is mourning through the example of G-d comforting Issac after the death of his father Abraham. Tradition and Innovation While Rabbi Sacks embraces innovation in his teaching methods, he remains deeply committed to the tradition of learning, which he absorbed from his teachers. One of those traditions is pilpul, or a method of Talmudic study that involves in-depth textual analysis. Like so many who
came before him, Rabbi Sacks excels in pilpul, which has sustained Jewish scholarship for millennia. “We pride ourselves on tradition,” he says. “Every rebbe aspires to teach Torah the way he received it from his rebbe, all the way back to Mount Sinai.” Still, Rabbi Sacks recognizes the need to adapt to the needs of contemporary students. “In earlier generations, there was an expectation that if you were in class, you understood the material and it was clear,” he says. “Now we’re living in a bit of a different world, where lessons have to be presented in a very concise and exciting fashion.” Guiding Students for Life Rabbi Sacks views his role as more than a teacher; he sees himself as a lifelong mentor to his students. “The most important decisions in life— marriage, career, establishing a home—are often made in the formative years they spend in our yeshiva,” he says. “Our mission is not to dictate their lives but to guide them to make the most responsible and meaningful choices.” His ultimate hope is that his students carry the lessons they learn into every aspect of their lives. “The ethical teachings of the Torah should inform every decision,” Rabbi Sacks says. “It’s a trajectory for life.”
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Harav Yonason Sacks with students in the study hall in Lander College for Men – Beis Medrash L’Talmud
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Promoting Jewish Identity
Action in the Face of Antisemitism:
TOURO LAW LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER CLINIC IN THE U.S. TO TRAIN LEGAL ADVOCATES
Many in the Jewish community are confused and distressed, unsure whether America is still safe and whether the pogroms and blatant antisemitism experienced during the Holocaust have landed in the U.S. At Touro University, education is the key to empowerment and action is critical to combating antisemitism. This year, Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center launched the nation’s first-ever antisemitism clinic at a law school. Led by Mark Goldfeder, a rabbi and lawyer whose academic focus has been on constitutional and international law, this clinic is designed to train the next generation of legal advocates. “We plan to produce advocates who will contribute in a meaningful way to the community, whether through litigation, legislation or education,” says Goldfeder. “Our graduates will use the skills they 36
learn to defend individuals or institutions, advocate for meaningful change and address antisemitism in real-life, impactful ways, including, for example, in employment and housing discrimination. The training we provide will equip our students with the skills and legal background they need to make a difference.” The Touro Law students are learning from a professor whose real-world experience is already influencing policy. In fact, Goldfeder wrote the seminal law review article, “Defining Antisemitism,” after much discussion in the national arena around the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Largely as a result of his work, a supermajority of U.S. states have now adopted this definition in some form. Beyond that, Goldfeder founded The National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC), a nonprofit that addresses antisemitism with advocacy, expert testimony, legislation and litigation. In that role, he has testified before Congress and the Senate on antisemitism and engages in strategic impact litigation, using new legal theories to expand the toolbox of ways in which the legal system can address anti-Jewish discrimination. Hands-On, Real-World Training Touro Law students enrolled in the clinic are given extensive background training on various areas of law ranging
from Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to the Anti-Terrorism Act. They are then assigned hands-on opportunities to develop their legal skills; working under a team of dedicated experts
Our graduates will use the skills they learn to defend individuals or institutions, advocate for meaningful change and address antisemitism in real-life, impactful ways” supervised by Goldfeder, they interact directly with clients and learn the process of handling a case from start to finish. The goal is that by the end of their training, they will be equipped to handle matters on their own. The students are also offered the opportunity to extend their training and experience through internships and externships at organizations that fight antisemitism. “I’m grateful to Touro for creating a space where students can pursue justice while standing proudly for our Jewish identity and the broader community,” says Jacob Gaon, a third-year Touro Law student who is participating in the antisemitism clinic. “The clinic provides us with a rare opportunity to engage in meaningful legal advocacy under the
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Assistant Professor Mark Goldfeder (center) took Antisemitism Law Clinic students, Jacob Gaon (left) and David Rofeh (right), to the White House, where they met with leaders of the DOJ Task Force on Antisemitism, the Deputy Secretary of Labor, the Senior Director for Counterterrorism and other senior White House officials
guidance of one of the nation’s leading experts on religious liberty and Jewish civil rights.” This semester, clinic students have completed trainings on antisemitism for the FBI, Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies; worked with the NYC Antisemitism Task Force; and met with senior administration officials. The students have worked on
state, federal and international cases, and are developing areas of expertise. Several are also working on accompanying academic papers to submit for publication. “It’s amazing how quickly the Antisemitism Law Clinic has made an impact—in the community and in the classroom,” says Goldfeder. “Our students aren’t just studying the law—
they’re out there using it—helping real clients, shaping policy and standing up for Jewish civil rights. You can see them growing into advocates in real time. We’re really proud of what’s being built here, and we’re just getting started—next semester, we’ll be expanding our partnerships and taking on new cases that push the boundaries of what civil rights protection can look like.” TOURO.EDU | 37
Promoting Jewish Identity
Bridging Medicine and Jewish Law Dr. Edward Lebovics, editor, Medical Halachah Annual, and Sarah C. Upham Professor of Gastroenterology, Medicine, New York Medical College
In a world where medicine advances at breakneck speed, the need for guidance on the ethical and Jewish law ramifications of new medical technologies and procedures has never been greater. With the debut of the Medical Halachah Annual, Touro University is at the forefront of addressing these complexities in a publication designed to explore the intersection of Jewish law and modern medicine.
considerations surrounding gene editing, IVF and uterine transplantation. The current edition addresses Jewish law implications of weight reducing drugs, such as semaglutide (Ozempic), as well as the ethics of posthumous sperm retrieval. This issue has arisen recently in the wake of October 7 and the tragic deaths of so many young soldiers who have not had the chance to have families.
The Medical Halachah Annual is a collaborative effort between noted medical and rabbinic leaders. Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, the journal initially focused on the pressing ethical and halachic dilemmas brought to light by the global crisis.
The Medical Halachah Annual delves into issues and diseases that are particularly relevant to the Jewish community, such as BRCA genetic testing, Crohn’s disease and Gaucher’s disease. Articles examine the interplay of genetics, environmental factors and cultural considerations.
The initiative’s purpose quickly expanded beyond addressing immediate challenges. “Our goal is twofold,” explains Dr. Edward Lebovics, the journal’s editor and Sarah C. Upham Professor of Gastroenterology, Medicine, at Touro’s New York Medical College. “First, to provide guidance in areas where established halachah, or Jewish law, discourse is lacking. Second, to explore new medical technologies and issues that haven’t been extensively addressed in halachic literature.”
The journal also addresses Jewish medical history, covering topics such as the Black Plague’s parallels to COVID-19 and antisemitic admissions policies in medical schools in the early part of the 20th century.
The journal’s articles span a wide range of topics, from the implications of second opinions in Jewish law to ethical 38
“Our work is not about advancing a particular agenda,” says Dr. Lebovics. “We aim to inform, educate and provide a platform for thoughtful exploration of halachic issues that clinicians, rabbis and laypeople alike face in today’s medical landscape. We seek to present a range of authentic Jewish law perspectives, sparking dialogue and pro-
moting understanding.” In just three volumes, the Medical Halachah Annual has solidified its place as a vital resource for those navigating the intricate intersections of Torah values and modern medicine. For Touro University, it’s a manifestation of its mission to integrate academic excellence with ethical and spiritual guidance.
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Promoting Jewish Identity
Connection and Community on Campus
STUDENTS AND STAFF WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE JEWISH IDENTITY THRIVES AT NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE AND TOURO COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE
Nestled within the campus of New York Medical College (NYMC) and Touro College of Dental Medicine lies a vibrant, organized Jewish community affectionately nicknamed “the Shtetl.” More than just a moniker, the Shtetl represents a robust network of support, camaraderie and tradition for Jewish students navigating the rigors of medical and dental education. “As the largest institution of higher learning under Jewish auspices, we feel it is our mission to foster a vibrant Jewish community on campus where the students can take leadership positions, training them to become future leaders in their communities,” says Touro University Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Krupka. Led by Rabbi Baruch Fogel, the campus rabbi for Touro’s Westchester campus, a member of the Touro University System, the Shtetl provides a sanctuary for students who value their Jewish identity while pursuing demanding academic careers. “The Shtetl is more than just a minyan,” Rabbi Fogel explains. “It’s a community. We have a synagogue on campus, regular prayers, and a schedule that accommodates the intense demands of dental and medical students.” The Shtetl’s activities center around its synagogue, housed in the Alumni House on campus. Each day begins with morning 40
prayers tailored to the schedules of students in clinical rotations. For third and fourth-year dental students, for instance, prayers start early, ensuring they can meet their clinic commitments. “The minyan is often run by dental students,” Rabbi Fogel says. “It’s remarkable to see how committed they are, despite their busy schedules.” The Shtetl’s reach extends beyond prayer services. Shabbatons—weekend-long communal events—are a monthly highlight, offering students an
Knowing I could attend a school with kosher food, a minyan and other Jewish students was incredibly reassuring” opportunity to connect over meals, discussions and shared experiences. “The first Shabbaton I attended was during my first week at NYMC,” says Shloime Greenberger, a second-year medical student and co-president of the Shtetl. “I found myself thrust into the heart of the community, leading prayers and helping organize events. It was an incredible introduction.” For many students, the Shtetl is an unexpected but welcome part of their NYMC experience. “I chose NYMC partly because of
its Jewish infrastructure,” says David Schipper, a third-year medical student and vice president of the Shtetl. “Knowing I could attend a school with kosher food, a minyan and other Jewish students was incredibly reassuring.” The Shtetl’s student-led board is composed of 11 members who coordinate a wide range of activities, from weekly Torah classes to holiday celebrations. Another aspect of the Shtetl is its inclusivity. While it adheres to Orthodox traditions, the community welcomes all Jewish students, regardless of their level of observance. This welcoming environment is evident in events like Tu B’Shvat celebrations and Purim parties, which foster connections among students from diverse backgrounds. “Everyone likes to feel part of something,” Greenberger notes. “The Shtetl provides a space where Jewish students can embrace their identity without hesitation.” The influence of the Shtetl which is funded by private philanthropy to support the University mission, extends beyond the NYMC campus. Its proximity to the Westchester Medical Center means that even Jewish patients and their families sometimes join for Shabbat meals or prayers. This connection underscores the broader mission of the Shtetl— to create a cohesive Jewish community that bridges the
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gap between campus life and professional aspirations. “We’re not just building a community for today,” Schipper says. “We’re laying the groundwork for a vibrant Jewish presence that future students can benefit from.” Plans are in motion to expand housing options and potentially build a dedicated synagogue to accommodate married students and families. “If you build it, they will come,” Schipper jokes.
Ultimately, the Shtetl is about more than events or infrastructure—it’s about creating a sense of belonging. For students like Greenberger, who moved to Valhalla without knowing anyone on campus, the Shtetl has been transformative. “It’s amazing to see people come together,” he says. “Whether it’s over a bagel after minyan or at a Shabbaton meal, the sense of community here is something special.”
Rabbi Fogel sums it up by saying that the Shtetl is “a reflection of the students who make it their own. Their dedication and warmth have turned it into more than just a place to pray or eat— it’s a home away from home.” As the Shtetl continues to grow, it remains a testament to the power of community, faith and shared purpose for students on the arduous journey through medical and dental school.
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Promoting Jewish Identity
Speaking Up for Israel
LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE TEACHES TOURO STUDENTS HOW TO TAKE A STAND
While Touro is a diverse institution, some of its undergraduate programs are dedicated specifically to educate the Jewish community. For those students, learning leadership skills and supporting Jewish causes is an important component of their education. It’s a challenging time for colleges as they face ongoing student protests and a sharp rise in antisemitism. Jewish students in particular are often unsure how to respond to the dangerous narratives and hateful rhetoric that have taken hold on many college campuses. Though Touro has created a welcoming environment that is a safe haven for Jewish students, we also realize that our students need more than professional training if they are to thrive in today’s world and workplace. Whether or not they want to be spokespeople for the community, Jews are going to be asked questions when current events focus on Israel. To prepare students for this role, Lander College for Women—The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School (LCW) has created the Jewish Advocacy and Global Engagement Fellowship, a much-needed program that provides training on the most effective ways to speak up for Israel and other issues of importance to the Jewish world. The Fellowship director is Malka Fleischmann, a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, who is excited to prepare students for “the complexity of what will face 42
them outside of Touro and to educate them about the resources and structures that exist for the Jewish community to advocate for itself.” The program was conceived by LCW Dean Marian Stoltz-Loike, who recognized that although students are in a supportive environment within the Touro LCW community, they are certain to encounter people who espouse anti-Israel and antisemitic views, whether in the professional world, in their personal relationships or on social media.
