BALCONY Co-Chairs

Alan B. Lubin, Co-Chair Labor
Alan Lubin Consulting (Former Exec. VP, New York State United Teachers)

Alan B. Lubin was elected Executive Vice President of the more than 525,000 member New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) effective Sept. 1, 1993, following 26 years as an elected leader in the United Federation of Teachers, NYSUT’s affiliate in New York City. He retired from that post in early 2010.

Lubin served as a Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers. He was Vice President of the New York State AFL-CIO from December 1993 to December 2009 and continues to serve as a consultant for them. Lubin also served as Vice Chair of the New York State Educational Conference Board, is a member of the Higher Education Conference Board and serves on the Board of Directors of the Medicare Rights Center. Lubin has been a member of the NYSUT Board of Directors since 1973.

As executive vice president, Lubin oversaw NYSUT’s legislative and political action programs and is secretary/treasurer of VOTE-COPE, the union’s political action fund. Lubin organized NYSUT’s nationally acclaimed political action committee with activists in every one of New York State’s senatorial districts. Lubin successfully spearheaded the drive for several watershed pieces of legislation including the permanent cost-of-living adjustment law for retired public employees (COLA), Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) and the law mandating that a defibrillator be on hand in every New York State public school. Since his election as NYSUT executive vice president, state aid to public education has increased 72 percent. A tireless advocate of public higher education, Lubin has highlighted the need for greater investment in SUNY and CUNY by expanding the full-time faculty lines.

Lubin sees NYSUT’s internal growth, continued emphasis on involvement of newer members and the growth of minority activism within NYSUT’s locals and state union as critical keys to NYSUT’s continued success.

During his career as an educator and union leader, Lubin has received a number of awards and honors including the 2004 Carolyn Holmes Humanitarian Award from the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists; 2004 Champion of Labor Award from the New York State Democratic Party; 2004 “Advocate” Award from the New York State Chapter of the AFT Black Caucus; the prestigious 1999 UFT Charles Cogen Teacher Union Award; the 1998 Congressional Friends of Ellis Island Award; and the Friend of Education Award from the Oceanside Federation of Teachers.

Lubin lives in Clifton Park with his wife, Sharon. They have two grown children, both SUNY graduates, and a granddaughter.

Robert M. Hayes, Co-Chair Business
Senior Vice President for Health Quality, Universal American

Robert Hayes, an attorney, has served as Universal American’s Senior Vice President for Health Quality since early 2009. Previously, he was President and General Counsel of the Medicare Rights Center. Mr. Hayes led the National and New York Coalitions for the Homeless from 1979 to 1989 and has practiced law with firms in New York and Maine, including Sullivan & Cromwell and O’Melveny & Myers. Mr. Hayes is a MacArthur Foundation fellow, has received honorary degrees from 10 colleges and universities, and has served as a member of the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System since 2005. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the New York University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review.

Catherine Abate, Co-Chair Non-Profit
President and CEO, Community Healthcare Network

Catherine M. Abate’s career spans several decades of public service. She began her professional life as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society in New York City, and eventually became Legislative Counsel and Director of Training in its Criminal Defense Division. She then was appointed Executive Deputy Commissioner of the NY State Division of Human Rights. In 1988, Abate became the chair of the New York State Crime Victims Board, where she oversaw the provision of comprehensive assistance to crime victims. During the Dinkins administration, she served as Commissioner of both the New York City Departments of Correction and Probation. Ms. Abate was elected as a NY State Senator from Manhattan from 1994-1998. While in the Senate, Abate was the ranking Democrat on the Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee, as well as Investigations and Government Operations Committee. Abate graduated cum laude from Vassar College and received her law degree from Boston University Law School.

Since June 1999, Abate has served as the President and CEO of Community Healthcare Network (CHN). Community Healthcare Network is a not-for-profit organization established in 1981 dedicated to providing accessible and comprehensive culturally competent, community-based primary care, mental health, and social services to diverse populations in underserved communities.

BALCONY Executive Board

• Catherine Abate* (Community Healthcare Network)
• Robert M. Hayes* (Universal American)
• Alan Lubin*
• Anita Kartalopoulus (Milberg LLP)
• Stephen Madarasz (CSEA)
• Anthony Potenza (New York Labor Health Care Alliance)
• Bruce Ventimiglia (Saratoga Capital Management)

* Co-Chair

BALCONY Team

Some top professionals in both business and labor have joined BALCONY to get the job done. Organizational affiliations are given for identification purposes. They include:

Lou Gordon, Director BALCONY

Lou Gordon is the founding director of BALCONY since its inception in 2006. He has successfully built BALCONY from a small start up to a coalition that represents more than 1000 New York State business, major labor unions , advocacy organization and non profits. Gordon has directed the BALCONY efforts regarding the Partnership for Coverage initiative of the New York State Insurance Department and the New York State Department of Health as well as other forums and initiatives of the organization.

John Costello: NYSUT
Richard Winsten: Legislation; Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, PC
Kevin R. Weaver: Computer and Web Services
Liza Kramer
Diane Masters: Director of Special Events