Friday, November 21, 2025
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
College of Staten Island
2800 Victory Boulevard, Building 1P
EVENT IS FREE
AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
SIEDC's annual Health & Wellness Expo is back this year at the College of Staten Island. The event, scheduled for November 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., will feature nearly two dozen FREE medical screenings and consultations, free educational seminars and discussions on important wellness topics, fitness demonstrations, and a large Resource Fair of businesses in related fields. Plus, presenting sponsors Councilman David Carr, Richmond University Medical Center and Staten Island University Hospital will present the annual "Health Hero" awards to islanders making a difference in the health and well being of residents.
9:00 p.m. - KICKOFF BREAKFAST
Staten Islanders are invited to join this ticketed breakfast session for a discussion highlighting today’s emerging health issues and how they impact our borough. Staten Island’s most dedicated and compassionate “Health Heroes” will also be recognized during the breakfast for their contributions to the health and well-being of Staten Islanders.
Tickets: $50/person for non-members of the SIEDC. SIEDC members receive one complimentary ticket. Contact Amanda@siedc.org for more information.
Featuring:
Health Heroes:
Joseph Conte, Executive Director, Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS)
Joseph Conte serves as the Executive Director of SI PPS, the leading population health organization on Staten Island dedicated to advancing health equity and addressing social determinants of health. As SI PPS evolves from its DSRIP Medicaid origins, it continues to expand its focus into training and workforce development.
Previously, Joe spent over 15 years with Northwell Health (formerly NS-LIJ Health System) in several executive roles, including Senior Vice President for Quality, where his leadership helped earn the NQF National Quality Healthcare Award and the Codman Award for Staten Island University Hospital. He also held senior positions at Richmond University Medical Center and Catholic Health Services of Long Island.
Joe earned his doctorate from Seton Hall University’s School of Health and Medical Sciences and has presented keynote talks across the U.S. and internationally in the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine. He has also published numerous peer-reviewed articles on healthcare innovation.
Dr. Keith Diaz
Dr. Diaz has served as an intensivist and consulting pulmonologist at Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) since 2011 and directs the hospital’s Lung Screening Program. A lifelong Staten Island resident and graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, he completed his internal medicine residency on Staten Island, followed by surgical critical care training at Mount Sinai and a pulmonary/critical care fellowship at Stony Brook University Medical Center. His dedication to teaching earned him “Attending of the Year” for 2018–2019, and he also serves as a medical specialist for the FDNY, assisting firefighters with 9/11-related illnesses.
Dr. Diaz helped create RUMC’s lung screening program, one of the most advanced in NYC, which uses low-dose CT scans to detect lung cancer early, when it is 90 percent curable. In 2021, he co-led RUMC’s Comprehensive Post COVID-19 Care Center, a multidisciplinary program that treated over 200 patients before closing in 2023. He continues to provide care for patients with post-COVID and 9/11-related pulmonary issues through the hospital and his outpatient practice in the Richmond Health Network.
Dr. Nicole Berwald
Dr. Nicole Berwald is the Medical Director of Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), Northwell Health. She graduated from SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine and completed her residency at SUNY Downstate and Kings County Hospital Center. After residency, she joined SIUH’s Department of Emergency Medicine, holding various administrative roles and becoming Chair of the department in 2018. In her current role, Dr. Berwald focuses on creating safe, efficient systems to ensure high-quality patient care. She also serves as President of the New York Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, leading advocacy and educational initiatives to improve emergency care statewide. Additionally, she has pioneered programs for opioid use disorder treatment in the Emergency Department and actively contributes to women’s health initiatives, including the SIUH Women in Medicine Committee and maternal mortality review boards at the state and hospital levels.
Dr. Bari Fitzgerald Ceka
(bio and headshot pending)
1:00 p.m. - UNSUNG COMMUNITY HEALTH HERO AWARDS AND BATTLE OF THE FITTEST BUSINESS AWARD CEREMONY
Celebrate the achievements of Staten Islanders at this awards ceremony, free and open to the public. Several outstanding Islanders will be recognized for their contributions to the well being of the borough with "Unsung Community Health Hero" awards. Staten Island's Fittest Businesses, based on a seven week long competition, will be recognized with awards as well as winners of the “Best Life Challenge”.
Honorees:
Joseph Conte
Arlene Egan and Davy Jones
Arlene Egan and Davy Jones are a Therapy Animal Team who have been providing comfort to patients and staff at Richmond University Medical Center since 2023. Members of the Luv on a Leash program provided by Pride Center of Staten Island, Arlene and Davy have been helping people at the hospital cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. Arlene and Davy can often be found in many of the hospital’s units, including Pediatrics, the Infusion Center, Laboratory Services, and the Emergency Department meeting with patients, their families, and the occasional staff member. Davy even has his own RUMC ID badge, which he proudly wears.
Arlene, a lifelong rescue dog owner, has said her dream has always been to be part of a Therapy Animal Team. In March of 2017, she saw Davy’s photo online. He was a Mississippi stray puppy, rescued by a foster group mom, from a kill shelter. Arlene went to Mississippi to adopt him, and after a two-day truck ride, Davy was officially part of her family. Now they are part of the RUMC Family and the first-ever Therapy Animal Team to care for patients at the hospital.
Nicole Piccirillo
Nicole Piccirillo serves as the Director of Health Home Care Management at Seamen’s Society for Children & Families, where she oversees the coordination of medical, mental health, and community-based services that support the overall well-being of children and families. In this role, she oversees care managers and ensures that each client receives comprehensive, integrated care and access to the resources they need to thrive.
Nicole has been with Seamen’s Society for seven years, beginning as a Quality Assurance Specialist and advancing to Supervisor before stepping into her current leadership as Director role two years ago. She also represents the agency in its collaboration with SIPPS on the Social Care Network initiative, expanding access to critical supports for families across the community.
Nicole holds two master’s degrees from Walden University - one in Health Care Administration and one in Health Informatics. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Health and Nutrition from Brooklyn College.
In addition to her program leadership, Nicole is an active agency volunteer, contributing to the Voices of Change committee and participating in Human Resources stay interviews to support staff retention and organizational culture.