Most of our students realize they’ll be encountering many different perspectives when they leave Touro” “The last year has underscored the need for Jewish leaders who can communicate clearly, articulately and effectively regarding Israel and the Jewish community,” Dean StoltzLoike says. “Our advocacy program, which was conceived of even before October 7, provides our students with the skills they need to speak up on behalf of Israel and issues related to the community—as future Jewish leaders in their communities and beyond.” Students learn basic advocacy and diplomacy skills as well as best practices for communicat-
ing with friends, coworkers and neighbors on issues related to Israel and Jewish causes. Students participate in workshops and hear lectures from notable experts in Jewish advocacy. Speakers included Wall Street Journal editor Adam Kirsch, and Harvard graduate student, Shabbos Kestenbaum, who is researching the intersection between public policy and contemporary Jewish life in America. The program culminates in an advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., or Albany to speak about antisemitism and other concerns to elected officials. For Dean Stoltz-Loike, this training is an essential part of her students’ education. “Most of our students realize they’ll be encountering many different perspectives when they leave Touro, and those who’ve had this advocacy training will be well positioned to interact effectively, thoughtfully and respectfully.” Sheila Reiff, a participant in last year’s Fellowship cohort, shared that “I gained invaluable insights and increased my confidence in navigating real-life scenarios. This was an incredible opportunity to expand my knowledge about Israel while learning how to talk about potentially fraught topics.”
PHOTO CREDIT: AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA/MOSHE GERSHBAUM
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Lander College for Women students in the NYS capitol during the Agudath Israel’s Advocacy Day Mission to Albany
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COMMUNITY
SERVICE
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Community Service
Two-Fold Mission
LIVING TOURO’S PURPOSE THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE
Touro has always pursued a dual mission: to preserve Jewish tradition, and to provide education in fields that serve the community at large. At Touro, this means reaching out beyond the classroom to local communities. Every day, students and faculty at the University’s numerous professional schools live Touro’s commitment to public service and helping society. Mentoring underserved youth, providing free legal services to the needy, and offering wellness education to local communities, are some of the ways Touro students gain realworld experience while being trained to lead and serve. Spread out across the U.S., Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM) trains osteopathic physicians with an emphasis on practicing medicine in underserved communities. A majority of students engage with local communities to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities through health fairs, clinics and other service opportunities. At the Harlem campus’ popular biannual health fairs, new partnerships are forged with local organizations, as everyone teams up to provide services that draw hundreds of attendees. Students provide blood pressure checks and glucose screenings; eye exams; hepatitis counseling; and distribute information on breast and cervical cancer, hepatitis 46
and healthy eating. At the Middletown, New York, campus, students team up to back powerful causes. They walk to support Alzheimer’s research and run to help domestic violence victims and a local women’s shelter. They visit children at schools to share information about nutrition and healthy eating habits. At “Teddy Bear Clinics,” they help reduce children’s fears of visiting the doctor by doing simulated medical checkups that teach the value of preventative medicine—all while the children hug their stuffed animals. At the new Montana campus, there’s a focus on increasing representation of Native American physicians in medicine and promoting primary care in rural communities. MedAchieve: Trying out Medicine in High School At Touro, increasing the number of underrepresented practitioners starts in high school. Through TouroCOM’s award-winning afterschool STEM program, MedAchieve, hundreds of high school students—many of whom live in medically underserved communities—are mentored and inspired to pursue careers in healthcare. For some alumni, that path has led back to Touro. MedAchieve alumni are returning to TouroCOM to become DOs or enroll in its rigorous M.S. program that serves as a pipeline to the DO degree.
MedAchieve alum Hannah Reinle, OMS-I, grew up in Cornwall, New York, an underserved community where access to primary care and emergency services are lacking. At MedAchieve, she felt welcomed and inspired by the lectures, cadaver lab and her mentor—an experience she recalls as “pivotal” in her pursuit of a medical career. “He encouraged me during every activity and built up my self-confidence,” she says. “Our mentors were sources of advice and knowledge about college and medical school life that we would not have otherwise had access to.” At Touro University School of Health Sciences (SHS), community service projects are required to graduate. Students work with individuals who have disabilities; teach technology to seniors in nursing homes; and volunteer at a therapeutic horsemanship program. They staff the Touro University Speech & Hearing Center, that provides affordable services to the community. Students and faculty in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program collaborate on events with a nonprofit that redistributes parts of used prosthetic limbs to people in need worldwide. At “Disassembly Days” on campus, students disassemble the limbs and learn about the humanitarian need for them. “Students feel empowered and
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Touro dental students educate kids about oral health during Give Kids a Smile event
humbled by their ability to make a difference supporting individuals with limb loss,” says Assistant Professor Yocheved Bensinger-Brody. In the Occupational Therapy Program, students run clothing and coat drives; walk to raise money for cancer research; and run wellness groups for residents in assisted living facilities, where the focus is on fall prevention, exercise and socialization. They also volunteer in classrooms; help run events at a local Jewish community center; and volunteer at a nonprofit that provides therapy through horsemanship for children and adults with developmental, emotional, social and physical challenges. Free Legal Help to Start Small Businesses and Educate Underserved Children At Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, a Small
Business Legal Assistance Clinic provides free legal services to minority and women-owned small businesses on Long Island. The clinic provides much-needed help with startups and valuable hands-on experience for law students. Children who are underserved, immigrants, or who have disabilities or come from low-income backgrounds, can get free legal help overcoming barriers to high-quality public education. At the center’s Education Justice Clinic, students help represent children in civil rights, school discipline and special education cases. Pharmacists Cultivate Awareness through Service “The execution of high-quality community events are a true demonstration of our mission; that is, to develop the next generation of pharmacists vested in promoting wellness,
especially among underserved populations,” says Dr. Michael Liu, assistant dean of clinical and professional affairs at Touro College of Pharmacy (TCOP). Students and faculty partner with community groups, senior centers and government agencies such as the NYC Department of Aging, to help seniors living in city housing and assisted living facilities, with medication and health counseling. They check vitals and bone density, and counsel on medication management. In keeping with the school’s historically active role in immunization programs, TCOP’s student pharmacists also screen seniors’ health histories to make sure they can receive important vaccines. They have taken their counsel to public schools where they talk to students about the perils of prescription drug abuse. At a recent community health
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Community Service
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine students gear up to deliver health education and screenings at a campus health fair
fair with TouroCOM in Harlem, pharmacy student Ryan Fabian counseled visitors about how to take drugs and manage side effects. “More importantly, we offered education about the disease itself,” he says. “Often, we find people just take their medications, but don’t really change their lifestyle to actually help.” Touro Dental Teaches Kids Healthy Habits at Annual Give Kids a Smile Day Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) incorporates all the hallmarks of Touro—a high-quality education with a focus on public health and serving the community. TCDM’s annual Give Kids a Smile Day is a 48
The execution of high-quality community events are a true demonstration of our mission” favorite of the community, bringing together dental students, faculty and volunteer dentists to provide free screenings, education and fun activities for families around New York. Touro Dental’s young patients and their families enjoy face painting, snacks, arts and crafts, educational activities, and a visit from the Tooth Fairy. The event, organized
each year by Touro’s dental students, aims to improve oral health and access to care for the local community’s most vulnerable patients. Third and fourth-year dental students team up with TCDM faculty and volunteer dentists to give their young patients free dental screenings, cleanings, orthodontic consultations and oral health education activities designed to foster good oral hygiene practices at home. In addition to highlighting Touro Dental Health’s commitment to providing access to dental services, especially for underserved populations with special needs, Give Kids A Smile underscores the College’s commitment to community service.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Meanwhile, our dental center in New York is dedicated to helping people with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD), a population with limited or no access to dental care. Plans are underway to build a TouroCAREs clinic, which will be dedicated to treating more members of this community and training the next generation of specialists. Utilizing advanced assistive technology to deliver crucial oral healthcare in a caring and supportive environment, the goal of the clinic is to remedy longstanding access issues, mitigate emergency room visits and hospitalizations and train more dentists capable of providing humane and specialized dental care to IDD individuals. TouroCAREs will ultimately improve oral health outcomes, enhance independence and promote overall well-being within the IDD community. Similarly, the Pierce Autism Center, at Touro University Nevada, was created to offer evidence-based applied behavioral analysis services to families and children diagnosed with autism and/or a developmental disability. The demand for services far exceeds the services available in the area and the center helps bridge the gap by providing support for a wide range of developmental issues, helping children reach their full potential.
Touro dental students deliver care to special needs patients at Touro Dental Health clinic
High school students learn about science and medicine from their med school mentors during regular visits to the TouroCOM campus as part of the MedAchieve program
Touro College of Pharmacy students review medications at the school’s Brown Bag event serving the local community
These programs help to accomplish Touro University’s strategy to make a positive impact, expand educational opportunities and enrich society. By investing in underserved communities, we’re investing in a better future for us all. TOURO.EDU | 49
Community Service
More Providers Where the Need is Greatest ADDING PA STUDENTS TO RURAL HEALTHCARE
As the only physician assistant (PA) training program in the country where all students get both Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees, Touro University California’s Joint MSPAS/MPH Program was built on a mission: assist underserved communities by increasing access to high-quality, culturally sensitive healthcare. The program recruits students aligned with that mission, who want to add the wider public health lens to their practice. Now that mission has gotten a big boost: A five-year REACH (Rural Education and Community Health) grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has increased the number of Touro PA students training in some of northern California’s most rural counties. These are communities, and clinic sites, in some of the most challenging situations in American healthcare—understaffed, underfunded and seeing patients whose health has often been deeply compromised by poverty. Adding Public Health to PA Practice Touro’s Joint Program is proud to be one of only 12 PA programs nationwide, and the only program in California, to receive the REACH grant. The grant embodies what Touro students will add to healthcare across the U.S.—not just in practice, but also in policy and administration. “I’m a Joint PA/MPH grad, 50
and I think having the MPH gave me the skill set to write these grants. Not only can I see patients, but I’m also able to think of a bigger picture of how I can effect change,” says Program Director Joy Moverley, DHSC, MPH, PA-C. Increasing Rural Provider Capacity One of the REACH grant sites is the Round Valley Indian Health Center, which serves the approximately 3,000 people living on the Round Valley Indian Reservation and in the tiny northern California mountain town of Covelo. Touro PA students have done six-week training rotations at Round Valley since 2022. The grant doubles those numbers to 12-week placements and two students at a time. “Sometimes we’re down to one provider, and that’s pretty hard,” says Rose Abono, clinic manager for the medical facility at Round Valley. “That’s when you really appreciate your PA students.” Complex Needs, Limited Resources Training in a facility without enough providers means that Touro’s PA students are immediately thrown into the deep end. “While it was a primary care clinic, it also felt more like an urgent care,” says Neil Daag, a Touro student who rotated through Round Valley in August and September 2024. “Some people have really complex conditions. Sending out to specialty care was a challenge, just
because it takes so much time to get out of the Valley.” Providing Care in Challenging Locations Round Valley struggles because of its remote location: It is over an hour from the nearest hospital, often snowed-in in winter, when mountain roads become unpassable and endures power and internet outages— which take down the Electronic Health Record—year round. “I tell students to be prepared to live sometimes like you’re camping,” says Abono. “I think it’s a great eye-opener to see what it’s really like to be so far away from help, and from things that everybody takes for granted.” Yet the clinic turns no one away. Abono set up an outdoor care bay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three days a week they transport patients to a dialysis facility an hour and a half away. Touro students accompany providers on house calls. And the patient population includes seasonal farmworkers, who often need connections to food assistance and insurance. Daag says those challenges helped strengthen his practice. “They need the help, and there’s just not enough providers,” he says. “They appreciate and expect the students to step in and be ready. That helped me, or forced me, to learn and grow my confidence a lot quicker than I thought I would. I felt a lot more autonomy and feeling like a provider in this setting than I have in my other rotations.”
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Touro Opens Eighth PA Program Last year, Touro University opened its first Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program in Los Angeles. The program is run in partnership with Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City, and both organizations share a deep commitment to expanding healthcare education and meeting the needs of medically disadvantaged
communities across California. This is Touro’s eighth PA program and part of the school’s larger mission to train healthcare professionals who embody compassion, skill and dedication.
