Upstate health official to be new Nassau health commissioner

Dr. Irina Gelman, commissioner of health in upstate Orange County since 2018, will be Nassau County's next health commissioner, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced Thursday.

Gelman will replace county Health Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein, who said he was stepping down last month after 11 years in the post.

Eisenstein, who has served as commissioner since 2011, said his last day will be July 29. He will become vice president of community and public health at Catholic Health.

Gelman's salary will be $230,000, county officials said.

The sprawling county health agency, with 155 employees and a budget of $173.6 million this year, is charged with protecting public health, investigating and controlling the spread of communicable diseases, protecting against environmental health threats and working with school districts during medical crises.

As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated in 2020, Eisenstein made near-daily public appearances and became one of the most recognizable officials in local government response to the health crisis.

Blakeman said Gelman impressed county officials with her own experience managing the pandemic as health commissioner in Orange County. She also managed a measles outbreak in the county.

Gelman had served previously as director of public health in upstate Fulton County.

"Most importantly, she was right there at the epicenter of the coronavirus effort in Orange County and managed them through that crisis," Blakeman said at a news conference in Mineola on Thursday.

Gelman's appointment as Nassau health commissioner requires approvals from the county Board of Health and the state Department of Health.

The commissioner's term is six years, according to the county charter.

The health board signed off on Gelman's appointment in a unanimous vote Thursday, county spokesman Chris Boyle said.

Cadence Acquaviva, a spokeswoman for the state Health Department, told Newsday the agency has "been in close communication with Nassau County" and "is expecting a letter from the county to request the appointment of the next commissioner."

A review process will follow, Acquaviva said.

"I definitely relish the opportunity and look forward to hitting the ground running," Gelman said at the news conference with Blakeman.

"There's quite a bit of work to do post-pandemic," she said, noting the need to prepare for future emergencies and focus on surveillance of county wastewater for viral and bacterial pathogens.

Gelman also is vice president of the New York State Association of County Health Officials board of directors and is a fellow at the New York Academy of Medicine, Orange County officials said.

She was the recipient of the 2018 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction Award.

In a statement, Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus commended Gelman for "her tireless work for Orange County, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as she played an integral role in the response to the unprecedented public health emergency. I know Dr. Gelman will be an asset to the residents of Nassau County."

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com,@ScottEidler,

Scott Eidler covers Nassau County government and politics for Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.