Mercy University adds two leaders to its Board of Trustees

Mercy University named public-service leader DaMia Harris-Madden and surgeon John A. Chabot to its Board of Trustees on July 22, adding experience in child welfare, healthcare, and medical innovation. The appointments are meant to strengthen the university’s governance as it pursues academic excellence and student opportunity.

Why it matters: - Mercy University is adding two trustees with deep experience in state government and academic medicine. - The new appointments bring perspective on child welfare, healthcare delivery, and innovation to the university’s governing body. - Mercy says the additions will help guide strategy and support its mission of helping students transform their lives and communities.

What happened: - Mercy University announced the appointment of Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden and Dr. John A. Chabot to its Board of Trustees on July 22, 2026. - Harris-Madden is commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. - Chabot is chief of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and the David V. Habif professor of Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. - Susan L. Parish, Mercy University’s president, said both leaders bring service, innovation and strong community commitment to the board.

The details: - Harris-Madden oversees an agency with more than 3,500 employees and a budget of close to $8 billion. - OCFS is responsible for promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of children, families and communities across New York. - Harris-Madden is a Mercy alumna and earned a Master of Science in Human Resource Management and a Master of Business Administration from the university. - Mercy described her appointment as a homecoming. - Harris-Madden said she looks forward to helping steward the university’s future and supporting opportunities for students to learn, grow and succeed. - Under Harris-Madden’s leadership, OCFS is advancing evidence-informed reforms in childcare, child welfare, juvenile justice and other human services. - Harris-Madden has played a key role in Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan to expand childcare access across New York. - Her more than 20 years of executive leadership spans state government, local government, education and the nonprofit sector. - Before joining Hochul’s administration, Harris-Madden held roles in the cabinets of the Westchester County Executive and four mayors in Mount Vernon, New York. - Harris-Madden also holds a B.A. in English and African American Studies, an M.B.A., a master’s degree in human resources management, a doctorate in executive leadership and an honorary doctorate in humane letters. - Chabot founded and directs the Pancreas Center at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian, established in 2006. - Mercy says the center is one of the world’s largest and most effective clinical cancer programs and also serves as a research hub for new pancreatic cancer therapies. - Chabot has performed more than 2,500 complex pancreatic procedures. - He has spent his entire career at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian, starting as an intern in 1983 and later becoming chief of hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery and vice president of ColumbiaDoctors. - Chabot earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science from Tufts University and a Doctor of Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School. - His memberships include the American Medical Association and the American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. - Chabot said he is honored to join the board at a pivotal time for higher education.

Between the lines: - Mercy is signaling that it wants trustees with both public-policy and clinical-research credibility. - Harris-Madden’s background aligns with student support and community impact. - Chabot’s career brings medical-school and healthcare-system expertise that could be valuable as Mercy expands its health-focused programs. - The board additions also reinforce Mercy’s effort to balance academic leadership with practical public-service experience.

What's next: - Harris-Madden and Chabot will help steer Mercy’s strategic direction as the university continues its mission. - Mercy says their insights will support academic excellence, innovation and service. - The university will continue serving more than 9,000 students annually across campuses in Westchester, the Bronx and Manhattan, as well as online. - Mercy also points readers to more information about the university.