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SPOTLIGHTS
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Attention to Detail
TOURO GRAD OVERSEES FINANCIAL GIFTS THAT CHANGE LIVES WORLDWIDE
Saul Bakst may have the best job in the world. He gives away other people’s money. Specifically, he oversees the activities of Pershing Square Philanthropies, the giving arm of billionaire Hedge Fund manager Bill Ackman. Bakst doesn’t decide who receives the financial gifts, but as director of Philanthropic Operations, he manages the business end of the organization. He makes sure the numbers work,
This job—it is exciting, and I work for a couple who really tries to do good in the world,” says Bakst, 50, of Ackman and his wife and Co-Trustee Neri Oxman. “I love coming into work in the morning. This is literally my dream job!” tax implications and regulations are followed, bills get paid, and more. In essence, he oversees the business end of philanthropy, the dotting of every “i” and crossing of every “t.” “This job—it is exciting, and I work for a couple who really tries to do good in the world,” says Bakst, 50, of Ackman and his wife and Co-Trustee Neri Oxman. “I love coming into work in the morning. This is literally my dream job!” Bakst began the journey toward his ideal post at Touro University, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance. “The program is made to fit a student’s 54
schedule,” he says. “Flexible hours, great professors, great education. Students and professors are serious. It is no joke; the point is to prepare students for a complete start to their careers.” For a decade before landing at Pershing Square Philanthropies in 2021, the Brooklyn native, and father of seven, worked at the Ford Foundation as director of Investment Accounting, Reporting & Tax. “The wide variety of finance-related coursework I took at Touro provided me with the broad and solid foundation that was critical to my success,” says Bakst. “My Touro education truly helped in my transition from a narrowly focused trading role to the diverse accounting/ finance/tax/investment/operational position I took on at the hedge fund, then at Ford, and in my current role.” At his current job, Bakst is experiencing how good it feels to help pay it forward. Pershing Square Philanthropies has committed over $800 million since inception and grants over $50 million annually to innovative leaders, nonprofits and mission-driven companies seeking to solve humanity’s most challenging problems. Among the fund’s recipients are promising young researchers searching for treatments and cures for cancer and neurological diseases, small scale agriculture groups in Africa, environmental programs, criminal justice reform, and more. “It’s a rewarding job beyond what I could have imagined,” says Bakst. “Let’s just say I sleep very well at night.”
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS
Saul Bakst, director of Philanthropic Operations, Pershing Square Philanthropies TOURO.EDU | 55
Judah Hammer, executive vice president, Debt and Structured Finance, CBRE
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Alumni Spotlights
From Touro to Global Commercial Real Estate
LANDER COLLEGE FOR MEN (LCM) ALUM JUDAH HAMMER, CLASS OF ‘05, TALKS ABOUT HIS CAREER JOURNEY
Judah Hammer has successfully closed over 1,400 loans nationwide, totaling over $10 billion in transactions over the course of his two decades in real estate. Hammer shares his career journey, how to balance staying hungry with being humble. What inspired you to go into real estate? Real estate doesn’t mean one thing. It is a wide market with many different opportunities. I interned at a local real estate management firm on Long Island one summer while I was in Lander College, and it opened my eyes to all the different opportunities within the field. I was never going to be an employee who sat at a desk and worked spreadsheets. I like having social interaction, I appreciate the art of negotiation, and I enjoy problem-solving, which made a sales job more up my alley than an analyst or management job. Can you describe your career trajectory from when you left college to your current position? Someone introduced me to a senior-level broker at Meridian Capital Group in 2005, he hired me, and I spent 19 years there building relationships and learning the business. Earlier in 2024, I switched companies to a large national full-service real estate firm called CBRE. Can you share a day in the life as Executive Vice President, Debt and
Structured Finance, at CBRE? Honestly, every day is different. It contains many interactions with many people across the company. Cross-selling and sharing relationships, concepts and ideas. It involves speaking with banks, real estate owners, lawyers, appraisers and other service individuals across the industry. Essentially what I do is originate, place and close loans on commercial real estate. We work with all types of lenders from banks, debt funds to credit unions, CMBS, insurance and agency lenders (Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac). The goal is to find the right loan product and lending solution for each deal and each sponsor at any given point in the market. What has been the high point of your career so far? I have to say the best feeling I had was when I was able to leverage relationships that I built in the business world to help the yeshiva I am connected to, Yeshiva Gedolah of the Five Towns, to secure a loan to build the building they are currently occupying. What is the secret to your success? Not feeling like you are ever successful. I love observing successful people who are truly humble. Finding a balance between staying hungry and staying humble seems to be a good recipe for those who are successful. Holding true to your values and having the right perspective and priorities.
What do you find most rewarding about your job? Most challenging? Human beings are driven by the feeling of winning. When you win you feel good but more importantly, it makes you hungrier to go out and do it again, do it better and push even further. I feel that when we are transacting, and you get the deal through challenges and close it, it drives you to want to fight the next battle. I also truly believe that it conditions you for life. We each have to define what winning is for us in each situation and feel satisfaction in what we do. What did you study at Touro? At Lander College for Men, I majored in management and marketing. And the truth is—I’m marketing, or selling myself, all day, so the training was quite valuable. You give back as part of the Alumni Association at Lander College for Men. Why do you contribute in that way and how do you think it helps the school and the students? My parents have always driven home the importance of gratitude and having a good reputation. Lander College created a great bridge for me coming off the highs of Torah study in yeshiva for a few years and coming back to the realities of life—trying to be a Jew who lives by the Torah, when I’m out in the real world.
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Alumni Spotlights
Foundation for Success
DENTAL STUDENT’S JOURNEY FROM TOURO TO HARVARD STARTED WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH
For Oliver Viera, the path to becoming a prosthodontist was borne of hard work, perseverance and sacrifice. Viera’s story is one of determination, supported by his family and the nurturing environment at the Touro College of Dental Medicine. Born in the Bronx and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, Viera graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts and an eye toward dental school. Despite his resolve, it took him three full application cycles before he was accepted to dental school. Eventually, Viera reached out to several schools to find out what he could do to improve his candidacy, and only Touro responded, taking the time to help him refine and improve his application.
Dr. Oliver Viera, prosthodontics resident, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
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“They really coached me and helped me through that process, when other schools just looked at me as if I were an applicant number not worth their time. Touro took a deeper look,” he says, and was particularly grateful for the guidance of James DeMaio, Sr., the director of admissions. “I don’t know if they saw potential, but they treated me like a person, not a number. They gave me tips and helped me improve my scores on the Dental Admissions Test, so I became a candidate for admission.” By 2019, he was a student at the Touro College of Dental Medicine. Viera quickly embraced the school’s collaborative and supportive atmosphere. He thrived in the preclinical years, finding mentors in faculty members, like Dr. Golda Erdfarb, an associate professor of dental medicine, and taking on a teaching assistant role to help first-year students. “I genuinely looked forward to going to school every day,” he says. In his clinical work, despite finding the treatment of his patients rewarding, Viera found it frustrating that, at his current level, he could not treat every patient, specifically those who required advanced specialist care for their restorative treatment. Instead, these patients were mostly sent to a prosthodontic clinic, a dental specialty that focuses on replacing or repairing missing or damaged teeth and jaw structures. Observing the prosthodontists
at the clinic combining creativity, science and artistry to restore patients’ confidence and smiles made Viera realize that he wanted a career in the field. “Seeing patients transform and regain their joy is incredibly rewarding,” he says. Viera applied for a spot at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s advanced graduate education program in prosthodontics after seeing a presentation by a Touro alumnus about his experience there, and this time he was accepted on his first try. He is now in his third year. While his professional growth has been fulfilling, it comes with personal sacrifices. Viera commutes weekly from Boston to Connecticut, where his wife teaches and cares for their young son. “My family has been incredibly supportive,” he says. “They encouraged me to follow my dreams, even if it meant being apart.” Reflecting on his journey, Viera credits Touro University’s supportive educational environment for laying the foundation of his success and its commitment to him from the very beginning. “Had it not been for select individuals and Touro opening the door to me, the trajectory of my life would have been radically different,” he says. “I am eternally grateful to everyone at Touro who gave me the opportunity to grow and believe in myself. They gave me a shot and treated me like a student even before I was one.”
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Doctor on Call
A PSYCHIATRIST OFFERS HIS PATIENTS A REAL SHOT AT MENTAL HEALTH
Dr. Kevin Lemaire applied to med school with a hugely impressive list of outside activities in high school and as a college undergraduate. As president of the Haitian American Club, he spent his time at Brooklyn College creating cultural events and fundraisers following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti that killed 300,000 people.
healthcare delivery system.
Lemaire was accepted into a one-year master’s program at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, which, upon successful completion, would allow him entry to the school’s Doctor of Osteopathic medical program. “Touro gave me an unbelievable opportunity to prove myself and to get into medical school through a different route.”
It’s impossible for Lemaire to do just one thing. While in medical school and residency, for instance, he was an active member of Psychiatry Student Interest Group, Student Ambassador Program, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Teacher’s Assistant Program and a MedAchieve mentor scholar. He entered a psychiatry residency program at Garnet Health in Middletown, New York, where he researched alternative therapies for PTSD and was the chief resident of his class.
You’re not dealing with glitz and glamour. You’re dealing with marginalized young and old people who suffer from schizophrenia, depression, PTSD and catatonia, and many of them want to die” He graduated in 2017 and is now the medical director of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at Jersey City Medical Center, a member of Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, the state’s largest integrated
“I see patients, I supervise medical school students and residents,” says Lemaire, 36. “And I have a unique opportunity to shape and mold the next generation of doctors in general and specifically doctors of color. I love every aspect of the roles for which I’ve been entrusted.”
“Touro professors gave me everything I needed to become a successful, compassionate and knowledgeable psychiatrist,” he says.
Dr. Kevin Lemaire, medical director. Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health
die—in fact, have attempted suicide more than once. They need help and that’s what I pledge to provide.” To keep himself mentally fit, Lemaire spends time with his wife and little girl and believes strongly in the power of laughter to heal. “I love to laugh,” he says. “And I laugh hardest at my own jokes.”
Through psychiatry residencies and rounds, Lemaire also discovered his passion to treat patients with mental disorders and diseases. “My work is intense,” he says. “You’re not dealing with glitz and glamour. You’re dealing with marginalized young and old people who suffer from schizophrenia, depression, PTSD and catatonia, and many of them want to TOURO.EDU | 59
Dean Glas, startup entrepreneur
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Alumni Spotlights
Envision, Design, Build—Repeat
A SERIAL STARTUP CREATOR FINDS SUCCESS BY RECOGNIZING A NEED AND FILLING IT
It’s easy to imagine that if Dean Glas wanted to sell the Brooklyn Bridge, buyers would line up around the block. But he is neither crook nor con man. In fact, he is an earnest guy with a knack for creating, running and scaling startups. “In elementary school, I sold candy bars and sodas to my classmates during recess,” Glas, now 33, says with a laugh. “I was a hit with the kids—though their parents, not so much.” In his last semester at Touro University, Glas had already cofounded GeoGif, the first company specializing in location-based animation stickers and filters. Think of it as a way to let users bring their photos and videos to life with playful, animated designs tied to specific locations and interests. Glas and his co-founder raised $500,000 in seed funding and decided to quit school to focus full time on the company. His parents, immigrants from Israel and Argentina who had worked their way into the middle class, were understandably less than thrilled. But Glas trusted his instincts.
professors not only encouraged my ideas but also guided me on how to make them a reality.” Since then, Glas has founded and led several successful companies, including SellX, the first on-demand sales automation platform that connects top-tier talent with fastgrowing companies, helping them scale efficiently.
From the time I was too young to know the word ‘entrepreneur’ I’ve been driven by the mission to find a need and fill it” For Glas, it’s never been about the money. “From the time I was too young to know the word ‘entrepreneur,’” he says, “I’ve been driven by the mission to find a need and fill it.” Now splitting his time between New York City and Los Angeles, the newlywed continues doing what he does best. “I’m obsessed with innovation, constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” he says. “For me, it’s the journey that’s the most exciting part.”
Smart move. In 2019, TikTok bought GeoGif. “I felt bad disappointing my parents, but I knew I had to follow my heart,” he reflects. “It was one of the best decisions of my life.” Glas eventually returned to Touro and graduated a couple of years later. “I loved Touro because it opened so many doors for me,” he says. “The TOURO.EDU | 61
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
Ella Morris, accelerated accounting program student, Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences
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Full Speed Ahead
ACCELERATED ACCOUNTING PROGRAM FAST-TRACKS STUDENTS FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER
Touro’s accelerated accounting program is fast, flexible and exactly what students need to succeed. Ella Morris is a one-woman booster for Touro University’s accelerated accounting program and a stereotype buster for number crunchers everywhere. She can’t wait to take her CPA exam, and she credits Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences for teaching her all she needs to pass the test and begin her career. “I chose Touro because I heard so many great things about the accounting department and the professors, how they really help each student succeed and help them find suitable jobs, and it’s all true,” says Morris, 20, who
will graduate this summer. She also appreciates Touro’s accelerated accounting program for its academic breadth and depth. “Finance, tax, ten different accounting classes, covering multiple angles,” she says. “Everything from government to business to nonprofit.” Because the program is designed to be flexible, Morris is able to take night classes while working full time at a small Brooklyn-based accounting firm. She helps keep the company’s books as well as aids the staff accountants with the firm’s outside clients. “It started with an internship my first semester,” she explains, “and it turned into a full-time job.”
