Remembering Margaret E. Mahoney, Cherished Friend and Colleague

In her many years of association with NYAM, Margaret Mahoney was instrumental in NYAM’s transition to full-time leadership and a governance structure that has made it possible for the organization to become a preeminent leader in the field of urban health. Margaret, our cherished friend and colleague, passed away on December 22, 2011 after a long illness.

Margaret served NYAM in many capacities for over two decades. She became a Fellow in 1982 and was later elected to the NYAM Board of Trustees, serving throughout the 1990s. She was active on several committees, serving as an important link to various other foundations and institutions. In 1993, Margaret received the Academy Plaque for Exceptional Service to NYAM in recognition of her many contributions.
 
Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, NYAM President, remembers Margaret as a force for positive change in the field of health care and philanthropy and a as a role model and lifelong advocate for women in leadership positions.

“I was fortunate enough to meet Margaret early in my career, and she was always there as a mentor and friendly critic, with searching questions and wise advice,” Dr. Boufford said. “I will always treasure my friendship with her.”

NYAM President Emeritus Jeremiah Barondess fondly recalled Margaret’s dedication to NYAM and her drive to help position NYAM as a leader in urban health.

“She knew everyone and could speak for NYAM and the idea that we wanted to develop urban health as a field,” Dr. Barondess said. “She was very supportive of the development of new programs and new directions and our desire to create urban health as a field of inquiry and scholarship.”

In addition to her contributions to NYAM, Margaret was a pioneer in the establishment of health care philanthropy in her leadership roles at the Carnegie Corporation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and as President of the Commonwealth Fund from 1980 until 1995. Friends and colleagues often referred to her unique ability to assemble the brightest minds to tackle the most critical health care issues of the day, and her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of New Yorkers.

While at Commonwealth, she was instrumental in helping to create Healthy Steps, an initiative that encourages physicians to closely monitor a child’s development during the first three years following birth. Through her efforts, Healthy Steps has become a preeminent national model for integrating health care and social services for children in underserved and impoverished communities.

NYAM’s staff and Board of Trustees extend our deepest condolences to Margaret’s family and friends.

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Posted on January 9, 2012

Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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