Four NYC Health + Hospitals CEOS Named to 2026 “Brooklyn Power 100” List
NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney CEO Daveth Forbes-Thomas, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health CEO Svetlana Lipyanskaya, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County CEO Sheldon McLeod, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull CEO Sandra Sneed are recognized on the Power List for their transformative roles in expanding healthcare access and driving community-centered innovation for all New Yorkers
Feb 10, 2026
New York, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney CEO Daveth Forbes-Thomas, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health CEO Svetlana Lipyanskaya, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County CEO Sheldon McLeod, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull CEO Sandra Sneed were recognized by City & State New York in their “Brooklyn Power 100” list for 2026. The annual recognition list highlights accomplished leaders across a range of industries with significant political influence who have shaped the lives of New Yorkers in Brooklyn and beyond. Forbes-Thomas, Sneed, Lipyanskaya, and McLeod are celebrated as trailblazers who led their respective facilities through multiple crises, all while continuing to deliver quality health care and acting as trusted messengers for their community members. City & State is the premier media organization dedicated to covering New York’s local and state politics and policy.
“I am truly humbled and honored to be named to the Brooklyn Power 100 List for 2026. I receive this recognition on behalf of the remarkable “Team McKinney” I have the privilege to serve alongside each day”, said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney CEO Daveth Forbes-Thomas. “Our staff come to work not just to care for our residents and patients, they comfort, advocate, listen, laugh, and serve as family to so many. I am grateful to lead such a dedicated group of professionals and proud of what we continue to build together for the Brooklyn community.”
“It is an honor to once again be recognized with my fellow Brooklyn CEOs on City & State New York’s Brooklyn Power 100 list,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health CEO Svetlana Lipyanskaya. “While I’m the one being highlighted, this truly reflects the incredible work we’re doing collectively at South Brooklyn Health. Our dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff go above and beyond every day. I’m proud to lead a team so deeply committed to our patients’ well-being and to strengthening the rich, diverse communities of South Brooklyn.”
“It is an incredible honor to be named among the Brooklyn Power 100. This recognition is truly a reflection of the dedicated staff at Kings County who work tirelessly every day to provide high quality care to the Brooklyn community,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County CEO Sheldon P. McLeod. “I am proud to lead a team that not only meets the health needs of our patients but also uplifts and advocates for the communities we serve.”
“To be listed among the 2026 Brooklyn Power 100 by City and State New York is an honor for the entire NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull team. This recognition underscores our commitment to advancing health care excellence in North Brooklyn, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community with compassion and dedication,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull CEO Sandra Sneed.
After six years helping run McKinney, NYC Health + Hospitals appointed Daveth Forbes-Thomas, RN, MSN, NEA-BC, CPHQ, LNHA as CEO of the East Flatbush rehabilitation and nursing facility last March. In her time at McKinney, Forbes-Thomas helped develop a formal environment of care and life safety program for residents, visitors and staff, and built a quality assurance program improvement. McKinney is the city’s only nursing home with five-star ratings for staffing, quality measures and health inspections.
Svetlana Lipyanskaya, MPA, FACHE, is the trailblazing first woman to lead the executive team at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health. She has expertly navigated the hospital through the challenges of COVID-19 and its recovery while launching a state-of-the-art inpatient facility. By securing essential funding for critical infrastructure projects, she is reshaping access to health care in the community. Her bold strategic vision prioritizes the development of comprehensive medical and behavioral ambulatory services, truly embodying the NYC Health + Hospitals mission. A recognized leader, Svetlana is featured in City and State’s Brooklyn Power 100 and honored by Becker’s Hospital Review, and was celebrated on the NY State Assembly floor for her transformative impact on health care.
Sheldon P. McLeod is the Chief Executive Officer for NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. He was appointed CEO in January 2018, having previously served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Kings County Hospital since October 2014. As CEO, his responsibilities include setting the strategic direction for the hospital, and providing executive oversight for the clinical, operational and financial management for the institution. Under McLeod’s leadership, Kings County continues to excel in the Brooklyn health care landscape having developed innovative, cost-effective solutions for enhancing quality, competitiveness and revenue by implementing new business strategies at the hospital. McLeod works collaboratively with community-based organizations to address the social determinants of health, and health equity in the communities served by Kings County Hospital. McLeod serves on the Board of Directors at America’s Essential Hospitals. Among his core beliefs are that communication, transparency and accountability are keys to driving change within an organization, and that creating a nurturing environment for employees to learn, grow and adjust to organizational change will ultimately create better staff and a better patient experience, resulting in a healthy and successful organization.
Sandra Sneed, MBA, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience overseeing operations for hospitals across the country. Sneed most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer of Memorial Regional Hospital in South Florida, a 700-bed level 1 trauma center. She oversaw an initiative to improve patient flow through the hospital, which reduced the time patients spent waiting in the Emergency Department for an inpatient bed by 46% in just over a year while also improving the rate of patient discharges and decreasing patients’ average length of stay. She also oversaw efforts to expand surgeries, leading to a 7% increase in case volume over one year. Sneed’s prior roles include Vice President of Operations and Support Services Officer at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital (Texas), Interim Chief Operating Officer at Howard University Hospital (Washington, DC), and Vice President of Operations at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center (Ohio). She received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy at Utica College of Syracuse University and her master’s degree in business administration with a focus in health administration at Oakland University, Rochester Hills in Michigan.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth —all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