Since high school in her native Los Angeles, Morris has wanted to be an accountant. She loves the elegance and logic of numbers. “Always I liked math—learn the problems, solve the problems,” she says, laughing. “I always hated English classes.” Morris looks forward to one day to being the controller of a large corporation. “I’m really excited about my future career,” she says. Still, she understands why some may consider accounting dull. “It can be a real conversation stopper,” she acknowledges, wryly. “It’s a practical, not a passionate, career choice. But it’s not at all boring.”
95% Employed 95% of accounting (CPA) grads employed or enrolled in a graduate program six months after earning their B.S. degree.
2nd Highest Pass Rate on the Uniform CPA exam among all colleges and universities in New York State.
Graduates of Touro’s accounting program are employed at Ernst & Young, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, Grant Thornton, BKD, RSM, BDO, CBIZ and more
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Student Spotlights
Software Artisan
A TOP COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY STUDENT LEARNED TO THINK CRITICALLY AND TRUST HER TALENT TO JUMP START HER CAREER
Her professors called Nicole Mandel a superstar student. She is way too modest to acknowledge any more than that she works hard and loves everything about the subject and the school. Mandel was a computer science major at Touro University’s Lander College for Women—The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School. After a successful summer internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), she returned to PwC as a software engineer associate. Mandel is thankful for a skill she was taught at every step of her education at Touro. “Critical thinking,” she says. “Both the professors and the program are
Nicole Mandel, computer science alum, Touro’s Lander College for Women, software engineer at PwC 64
excellent, but what was invaluable was how they challenged and engaged us, how we learned to work in teams, to be creative and daring, not to just take information in and spit it back out. They taught us to think, to figure things out, to accomplish even more than we set out to do.”
Both the professors and the program are excellent, but what was invaluable was how they challenged and engaged us” Mandel, who lives in Brooklyn, fell in love with computer science in 10th grade while at Manhattan High School. It was then, too, that she began to understand that her grandmother had been a trailblazer in the field of computers. Now 73 and retired, she was the chief technology officer for a financial tech company. “She’s very proud of what I’m doing,” says Mandel. Mandel has spent the past three years teaching basic programming and web design part time at her alma mater, Manhattan High School for Girls. She has to give up that gig now to begin her PwC position. “I’ve loved teaching the girls, but I do think it’s about time I got out of high school,” she says, laughing.
Her favorite project, the capstone of her education, has been her senior thesis, which demanded creativity, teamwork and most important, perhaps, a willingness to leave her comfort zone and trust that she knew more than she thought she did. Mandel and her two team members created a game called WorldHeist, which sounds impossible to best if the player happens to be over the age of 30. “It’s got lots of challenges and twists and turns and fun games within the game, but pulling off the Heist can be done,” she assures. “Funny thing is neither I nor my teammates are gamers.” That didn’t stop them from acing their final project. “I’ve learned if there’s a problem, come up with a solution to solve it,” she says. “The most efficient program, easy to read and run, and fast. That’s a great feeling and such a sense of satisfaction.” Like Mandel, Touro is proud of its computer science graduates, who are currently working at Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, IBM, Deloitte, Northwell Health and many other major corporations and institutions.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Blending Tradition and Innovation
A TOURO PHARMACY STUDENT’S PATH TO ONCOLOGY
When Rajsumeet Macwan, a fourth-year student at Touro College of Pharmacy*, was growing up in India, his first introductions to pharmacy were reading package inserts for his grandmother’s medications and drinking an herbal green mixture she would prepare for him to relieve his coughs and colds. He didn’t like the drinks but he did like feeling better, which drove him to research the drink’s properties. He learned its main ingredient was an ancient herb, Vasaka. “Not only did I research the herbal remedies passed down
Not only did I research the herbal remedies passed down by my family, but also the active ingredients of modern medicine” by my family, but also the active ingredients of modern medicine,” he recalls. In high school, Macwan became fascinated with medical science, the immune system and the complexity of the human body. He pursued a B.S. in Pharmacy in India and, after his family immigrated to the U.S. shortly, thereafter, began working to earn his PharmD. “I found myself studying philosophy and liked the idea of using my critical thinking skills to help people. I realized
reading philosophy could help me become a better pharmacist,” he says. The family settled in Brooklyn, New York, and Macwan set his sights on furthering his pharmacy education. He went to work at a neighborhood pharmacy as a technician and enrolled at Brooklyn College to take social science courses that were required to apply to Touro College of Pharmacy. Touro was his top choice among pharmacy schools, he says, for its expansive pharmacy practice opportunities and research possibilities. “Touro has more practice experiences. Other pharmacy schools have one year, but Touro has oneand-a-half years of rotations. That appealed to me. Touro also has a ‘Research Track’ and I wanted to do that, too,” he says. He researched the role of a gene in the development of premalignant colon cancer. The data collected suggested high levels of the gene may lead to cancer. He presented his research at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, and it was published in Neoplasia, a science journal about oncology. The research was a highlight of his time at Touro along with other publications, posters and presentations on cancer. “Our result could enable early diagnosis of colon cancer in patients with elevated levels of the gene,” he says.
Dr. Rajsumeet Macwan, first-year resident, Michigan Medicine and adjunct clinical instructor, University of Michigan
After graduation, Macwan plans to embark on two years of postgraduate training as a pharmacy resident in a clinical setting. He’s considering a career as an oncology clinical pharmacist, inspired in part by the memory of a grandfather who passed away from cancer as well as his passion for philosophy and critical thinking. “Oncology is a very dynamic field. A lot of research takes place and many clinical trials come out of that,” he says. “You have to be on top of the studies and really understand the literature, analyze the articles and apply them to patients. It’s unlike any other field.” *At time of publication.
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Student Spotlights
Calm and Cool Under Pressure
THE RISE OF A MEDICAL STUDENT SUPERSTAR DEDICATED TO EMERGENCY CARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Abigail Smurzynski, thirdyear medical student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM)— Harlem, has wanted to become a doctor since she was a little girl, an aspiration she attributes to an overarching sadness after the passing of her grandfather from stomach cancer. “Today, I don’t think he would have died from it. It’s a lot more preventable and we have a lot more understanding. But it was one of those things that shaped our family and drove me to want to help others,” she recalls. Her college years at Brandeis University, where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Health: Science, Society and Policy, were filled with community service. She became certified in trauma and basic life support; a certified nursing assistant and ambulance driver; and an EMT in charge of a rescue squad. She also volunteered at a local hospital in surgical services, and became a student advocate for safe injection sites, deepening her understanding of the opioid crisis. Helping the Underserved TouroCOM has given her the opportunity to continue helping others. “I chose TouroCOM because 66
I wanted to work with underserved populations and I really admired their commitment to community service and to communitybased medicine,” she says. During her rigorous preclinical training, Smurzynski found time to volunteer at the school’s community health fairs in Harlem and tutor first-year medical students in immunology and microbiology. She also taught science and medicine to Harlem high school students in TouroCOM’s award-winning MedAchieve program. “MedAchieve has been one of the most rewarding experiences of medical school. The passion and enthusiasm the students have for medicine reignited my own love for the subject,” she says. “In the end, I saw how much we had all learned from each other.” Called to Emergency Medicine The summer after her first year, Smurzynski returned home to Bethesda, Maryland, to work again as an EMT. The experience convinced her to set her sights on emergency medicine. “I [had] learned a lot about how to manage chaos and people,” she says. “Going back home and working again as an EMT—filled with
all of this medical school knowledge—I wasn’t sure how the two would interact, but I loved doing emergency medicine even more.” Her TouroCOM professors attest to her coolness and composure under duress and praise her leadership, scholarship and teaching abilities. “She’s a top student. She’s way ahead in med sim,” says Assistant Professor and Director of Medical Simulation Dr. David Colbourne, an emergency paramedic himself. “There’s an air of calm about her even in the midst of chaos, which is a real talent and a true skill. In emergency medicine you need to be like a duck on a pond; calm and cool on the surface even though it’s challenging.” Research on Substance Use Disorder The past year, Smurzynski investigated factors that affect compliance with treatment for Substance Use Disorder (SUD), estimated to affect 40 million people in the U.S. She found that when doctors discuss drug and alcohol treatment with their patients, those patients are more likely to seek out and receive life-changing treatment. Yet, fewer than 10 percent of patients with SUD report ever receiving such counseling.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
Abigail Smurzynski, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine student
She attributes the low numbers to a lack of education at the medical school level. “It’s one of those topics we skip over because it’s not tested on our boards, but one in 10 people in the U.S. has an SUD. We encounter this every single day on rotations,” she says. Smurzynski will present her research at a national conference sponsored by Stanford University on addiction health services research in the fall.
“She’s a superstar. She’s very well-rounded, believes in community care and is academically excellent,” says Dr. Jeffrey Gardere, associate professor of behavioral medicine at TouroCOM and her co-investigator. “She wants to get the message out to physicians that it’s really important to explore with patients the SUD issues and offer incentives and prodding to getting treatment, and not just asking about it and moving on through the medical exam.”
As willing as her professors are to shower praise, the feeling is mutual. One of the best parts of Touro is the professors, she says. “They’re all very passionate about teaching and care a lot about their students,” says Smurzynski. “I have been able to form meaningful relationships with them, which has really enhanced the learning experience.”
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS
Dr. Mill Etienne, vice chancellor, associate dean for student affairs, and associate professor of neurology and medicine, New York Medical College
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A Polymath Thrives
ONCE A STUDENT, A NEUROLOGIST HELPS LEAD HIS ALMA MATER, NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE, INTO THE FUTURE
For his students at New York Medical College (NYMC), Mill Etienne, M.D., vice chancellor, associate dean for student affairs, and associate professor of neurology and of medicine, embodies life’s endless possibilities. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere, Dr. Etienne arrived in the United States with his family at an early age. He graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s in psychology, where he was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He then pursued his medical degree at NYMC. While at NYMC, Dr. Etienne served in the student Senate and was elected national speaker of the House of Delegates for the Student National Medical Association.
vous System Laboratory. While there, he treated a large number of wounded warriors from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and also served as the neurologist to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Dr. Etienne returned to NYMC in 2014 and has thoroughly enjoyed being back at his alma mater teaching and mentoring the next generation of physicians. While completing his residency at Columbia University, he joined the U.S. Navy. He stayed at Columbia University to complete his fellowship training in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology, while also earning a Master of Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. After completing this training, he went on active duty and served as the founding director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he also directed the Autonomic Ner-
Dr. Etienne’s academic and medical achievements not only grab his students’ attention but garner their admiration. He is a practicing neurologist, beginning his neurology career at Columbia University, and now serves as director of neurology at WMCHealth’s Good Samaritan Hospital. This role holds special significance, since this is the same hospital that cared for his family soon after their arrival from Haiti and continues to serve as his family’s community hospital.
In 2010, Dr. Etienne served as a physician and chief ethicist aboard the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship deployed to Haiti to care for victims of the devastating earthquake. A decade later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked as a physician at the Javits Center Medical Station, a temporary emergency clinic. After completing that mission, Dr. Etienne was promoted to the rank of Captain and currently serves as the executive officer for the Navy reserve command on the USNS Comfort.
On the academic front, Dr. Etienne authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles on topics including traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, stroke and artificial intelligence’s impact on health-
care. He has authored numerous book chapters, is a contributing writer for Forbes, and he is a neurotrauma consultant with the National Football League. Dr. Etienne’s dedication and exemplary service has been recognized by his receiving the Crain’s New York Business Champions of Change Award in 2021, the American Medical Association Dedication to the Profession Award in 2024, and the 2021 NYMC Gold Humanism Honor Society Leonard Tow Award for Humanism in Medicine. But what inspires him about holding a key post at NYMC is that his mission is identical to that of the school. “At a time when the consensus in the country was that women shouldn’t be educated, NYMC was making qualified women doctors,” says Dr. Etienne. “The same applies to Black people. NYMC was willing to take outstanding men and women who were just coming out of slavery and train them to become physicians. When many parts of the country denied Jewish people admission to the profession, NYMC admitted them. It didn’t matter what you were or who you were: NYMC fought against discrimination and refused to adhere to a status quo that was not just.”
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Faculty Spotlights
The Past is Prologue
TOURO HISTORY PROFESSOR FINDS MODERN MEANING IN MEDIEVAL TIMES
As Jews feel ever more threatened by political and cultural forces in today’s world, Touro Professor Dana Fishkin finds the study of Jewish history can offer helpful perspective and comfort. Fishkin teaches medieval Jewish history and literature, including courses on Italian Jewry, medieval JewishChristian encounters and the Crusades. Professor Fishkin’s interest in medieval Jews of the Italian peninsula began on a visit to Italy when she was in high school. “Touring the Great Temple of Rome, I came to appreciate the uniqueness and
antiquity of the Roman Jewish community and its satellites all over the peninsula,” she explains. This trip ignited a passion that led to a career researching and teaching about this time in history. Fishkin, who has published articles in Prooftexts and the Jewish Quarterly Review and contributed to Jewish Romance in the Middle Ages and
One of the things I most enjoy is teaching students how researchers extract information from medieval sources” the Encyclopedia of Skepticism, also published her first book, Bridging Worlds: Poetry and Philosophy in the Works of Immanuel of Rome. Bridging Worlds broadens our understanding of the tensions inherent in the world of late medieval Jewish people who were deeply entwined in Italian culture and literature, negotiating two cultures whose values may have overlapped but also sometimes clashed.
