Annette Choolfaian was a distinguished health care professional devoting her life to improving access to and quality of health care, particularly for the underserved. She began her career as a Nurse, and truly possessed a gift and calling to care for and help people.
She served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center and held leadership positions at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Greater New York and Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center. Annette spent the last two decades of her career in academia as a professor and Chair, Department of Health Policy and Management at New York Medical College.
Annette gave generously of her time to developing health and social services programs in Armenia. She established a Children’s Center in Armenia for orphaned and abandoned street children and fellowship programs for senior members of the Ministry of Health of the Armenian Republic and Armenian Health Care Managers in order to expand their knowledge of health care delivery, financing, and management. She served on the Board of Directors of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).
Annette Choolfaian, RN, MPA
She also served on the Boards of Women’s City Club of New York, and the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy. Annette was part of a White House delegation of health care professionals who went to Czechoslovakia immediately after the “velvet revolution.”
Along with receiving AAHPO’s highest honor, Annette was a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and received the New York University Distinguished Alumnus Award. Annette was a special individual and the most loyal, loving and dedicated daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, teacher and mentor.