Dr. Dana Fishkin, associate professor, Touro University Graduate School of Jewish Studies and Touro’s Lander College for Women 70
Currently, Fishkin is studying medieval Jewish settlements in Le Marche, a region that became developed by Jews who left Rome. Researching the past and applying the lessons learned to the present is an important part of her work. “One of the things I most
enjoy is teaching students how researchers extract information from medieval sources. This requires an understanding that information has not historically been recorded and stored in the same way over time. The extraction of data from medieval sources is partly skill-based and partly interpretive, and this balance is what excites me most in my work,” she says. “I have been studying Jewish interactions with civic governments. Those interactions, mostly productive and positive, were also sometimes marked by outbreaks of violence. Studies such as mine will, hopefully, alert people to the types of societal stressors and anxieties that instigate people to scapegoat Jews and other minority populations.” In addition to teaching at Touro (for more than 20 years), Professor Fishkin is also an active instructor in adult education programs in the U.S. and Israel and is on the faculty for Wexner’s Heritage Fellowship. She has also taught at numerous synagogues and lifelong learner programs.
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
The Patient Always Comes First
A PROFESSOR AND ASSISTANT DEAN TIRELESSLY ADVOCATES FOR PHARMACY STUDENTS TO GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER
Michael Liu’s basic tenet for pharmacists is that they be openly and eagerly accessible to patients, no matter the setting or circumstance. Liu is the assistant dean of clinical and professional affairs at Touro College of Pharmacy. A usually serious man, he was chuckling away recently while watching “Despicable Me” on a business flight from Los Angeles to Detroit. Suddenly, mid-laugh, mid-flight, he heard one of the most alarming mid-air requests: Is there a doctor on board? “I waited a couple of seconds for a doctor to respond,” says Liu, 39. “No one did, so I jumped up.” He ended up saving the life of an elderly woman who was coming in and out of consciousness, and likely badly dehydrated, with oxygen and sips of orange juice. When the plane landed, the woman was cleared by her physician to continue her journey home. “Pharmacists must engage in medical emergencies, regardless of whether it’s in a controlled medical setting or in a public setting with limited resources. Your engagement may be the only difference between life and death.” To that end, Liu not only teaches his students but has created opportunity after opportunity to have them practice what he preaches. He wants future pharmacists to have the same chances he had to experience frontline clinical pharmacy—in all of its aspects. He has more than a decade of experience
in adult critical care medicine, managerial clinical pharmacy and, in his early 30s, was director of pharmacy residency programs for world-renowned health systems, including Yale New Haven Health. Arriving at Touro at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Liu headed up a testing program for professors, staff and students on the school’s many campuses throughout the region. When a vaccine was available, pharmacy students helped him document and handle distribution and care. “Before COVID, most people thought pharmacists were these people behind the counter,” he explains. “We learned, and we teach our students that they belong where they are needed, to answer questions, offer comfort, explain what and why patients need certain care and medications. I believe pharmacists are underutilized and I hope I am inspiring my students to help change that.” Liu, a New York City native who lives in Connecticut with his family, teaches several classes. He also brings in medical experts to enhance student learning. He takes his future pharmacists out of the classroom and into the real world through partnerships he’s developed with Mount Sinai Health System and NYC’s 1199, the leading union for healthcare workers. Liu also leads the continuing education program for the College, which provides exceptional education for experienced pharmacists all over
Dr. Michael Liu, assistant dean of clinical and professional affairs, Touro College of Pharmacy
the United States. The through line, for Liu, is that Touro’s pharmacy school is experiential. That is, students rotate in hospitals, community centers and pop-up clinics, bringing their knowledge and care to all patients. “Part of our work,” Liu says, “is to help reduce the healthcare disparity.” No matter his years of academic, clinical and administrative experience, Liu, who won the Touro University Presidential Faculty Award for Extraordinary Service, remains most satisfied when teaching newbies. “Firstyear students are my favorite,” he says. “I want to capture their enthusiasm and interest and curiosity. I want to inspire them and show them everything pharmacy can bring to the world. I want to mold them to be the best in the field. I mean, how cool a job is that?” TOURO.EDU | 71
Faculty Spotlights
A Country’s Reputation is Part of National Security
AN EXPERT IN NATION BRANDING BRINGS HIS CONSIDERABLE EXPERTISE TO THE CLASSROOM
Brands are much more than catchy taglines and cool logos. That’s the message Ambassador Ido Aharoni Aronoff brings to Touro University as its newly appointed distinguished global professor. He should know. Aronoff, who teaches a course in non-product branding, was Israel’s longest serving ambassador, general counsel of New York. “Nation branding centers around measuring and managing the reputation of a country,” he says. “What is the perceived level of strength, esteem, relevance and knowledge consumers have about the place?” Ambassador Ido Aharoni Aronoff, distinguished global professor, Touro University Graduate School of Business
He underscores that it’s not only what a nation represents but how that reality is communicated to the relevant audiences, particularly in this fraught and dangerous age of disinformation. “One of the reasons Israel is having such difficulty now is because of the loss of people’s ability to process complexity and nuance and, frankly, because of the loss of objective truth,” he says. “Everyone has their own truth today. As we enter the posttruth era fueled by the merciless algorithm, I want to give students tools to accurately assess the stature of Israel’s brand, as well as other brands.” Aronoff sees an opportunity for Touro to align with the spirit of Israel’s true character. “My goal is to engage Touro with the Israeli ecosystem that goes
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beyond its prowess in technology,” Aronoff says. “I would like to enhance everything connected with Israel’s earned reputation for nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship. The Israeli ecosystem excels in solving problems as a way of life, and I would like to bring that to Touro.” And in doing so, Aronoff hopes
I would like to enhance everything connected with Israel’s earned reputation for nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship” his students will be ready to participate in building a better future. “The skills I want my students to learn are how to come up with a vision, articulate it and galvanize people around it,” he says. “That is the key to success in Jewish life and leadership. We are facing a difficult time, and we need a new generation of leaders. It is my hope that some of these leaders will come from the ranks of Touro University.”
TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
A Framework for Their Own Treatment
A SCIENTIFIC AND RELIGIOUS EXPERT HELPS STUDENTS WRESTLE WITH BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS FROM A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE
Dr. John Loike joined Touro’s Lander College of Arts & Sciences in the fall of 2017. Prior to joining the Touro family, the biomedical researcher served as the codirector for graduate studies in the Department of Physiology Cellular Biophysics and was director of special programs in the Center for Bioethics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Loike’s biomedical research focuses on how human white blood cells combat infections and cancer. He also lectures internationally on emerging topics in bioethics and organizes international conferences. Loike has published articles on bioethics and specifically deals with bioethics from a Jewish perspective as well as the bioethics of new technologies, adding a religious angle to modern advances in science. Could you tell us what medical professionals grapple with these days? What are the top issues—End of life, IVF treatments, transplants, gene editing? One of the most challenging issues that medical professionals need to address is identifying and resolving ethical issues that arise from new biotechnologies such as gene editing and transplanting pig organs into humans. For example, new infertility therapies could involve a
third party in generating an embryo (such as a gestational surrogate). The bioethical question here is the parental status of the third party. In the classes you teach at Touro, what specifics do you focus on with your students? At Touro, we design our courses to focus on two broad issues that are generally not offered at other universities. The first are the Jewish perspectives of innovative biomedical technologies including gene editing, immunotherapies for cancer and human reproduction. The second addresses common medical ethical problems such as the definition of death, patient autonomy in medical therapies and medical issues that challenge the bioethical guideline of respecting human dignity. What topic most engages your students, and why do you think that is? We are currently experiencing a scientific technological revolution. Students are fascinated with all the new biotechnologies, such as using hyperbaric chambers, a way to promote more blood flow to the brain in an effort to treat Alzheimer’s disease. They are also interested in the use of AI in healthcare, gene therapies to prolong human lifespan, and the development of personalized immunotherapies to effectively treat some of the most devastating diseases, such as cancer. This generation of
Dr. John Loike, biology and bioethics expert, Touro’s Lander Colleges
students, who figuratively were born with cell phones, are always intrigued with how new technology interfaces with their lives. Talk about the similarities of framing your bioethics from a Jewish perspective, as a Catholic or Evangelical or Muslim would do, that is through a religious framework. All the major religions of the world have one common theme—to educate their populations and healthcare providers on how to maintain healthy lives and how to save humans from disease. Understanding the details of how various religions balance religious law and customs with new medical technologies can gain provide insights in how governments and societies can resolve or manage common medical ethical challenges. TOURO.EDU | 73
Faculty Spotlights
Dr. Susan Weissman, assistant professor and chair, Irving Montak Department of Judaic Studies, Touro’s Lander College for Women
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Faculty Spotlights
Natural Born Scholar
A PREEMINENT RELIGIOUS WRITER AND POPULAR PROFESSOR BRINGS ALIVE THE PAST AND REVEALS THE PROMISE OF THE FUTURE TO HER STUDENTS
Susan Weissman is not only a revered professor and chair of the Irving Montak Department of Judaic Studies at Touro University’s Lander College for Women (LCW), she holds a Ph.D. in a remarkable and little-known area of medieval Jewish history. She has written about her findings in the scholarly book, Final Judgement and the Dead in Medieval Jewish Thought. Weissman has focused her considerable talent for deciphering ancient texts and unearthing historical and religious accounts on the Jews in medieval France and Germany, and how their beliefs about sin, death and the afterlife were unwittingly influenced by the predominant Germano-Christian society. Weissman says she took “a deeper dive” than other scholars by concentrating on the mindset of a particular elitist Jewish group, the German Pietists, on the matter of the dead and their world, which revealed far more about the world of the living and even about the Pietists themselves. “In an era in which Judaism and Christianity were existential rivals in a battle for religious truth and singularity, I argue that Pietism was born of a desire to assert the superiority of Judaism by appropriating key elements of monastic devotion to G-d. Instead of questioning the monks’ sincerity of worship, R. Judah the Pious unconsciously adapts and incorporates monastic tenets and practices within
Judaism. In this way, Pietists engaged in an altogether different type of polemic against Christianity.” Putting Training Into Practice In her classes at LCW, Weissman has taught everything from Biblical Themes to Medieval and Modern Biblical Commentaries. “My training is in decoding rabbinic and other traditional Jewish texts, which serves me well in Biblical interpretation,” she says. “Also, most of the traditional commentators on the Bible are from the rabbinic and medieval periods, so my historical training sheds light on those periods and texts.” One of Weissman’s daughters describes her mother as the embodiment of why the tortoise always beats the hare. It took Weissman nearly two decades to complete her Ph.D. program, and she never would have attempted such a deeply rigorous and long-term project if not for having taken a class by a professor and scholar who sparked an intellectual fire within the young undergraduate student. “I was blown away by his methodology and the profundity of his thought,” says Weissman, now 55, of her mentor, Haym Soloveitchik, a world-renowned historian.
she had delivered just a few weeks earlier—when she began her Ph.D. work. She had five more when she completed the program. Weissman had the intellect and resolve to navigate the perils of parenting and, at the same time, meet the demands of her academic studies. “It took me 18 years to finish,” she says, laughing. “It was crazy what I did, but I never thought of quitting.” What kept her motivated for so long? “I loved researching and learning. My parents were deprived of higher education,” she adds. “They, of course, wanted more for their children. And I wanted to learn. In summer camp, no one picked me for their sports team, but I was always chosen for Jewish knowledge contests.” Weissman and her anesthesiologist husband, who live in New Jersey, spend their leisure time enjoying their grandchildren. These days, Weissman’s passion belongs to the young women in her classes at Lander College for Women. “I love teaching the LCW students, because they truly want to learn and can think critically,” she says. “The beauty, the mission of teaching, is to watch their faces light up. When I see that, I know it’s a good teaching day.”
She Bent Time to Her Will Inspiration is a start, but time held a vice grip on Weissman, who had four children—one TOURO.EDU | 75
ABOUT THE
SCHOOLS
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Undergraduate Colleges
LANDER COLLEGE FOR WOMEN (LCW)—THE ANNA RUTH AND MARK HASTEN SCHOOL B.A. | B.S.
A center of academic excellence, LCW appeals to and attracts young women from across the country and around the world who seek a rigorous academic program in a vibrant Torahimbued environment. The supportive and challenging setting encourages students to be creative, critical thinkers and to strive for distinction both inside and outside the classroom. LCW’s student-focused faculty and career-oriented curriculum produce graduates who are prepared for success in the contemporary workplace and global economy.
LANDER COLLEGE FOR MEN (LCM)— BEIS MEDRASH L’TALMUD B.A. | B.S.
LCM boasts dedicated faculty, professionally oriented majors, exceptionally high acceptance rates to graduate and professional programs, and a beautiful seven-acre campus in Queens, New York. But what sets LCM apart is the entirely balanced dual curriculum of intensive Torah study and rigorous academics. HaRav Yonason Sacks, our world-renowned Rosh HaYeshiva, is joined by an engaging group of rebbeim who foster a high level of Judaic and Talmudic scholarship among students. Students thrive in the College’s warm, personal yet academically rigorous environment. 98% of LCM applicants are accepted into dental school, 100% into law school, 90% into medical school and 96% into psychology doctoral programs. Graduates choose careers in several other career areas, many in first-tier firms.
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Undergraduate Colleges
LANDER COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (LAS) B.A. | B.S.
LAS offers, in separate men’s and women’s schools, more than 22 majors and pre-professional options, including the Flatbush Society of Fellows Honors Program, Integrated Honors Tracks in the allied health sciences (OT, PA, PT), an accelerated accounting CPA program, as well as four joint undergraduate/graduate degree programs with Touro’s medical schools, The School of Health Sciences and the Touro College of Pharmacy. Additionally, LAS has an accelerated Nursing Pathway Program. LAS provides yeshiva students and seminary graduates with a rigorous academic preparation for career advancement and professional success.
MACHON L’PARNASA MEN’S & WOMEN’S DIVISIONS— INSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL STUDIES ASSOCIATE DEGREES | CERTIFICATES
Machon L’Parnasa is a unique division of Touro University, offering associate degrees and certificate programs serving the local Jewish population. Machon L’Parnasa’s programs are on a professional entry level, in keeping with the university’s mission to address underserved populations. With separate men’s and women’s divisions located in Brooklyn, New York, Machon L’Parnasa students begin with associate degree programs in a variety of disciplines and most students continue on for a baccalaureate degree in their chosen fields at Lander College of Arts & Sciences.
SCHOOL FOR LIFELONG EDUCATION (SLE) A.A. | B.A. | B.S.
Located in Brooklyn, New York, SLE meets the needs for higher education in the Orthodox Jewish community. This school is the first nontraditional, comprehensive university degree program designed to accommodate students by providing separate courses of study for men and women without sacrificing the quality of the education. SLE students earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in interdisciplinary liberal arts and sciences, math and computers, psychology, human services, and Judaic studies. Graduates go on to professional schools in business, medicine, research, health sciences and mental health counseling.
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Undergraduate Colleges
HEBREW THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE (HTC) FOR MEN AT TOURO B.A. | SEMICHA
HTC, a 103-year-old institution known as “Skokie Yeshiva,” is situated on a campus that features a student residence hall, study hall, state-of-the-art science labs and a newly constructed gym. HTC offers an accredited Bachelor of Arts degree, which includes a comprehensive core curriculum in both advanced Jewish studies and liberal arts and sciences. A rabbinic ordination program, under the auspices of the Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Revah, is available for qualified students. Students participate in high-level internship experiences with top-tier accounting and business firms and within the healthcare sector to prepare for success in their profession of choice.
THE SARAH HARTMAN WOMEN’S COLLEGE OF TOURO B.A.
Sarah Hartman Women’s College offers a comprehensive curriculum of Judaic studies, liberal arts and major areas of study in accounting; business (including e-commerce and marketing); computer and information sciences; education; English; graphic arts & design; health sciences (including pre-med, pre-dental, pharmacology, nursing, lab sciences and PT tracks); psychology (including an OT track); and speech and communication disorders, leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Chicago, Midwest and international students attend this high impact and prestigious program and participate in advantageous internship experiences. The highly ranked Honors Program focuses on leadership and community service. Graduates are employed by major national firms and gain acceptance to top graduate programs in Chicago and across the country.
TOURO COLLEGE LOS ANGELES (TCLA) B.A. | B.S.
TCLA offers baccalaureate degree programs in psychology, business management and Judaic studies in a supportive, Torah-observant environment. Founded in 2005, TCLA has since added health sciences, prespeech therapy, business computing and real estate concentrations. The West Hollywood campus now offers a pathway to Touro’s new Los Angeles PA program as well as to other Touro graduate degree programs.
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Undergraduate Colleges
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Undergraduate Colleges
NEW YORK SCHOOL OF CAREER AND APPLIED STUDIES (NYSCAS) B.A. | B.S. | A.A. | A.S. | A.A.S. | CERTIFICATES
NYSCAS is home to a diverse student body that reflects the social and ethnic mosaic of New York City. NYSCAS offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs at multiple locations throughout the metropolitan area in a spectrum of majors including business management, information technology, network administration and security, digital media design, law and social science, human services, nursing, and biology, with tracks leading to pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-law and allied health sciences. In partnership with Touro’s graduate schools, NYSCAS has developed accelerated pathways leading to a master’s degree in education, computer science, pharmacy, social work, psychology and others, allowing students to save time and money as they build a solid future in one of these high-demand fields.
MEDICAL IMAGING PROGRAM
A.A.S. | CERTIFICATE IN RADIOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY; CERTIFICATE IN DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY (DMS) | CONTINUING EDUCATION CERTIFICATES IN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT); MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI); MAMMOGRAPHY; CARDIAC INTERVENTIONAL RADIOGRAPHY (CI); ULTRASOUND OB/GYN; ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY; AND MANY MORE Touro University’s New York School of Career and Applied Studies offers a Certificate in Radiography program for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and seek to be certified in radiologic technology. In addition, Touro offers an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) program that is required to enter the radiography field. Students gain hands-on experience training at hospitals and medical centers throughout the New York City area. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Registry Examination, a licensing exam given by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Upon successfully completing the ARRT examination, the student will also receive a New York State license to practice radiography. Touro’s NYSCAS also offers an associate degree in sonography in Manhattan, and at Brooklyn at Touro’s Machon L’Parnasa. Through a combination of coursework and clinical practice, students receive a solid grounding in the fundamentals of general sonography, as well as a range of essential healthcare topics such as anatomy, pathology, patient care, ethics and more.
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International Divisions
TOURO COLLEGE IN ISRAEL (TCI) A.A. | B.A. | B.S.
For the thousands of American students who spend a gap year or two abroad in Israel, Touro College in Israel offers the opportunity for undergrads to pursue higher education while studying in yeshivas or seminaries and connecting with the land of Israel. As an extension of the Lander Colleges in Israel, TCI allows students in a highly mobile community to work toward their degrees while they advance their Jewish learning. Educational programming at TCI is also open to those who are living temporarily in Israel and plan to return to the U.S. to complete their degrees. TCI offers courses in accounting, business, computer science, English, history, psychology, science, mathematics and speech-language pathology. The school also offers health science prerequisites for those seeking careers in nursing and occupational therapy, which include introductory and advanced courses in biology, chemistry and physics. Classes—taught to men and women separately, and at different times—are in English and offered to non-Israeli citizens.
Touro University in Europe
LANDER INSTITUTE MOSCOW B.A. | B.S.
Lander Institute Moscow affords students in Russia the opportunity to earn a degree and gain a well-rounded education, while strengthening their commitment to Jewish heritage and acquiring the knowledge to serve as qualified educators in Jewish secondary schools and organizations. This program is in partnership with the Federation of Jewish Communities. Built on Touro’s mission to support Jewish continuity, in 1991, Touro became the first American institution of higher education to establish a program of Jewish studies in Moscow. One of the hallmark offerings is the Teachers Training Program. The program currently offers a variety of courses in Jewish studies, mathematics, computer science and other disciplines. Students may earn an accredited bachelor’s degree in Jewish studies, management/marketing, digital and multimedia design, or economics. Most students travel from Russia and other neighboring countries to attend school in a Jewish environment and build their knowledge of Jewish history and tradition.
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TOURO UNIVERSITY BERLIN (TUB)
B.A. | B.S. | BSC | M.A. | MBA | SPECIAL PROGRAMS As one of the few select European institutions, Touro University Berlin confers U.S. degrees under the accreditation of Touro University New York. TUB attracts students from all over the world—the United States, Israel, Germany, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe—currently 48 nations. Undergraduate classes in psychology, business management, marketing, finance and cybersecurity are taught in English by award-winning faculty. The MBA program in general management offers advanced business education through interdisciplinary curricula and work-study programs. The M.A. in Psychology offers a unique intercultural counseling and coaching center as a hands-on professional entry. TUB students are accepted into competitive graduate programs in Europe and the U.S., and are sought after by multinational companies in Germany. Holocaust Studies The Lander Institute for Communication and Tolerance, established by Touro’s founder and first president, Dr. Bernard Lander, analyzes Holocaust history and examines the range of its consequences. The program is affiliated with the Free University of Berlin and students in the Holocaust studies master’s program participate in field trips, study archives of original Nazi documents and visit memorial sites.
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Graduate Schools
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Graduate Schools
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (GSB)
MBA WITH SPECIALIZATIONS IN: ENTREPRENEURSHIP; FORENSIC ACCOUNTING; GENERAL MANAGEMENT; HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT; HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FINANCE; MARKETING | M.S. PROGRAMS: ACCOUNTING; HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT; HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FINANCE | ADVANCED CERTIFICATES: HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT; HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; NOT-FOR-PROFIT MANAGEMENT; REAL ESTATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP With exceptional evening, Sunday, in-person, hybrid and online programs offering small classes taught by a faculty comprised of leaders in the corporate and financial worlds, GSB offers a superior education in business administration, entrepreneurship, international finance, human resources, healthcare management, marketing, real estate and accounting. Additional offerings include courses embedded within the curriculum that prepare students for a number of key licensing exams including the CPA, NYS Notary, Human Resource Information Systems and more. Students can also earn badges that will lead to mastery of up to nine durable or soft skills that are in high demand by industry today.
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY (GST)
M.S. PROGRAMS IN: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS; EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY; INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY; UX/UI & INTERACTION DESIGN; DATA ANALYTICS WITH CONCENTRATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY/DATABASE AND BUSINESS; BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DATABASE MANAGEMENT; CYBERSECURITY AND NETWORK ADMINISTRATION; WEB & APP DEVELOPMENT; TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP/PROJECT MANAGEMENT | NEW YORK STATE APPROVED ADVANCED CERTIFICATES IN: UX/UI DESIGN; WEB AND DIGITAL DESIGN; ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT Fulfilling its mission of educating “tomorrow’s technology leaders today,” GST offers nine industrydriven Master of Science degree programs to address the immediacy of technological advances and to position students for competitive opportunities in the marketplace. All nine comprehensive programs provide students with the expertise to manage complex information and communication systems. GST has expanded its real-time program offerings by developing and offering online programs to enable qualified students to benefit from a fully self-paced remote learning experience.
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Graduate Schools
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION (GSE)
M.S. PROGRAMS: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION & SPECIAL EDUCATION (BIRTH-GRADE 2); CHILDHOOD EDUCATION & SPECIAL EDUCATION (GRADES 1-6); TEACHING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES; GENERALIST (GRADES 7-12); HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE & TOLERANCE EDUCATION; JEWISH CHILDHOOD EDUCATION & SPECIAL EDUCATION; MATHEMATICS EDUCATION; SCHOOL LEADERSHIP; SCHOOL COUNSELING; TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (TESOL); TEACHING LITERACY; INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY (JOINTLY WITH GST) | ADVANCED CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS: TESOL; TEACHING LITERACY; BILINGUAL GENERAL EDUCATION; BILINGUAL SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SPEECH & LANGUAGE DISABILITIES; BILINGUAL EXTENSION IN PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES/ADMINISTRATION; GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION (GATE); TEACHING CHILDREN WITH SEVERE OR MULTIPLE DISABILITIES; HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE & TOLERANCE EDUCATION Touro’s GSE is one of the largest graduate schools of education in New York State, with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students each semester. GSE offers the Alternative Certification programs, including Transitional B and Residency programs, in partnership with NYC Public Schools for the Teaching Fellows, Collaborative and Empire State Residency Program, as well as with several charter schools throughout New York City. The school focuses on customizing education to meet students’ needs, and its approach is personalized with flexible schedules, in-person and online synchronous and asynchronous classes, affordable tuition, and expert faculty. GSE’s extensive network of school partners provides critical support for student teaching in all NYC boroughs, New York State and in the region. All programs lead to NYS Department of Education certifications. In addition to certification programs, students can earn digital badges and micro credentials in neurodiversity and social engagement, and social-emotional learning and academic development, as they prepare to become educators with multi-faceted expertise.
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES (GSJS) M.A. | P h .D.
GSJS instills in its students a commitment to studying Judaism’s rich tradition and applying this knowledge toward advancing scholarship, teaching in the classroom or acquiring positions of Jewish communal leadership. GSJS offers a Master of Arts in Jewish Studies which focuses on the history, literature and thought of the Jewish people over the last millenium, and also includes a special concentration in Jewish education. In addition, GSJS offers a doctoral-level course of study for outstanding students, with specializations in medieval and modern Jewish history, literature and thought.
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Graduate Schools
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES (SHS)
DOCTORAL STUDIES IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: PsyD; M.A. IN GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE: M.S. PROGRAMS: INDUSTRIALORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY; CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING; BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS | PHYSICAL THERAPY: DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY: B.S./DPT; ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN ORTHOPEDIC PHYSICAL THERAPY RESIDENCY | NURSING: DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE; B.S.; RN TO B.S. | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: B.S./M.S.; POSTPROFESSIONAL OTD | PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT: B.S./M.S.; M.S.; M.S. MASTER’S COMPLETION | SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY: M.S. Since 1972, when Touro’s School of Health Sciences pioneered the training of physician assistants, SHS has grown into a healthcare powerhouse, educating clinicians in numerous areas of the health sciences — from physical therapy to occupational therapy, physician assistant studies and nursing to speech-language pathology, mental health and graduate programs in the behavioral sciences. SHS’s Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology program with a health emphasis is designed to prepare students to work as psychologists in traditional mental health settings, in private practice, as well as in an increasingly integrated healthcare system with medical patients, and in collaboration with a variety of healthcare providers. Faculty members provide students with intensive interaction and hands-on training, so they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they’ll need on the job. In addition, SHS partners with hundreds of healthcare partners throughout the New York area where students complete fieldwork and clinical rotations, putting their learning to practice under the guidance of seasoned specialists.
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK (GSSW) MSW
GSSW is well known for advanced training for successful social work careers. Our unique blend of a clinical concentration with a deep commitment to social justice, top-notch faculty and diverse student body inspire 300 students annually to pursue the MSW. GSSW offers fellowships that deliver career enhancing skills—working with youth at risk, the mentally ill, substance use disorder, nonprofit leadership and other specializations. GSSW partners with 400 agencies, offering outstanding fieldwork opportunities to provide students with critical hands-on experience. GSSW offers flexible options of study including day, evening, weekend, hybrid, remote, coed, gender specific and online classes.
TOURO UNIVERSITY ILLINOIS (TUIL) M.S.: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
TUIL is cultivating leaders in the healthcare sector by transforming the education of patient caregivers. The primary program is the physician assistant program with additional programs in the pipeline. The traditional 28-month long M.S. in Physician Assistant program provides the medical knowledge and extensive clinical experiences necessary to work directly with physicians. Touro is known for its high-quality PA programs, graduating well-prepared medical professionals. The first cohort of students of TUIL graduated in 2025 with a 100% pass rate for first-time test takers on the PANCE.
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Professional Schools
TOURO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY (TCOP) P harm D
TCOP gives students a competitive advantage through cutting-edge courses, a dedicated faculty of experienced professionals, and a unique curriculum offering a combination of classroom instruction combined with extensive laboratory and clinical experiences, all at a state-of-the art facility in the heart of the world’s greatest city. By participating in nine rotations in over a year, students have more opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom in real-world practice. Rotation specialties include infectious diseases, pediatrics, drug information, critical care, emergency medicine, cardiology, internal medicine and ambulatory care, at sites from government agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Indian Health Service, to major hospitals, prestigious research centers and global pharmaceutical companies. More than a quarter of graduates pursue postgraduate training through TCOP’s participation in the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) Resident Matching Program, which places graduates in coveted residencies and fellowships. TCOP is proud of its virtually 100% employment rate, with graduates working across the growing spectrum of opportunities the profession offers, in community pharmacies, at hospitals, clinics, in government, research, academia and in the pharmaceutical industry.
TOURO COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (TouroCOM)
DO | M.S. IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES IN BIOLOGICAL & PHYSICAL SCIENCES | PATHOLOGISTS’ ASSISTANT M.S. With campuses in Harlem and Middletown, New York, and Great Falls, Montana, TouroCOM is committed to training osteopathic physicians with a focus on practicing in underserved communities, and to increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in medicine. Clinical education is provided through affiliated teaching hospitals and medical centers that provide a wide range of clinical exposure. Our students and faculty provide health screenings and patient education in the community and offer mentoring for high school and college students to prepare them for the health professions. TouroCOM has graduated more than 1,000 physicians who serve residencies at local, regional and national academic medical centers in all specialty fields. More than 55% of TouroCOM graduates practice in underserved communities. TouroCOM also hosts a one-year M.S. program that is distinctive amongst post-baccalaureate offerings. M.S. degree candidates are granted a provisional acceptance into the DO program based on their academic achievement. In addition, TouroCOM offers a Pathologists’ Assistant (PathA) Master of Science program, designed to meet the great demand for pathologists’ assistants over the coming decades. This program, which is the first of its kind in New York, provides valuable pipeline of highly trained professionals for hospitals and healthcare facilities.
TOURO UNIVERSITY MONTANA DO | M.S. | JD | BSN
Touro University Montana in Great Falls is dedicated to training professionals who will serve the diverse needs of rural and underserved communities. Its flagship program, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM) Montana, offers DO and M.S. degrees. As of this writing, the campus has received state approval to launch a nursing program, and the American Bar Association has approved a branch campus of Touro Law Center. Plans are also underway for additional programs in health and medical education, including clinical mental health counseling to further strengthen healthcare services in the region. 94
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Professional Schools
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Professional Schools
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Professional Schools
NEW YORK COLLEGE OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE (NYCPM) DPM | GME
NYCPM’s Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) program is well-known for producing highly skilled and compassionate podiatric physicians. Mentored by experts and studying alongside highly motivated peers, students gain the knowledge and skills to excel in residency and beyond with a program dedicated to their success. NYCPM emphasize not only learning, but mastery, with a teaching approach that encourages critical thinking, problemsolving and innovation. Our didactic curriculum is designed to challenge and inspire, setting the groundwork for lifelong learning and clinical excellence. Students begin clinical training early in the program, gaining exposure to a wide variety of cases and medical conditions. Under the guidance of experienced podiatric surgeons, specialists and experts, they develop skills in diagnosis, treatment planning and surgical techniques—preparing them to provide exceptional patient care throughout their career. NYCPM sponsors a three-year residency program, which prepares students for board certification.
Foot Center of New York The prime academic outpatient training facility for NYCPM students is the Foot Center of New York. With 12,000 visits each year, it is the only facility in the tri-state area dedicated exclusively to the diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle pathology. Students have the opportunity to participate in medical and surgical management of adult and pediatric foot/ ankle pathology.
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Professional Schools
NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE (NYMC)
M.D. | M.S. | P h .D. | M.P.H. | D.P.T. | D r .P.H. | JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS: M.D./P h .D.; M.D./M.S.; M.D./M.P.H.; D.P.T./M.P.H. | ADVANCED CERTIFICATES Founded in 1860, NYMC has educated generations of students to deliver skilled, compassionate care; advance discovery; and lead in public health and essential health services. NYMC offers three schools—the School of Medicine, the School of Health Sciences and Practice, and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences—preparing graduates for diverse career pathways in medicine, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, public health and biomedical sciences. NYMC is set on 54 acres in Valhalla, New York, adjacent to Westchester Medical Center. With clinical training opportunities on campus and Midtown Manhattan just a 30-minute train ride away, students engage with culturally and economically diverse populations and access leading medical institutions. The College also boasts an extensive network of more than 700 affiliated practice sites—including urban medical centers, community hospitals and advanced regional tertiary care facilities—providing students with a broad range of clinical and educational experiences. NYMC offers kosher food services and leads the way in founding and promoting residencies for Sabbath-observant residents. The College emphasizes humanistic, patient-centered care—training students to be competent and compassionate leaders who treat the whole person. NYMC is also a leader in innovative research in the areas of cancer, disaster medicine, metabolic disorders, neuroscience, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary medicine, microbiome and salivary disease. The College features a state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation Center, offering interactive training programs, high fidelity simulator manikins, and realistic examination rooms to prepare students for real-life clinical situations. BioInc@NYMC is the Hudson Valley’s only biotechnology incubator located on a health sciences college campus, offering sponsored professional services to promising, high-potential entrepreneurs and startups. NYMC’s centers, institutes and core facilities provide advanced resources for research, hands-on education and real-world clinical preparedness.
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TOURO COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE (TCDM) DDS
TCDM, with an academic environment that is rigorous, engaging and vibrant, is preparing the next generation for rewarding careers in a demanding field. Upon graduation, students have gained entry into some of the most demanding and sought-after specialty programs, residencies and private practices throughout the country. Students at TCDM are led by esteemed faculty and administrators with unparalleled experience in dental education, clinical research and patient care. Students begin training in TCDM’s state-ofthe-art simulation laboratory before transitioning to provide patient care at Touro Dental Health, the College’s modern, 32,000-square-foot clinical training facility. Touro Dental Health features six comprehensive care practices, as well as specialty clinics in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics and oral surgery. TCDM students, under the supervision of experienced faculty, provide comprehensive oral healthcare to adults, children and individuals with special needs—including many patients who are unable to afford necessary dental care. New Mexico Campus Last year, TCDM launched a newly built modern patient care dental facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After spending their first two years at TCDM’s Hawthorne, New York campus, a group of students each year completes their third and fourth year of training in Albuquerque. The TCDM space in Albuquerque mirrors Touro Dental Health in New York and presents a unique opportunity for aspiring dentists and healthcare providers. With only 48.4 dentists per 100,000 people, the state has one of the lowest dentist-to-population ratios in the country. This shortage highlights a critical need for more dental professionals in the region. TCDM is committed to addressing this gap. By providing local access to dental education, Touro encourages students to practice in the state where they train, thereby delivering essential dental care to underserved communities and supporting the growth of the local healthcare workforce. The Albuquerque area offers numerous clinical and internship opportunities, leveraging our partnerships with local hospitals, clinics and community health organizations. Touro University has partnered with Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, a nonprofit contract research organization with a mission to advance biomedical science through non-clinical and clinical research. The new dental facility is located on the grounds of Lovelace Biomedical. In addition to our low faculty-to-student ratios, exemplary education and outstanding clinical experiences, this affiliation allows for expanded research opportunities for our dental students.
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Professional Schools
TOURO UNIVERSITY JACOB D. FUCHSBERG LAW CENTER JD | 2-YEAR JD FOR FOREIGN LAW GRADUATES | LL.M. (FOR JD DEGREE HOLDERS FROM ABA ACCREDITED LAW SCHOOLS) | JD/ MSW (WITH SUNY AT STONY BROOK) | 3+1 JD/MBA PROGRAM WITH GSB
Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center provides a comprehensive legal education that integrates doctrinal knowledge with essential lawyering skills. The Law Center offers flexible pathways to the JD degree, including full-time and part-time programs at our Long Island campus—strategically situated adjacent to state and federal courthouses—as well as a hybrid FlexTime JDSM program available at both our Long Island location and our Cross River Campus in Times Square, New York. Our curriculum is designed to cultivate foundational legal knowledge while developing critical skills, professional values and early practice competencies. Students engage in simulated and real-world lawyering experiences through classroom instruction, clinical programs and field placements. The Law Center further enhances practical training through robust trial advocacy opportunities, including participation in moot court and mock trial societies, preparing our graduates for immediate and effective entry into the legal profession.
TOURO UNIVERSITY NEVADA (TUN)
DO | MS-MHS | ME d | E d D | RN-BSN | MSN-FNP | DNP | OTD| DPT | MPAS | DPA TUN has been leading the way since 2004—teaching future doctors, nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists and educators for Nevada while caring for the community. TUN College of Osteopathic Medicine was Southern Nevada’s first medical school and only osteopathic medicine degree in the state as well as offering a master’s in medical health sciences. The College of Osteopathic Medicine boasts outstanding residency match rate and exceptional COMLEX Level I and II first-time pass rates. Students experience an innovative curriculum that integrates cutting-edge technology, including ultrasound training and state-of-the-art simulation experiences, preparing students for real-world clinical practice. The College of Health and Human Services offers healthcare-related degree programs in PT, OT, physician assistant studies and nursing, as well as advanced degree and certificate programs in education. Many students in these programs are already serving Nevada communities while advancing their education to take their careers to the next level. TUN serves the community by providing osteopathic manipulative medicine at The Health Center located on campus. The Sharon Sigesmund Pierce & Stephen Pierce Center for Autism & Developmental Disabilities provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy to neurodivergent children in the Valley. The state’s first fully accredited simulation center serves as a vital community resource, hosting interprofessional learning events that provide students with hands-on, real-world training. Touro Nevada students dedicate thousands of hours to community medicine, partnering with local nonprofits and organizations to help ensure access to care for those who need it most.
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TOURO UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA (TUC)
DOCTOR OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (DO) | MSMHS (M.S. IN MEDICAL HEALTH SCIENCES) | DO/MPH | MPH (MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH) | MSPAS (PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES) | DUAL MSPAS/ MPH | 3-YEAR DOCTOR OF PHARMACY (P HARM D) | P HARM D/MPH | NURSING: MSN (MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING); POST-MASTER’S FNP (FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER) CERTIFICATE; POST-MASTER’S PMHNP (PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTIONER) PROGRAM | A.A.S. RADIOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY, DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY TUC, located in Vallejo, California, provides outstanding graduate and professional educational programs in healthcare and public health. Through strategic community partnerships and collaborations, TUC expands community access to healthcare in concert with the Judaic values of social justice, pursuit of knowledge and service to humanity. TUC offers a variety of programs through its College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUCOM); College of Pharmacy (COP); and College of Health Sciences (CHS). TUCOM prepares students to become outstanding osteopathic physicians who uphold the values, philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine and who are committed to primary care and the holistic approach to the patient. TUCOM graduates are practicing throughout the U.S. and globally and serve honorably in all branches of the military and public health services. The COP Doctor of Pharmacy program is student-centered, technologically advanced and interactive. The three-year program prepares collaborative, community-minded pharmacists to be leaders in whatever area they choose—clinical, research, teaching, community pharmacy and more. In CHS, students pursue careers as public health experts, nurses, physician assistants, sonographers and radiologic technologists. Included in CHS are the Master of Public Health program; the Dual MSPAS/ MPH, the only PA program in the country where all students receive both PA and MPH degrees; the PA Los Angeles program; the School of Nursing; the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program; and the Radiologic Technology program. TUC extends its high-quality healthcare and clinical education through its Touro University Medical Group in Stockton, CA, where it serves as a vital clinical training and patient care site. This location expands access to healthcare services in the Central Valley while advancing the university mission of educating the next generation of healthcare professionals. Mobile Diabetes Education Center (MOBEC), a state-of-the-art mobile trailer, has served more than 12,000 people—including free diabetes screenings and education and Dia-BEAT-it exercise classes. The program also offers the Diabetes Prevention Program and the Diabetes Education and Empowerment Program, providing diabetes screenings for members of the community who may not otherwise have adequate access to healthcare. The DREAM (Diabetes Research Education and Management) Team at TUC is a CDC-recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program Coach Training Site and offers a Diabetology Fellowship.
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Research Institutions
WEISSMAN HOOD INSTITUTE AT TOURO (WHIT) The Weisman Hood Institute has joined the Touro system and has formed close ties with TouroCOM Montana to facilitate medical student training and research. Under the leadership of Renee Reijo Pera, Ph.D., director of WHIT, and Tiffany HensleyMcBain, Ph.D., vice dean for research, WHIT, Touro students are engaged in world class research on neurodegenerative diseases, as well as stem cell biology, cancer treatment and personalized medicine. The recipient of a $15M NIH grant to develop biomedical science and improve care in rural areas, WHIT and Touro are at the forefront of medical research.
LOVELACE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, joined with Touro University in a partnership that is expanding our capacity to make a difference in the health and lives of Americans. The Lovelace Biomedical team includes experts for every step of the preclinical research process, from chemists who develop precise formulations and assays to quantify drug distribution to veterinarians who determine the best animal models to address scientific hypotheses. With this acquisition, Touro brings in-depth understanding into potential health risks, optimizes the efficacy of pharmaceuticals, and selects laboratory species most predictive of human response. Research at Lovelace has advanced our knowledge of respiratory disease, viral vaccines and gene therapy.
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Affiliated Institutions
TOURO UNIVERSITY WORLDWIDE (TUW)
BACHELOR’S PROGRAMS: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT; HEALTH SCIENCES: HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION; HEALTH EDUCATION; LONG-TERM CARE ADMINISTRATION; PSYCHOLOGY; SOCIAL WORK | MASTER’S PROGRAMS: INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY; DISPUTE RESOLUTION; PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION; PSYCHOLOGY; MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY; COUNSELING: ADDICTION COUNSELING; HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION; BUSINESS ANALYTICS; HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; HEALTH SCIENCES: HEALTH EDUCATION OR PUBLIC HEALTH; HUMAN SERVICES; FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY | MBA | P sy D IN HUMAN AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY | DOCTORATE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION | DOCTOR OF MANAGEMENT | DOCTORATE OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT | DOCTOR IN HEALTH SCIENCES | DOCTORATE IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY | A.A. IN GENERAL STUDIES | A.A. IN GENERAL STUDIES IN ACCOUNTING With dynamic, online degree programs that cater to both the busy schedules of adult learners and the career advancement needs of professionals already in the workforce, TUW is committed to developing a passionate, connected learning community to help students achieve their individual academic goals and career goals in a flexible schedule fit for adult learners. Through its regionally accredited online courses, students can earn associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, psychology, and Health and Human Services, in a variety of concentrations including business administration; industrial, organizational and human psychology; social work, marriage and family therapy; and healthcare administration and health education.
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Affiliated Schools
YESHIVAS OHR HACHAIM—INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED TALMUDIC STUDIES A full-time yeshiva founded in 1983, Ohr Hachaim serves as an incubator for the next generation of Jewish educators and has achieved national prominence as a premier center of Torah study. Located in Queens, New York, Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in ancient Jewish texts and study in a classic yeshiva environment. Under the leadership of Rabbi Doniel Lander, the son of Touro’s founder and first president, Dr. Bernard Lander, Ohr Hachaim is producing outstanding postgraduate scholars who have assumed important positions in rabbinic and lay leadership throughout the U.S. and around the world. Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim constitutes a network of Torah institutions that cater to high school and post-high school students as well as the overall Jewish population in New York. Students from across the tri-state area are enrolled in Ohr Hachaim’s affiliated high schools in Queens and Connecticut that offer comprehensive programs of excellence.
MESIVTA YESODEI YESHURUN Under the leadership of Harav Doniel Lander, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim, the Yesodei Mesivtas inspire students to reach their potential through challenging Talmud classes. Nurtured by the warmth of devoted rabbis and teachers, Yesodei students embrace comprehensive standards of excellence, achieving growth and success. In more than two decades, the Mesivta leadership has held steadfastly to its original vision and actualized it with a perfect mix of outstanding rabbis and teachers. Professional general studies faculty empower students by developing critical thinking and other key skills necessary for their future success. Many graduates have committed their lives to the pursuit of Torah study and to its dissemination. Others have entered myriad professional arenas, distinguishing themselves in the worlds of law, medicine, business and more. Our alumni are the vanguard of young leadership in the rabbinic and professional worlds.
MESIVTA YESODEI HATORAH Nestled in the hills of Naugatuck, Connecticut, Mesivta Yesodei Hatorah affords high school students the opportunity to pursue their studies in a pristine and uplifting environment. Modeled after our highly successful high school in Queens, Yesodei Hatorah offers a comprehensive program of academic excellence. Many of the faculty members live in a community adjacent to the high school, fostering a family feeling that unites educators with their students. Yesodei Hatorah attracts students from across the continental United States.
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TOURO
CELEBRATES
Unconditional Renewal of Accreditation
Touro University experienced much growth and accomplishment last year, and our crowning achievement was unconditiona renewal of accreditation of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) for the maximum eight-year period, recognizing our commitment to educational excellence and bringing our mission to life. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a global institutional accreditor recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. MSCHE assures students and the public of the educational quality of higher education institutions. The Commission’s accreditation process ensures institutional accountability, self-appraisal, improvement and innovation through peer review and the rigorous application of standards within the context of institutional mission. Self-Study Steering Committee Co-Chairs Dr. 112
Robert Goldschmidt and Dr. Nadja Graff and many other participants in 10 working groups helped make this achievement a reality. Under their leadership, Touro received many important commendations, including, among others, living our mission in our operations and daily life, providing faculty support, ensuring individualized and tailored support services to students, and our impressive, targeted growth across the institution, while maintaining fiscal responsibility and focus on the learning and personal growth of our students. In addition, the School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant (PA) Manhattan Program completed their comprehensive self-study and site visit process and received continuing accreditation for the maximum timeframe of 10 years. Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM) also submitted its comprehensive self-study
and held a site visit in 2024 for continuing accreditation, with all three campuses receiving continuing accreditation. At New York Medical College, the School of Medicine was fully re-accredited through 2032 by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Finally, Hebrew Theological College was not only re-accredited along with all of Touro by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education but also received full accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission without a single recommendation for improvement. “The Touro Board of Trustees recognizes this incredible accomplishment and acknowledges Touro President Dr. Alan Kadish, senior administration, deans, faculty and staff for creating an environment where personal attention and unwavering values thrive and transform ambitions into reality,” says Touro Chairman Zvi Ryzman.
We pride ourselves on the way we develop relationships with donors, and we welcome you to reach out. To give online and for further information on giving opportunities, visit www.touro.edu/giving or call 646.565.6030. Touro University Office of Institutional Advancement Cross River Campus at 3 Times Square 202 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036
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TOURO UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TOURO UNIVERSITY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION
Dr. Alan Kadish, President
Rabbi Doniel Lander, Chancellor and Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim
Dr. Alan Kadish, President
Rabbi Doniel Lander, Chancellor Mr. Zvi Ryzman, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka, Executive Vice President, University Ombudsman Dr. Patricia E. Salkin, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, Graduate and Professional Divisions
Mr. Abraham Biderman Mr. Shmuel Braun Dr. Benjamin Chouake
Dr. Salomon Amar, Senior Vice President for Research Affairs
Mr. Allen Fagin
Michael Newman, Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer
Mr. Howard Friedman Dr. Zahava Friedman
Jeffrey Rosengarten, Senior Vice President of Operations
Mr. Gilles Gade Rabbi Menachem Genack
Benjamin Lowenthal, Vice President and CFO
Mr. Solomon Goldfinger
Dr. Matthew Bonilla, Vice President of Student Administrative Services
Mr. Abraham Gutnicki Ms. Debra Hartman
Dr. Judah Weinberger, Provost for Undergraduate Studies, Dean of Faculties, and Vice President for Collaborative Medical Education
Ms. Judy Kaye Mr. Brian Levinson
Dr. Stanley L. Boylan, Vice President for University Affairs
Mr. Dovid Lichtenstein Mr. Martin Oliner
Rabbi Alan G. Ciner, Vice President of Community Engagement
Dr. Lawrence Platt Mrs. Margaret Retter
Dr. Robert Goldschmidt, Vice President for Planning and Assessment
Mr. Stephen Rosenberg
Dr. Franklin M. Steen, Vice President, Chief Information Officer
Mr. Israel Sendrovic Mr. Jack Weinreb
Dr. Marian Stoltz-Loike, Vice President, Online Education
Rabbi Shabsai Wolfe Mr. Steven Zuller
Jacqueline Beato, CEO, Touro University Nevada Dr. Roy Finaly, CEO and Chief Operating Officer, Touro University Worldwide Dr. Edward Halperin, Chancellor and CEO, New York Medical College, Touro Provost for Biomedical Affairs Dr. Tami Hendriksz, Chief Academic Officer, Touro University California 114 209355 txt 61-114
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TOURO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2026
TOURO UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS Mrs. Rena Barta Mr. Gavriel Berger Mr. Harvey Blitz Mr. Matthew Bonilla
Mr. Bruce Lilker Mrs. Gail Lipton Mr. Joshua Manaster, Esq. Mr. Robert Marcus
Mr. Stephen Brown
Mr. Harold Matheson
Mr. Rod Chay
Mrs. Meryl Maybruch
Rabbi Alan Ciner
Mr. Marc Moyal
Mr. John Crepsac
Mr. Roman Murashkovsky
Dr. Haitham Ennabi
Mr. Ira Nutis
Mr. Nathan Erlich
Mr. Moishe Oiring
Dr. Simcha Fishbane
Mr. Joseph Popack
Mr. Alan Fuchsberg
Mrs. Yaffa Popack
Mr. Adam Geiger
Mr. David Portal
Mr. Bruce Gould
Dr. David Raab
Mr. Seth Gribetz
Dr. Tom Ragukonis
Rabbi Michael Hasten
Mr. Peter Reisman
Mr. Aaron Herzog
Mr. Daniel Retter
Dr. Mark Jacobs
Mr. Alex Rovt
Mrs. Robin Jacobs
Dr. Patricia Salkin
Dr. Alan Kadish
Mrs. Lindsay Schottenstein
Dr. Martin Katzenstein
Mrs. Sarah Shulevitz Vorhand
Mr. Lloyd Keilson
Mr. Nathan Sklar
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