Mercy University adds two trustees with health care and public service experience

Mercy University has appointed New York children and family services commissioner DaMia Harris-Madden and Columbia surgeon John A. Chabot to its Board of Trustees. The additions bring public-sector, health care and research experience to the Dobbs Ferry university as it looks to advance its mission and strategic direction.

Why it matters: - Mercy University is adding trustees with direct experience in state government, child welfare, health care delivery and medical research. - The appointments broaden the board’s perspective as the university works to guide strategy and support student outcomes. - The move also strengthens ties to two high-profile fields that affect the communities Mercy serves across New York.

What happened: - Mercy University announced on July 22, 2026, that it appointed Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden and Dr. John A. Chabot to its Board of Trustees. - Harris-Madden is commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and a member of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration. - Chabot is chief of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and the David V. Habif professor of Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. - Mercy University is based in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

The details: - Harris-Madden leads a state agency with more than 3,500 employees and a budget of close to $8 billion. - OCFS oversees safety, permanency and well-being for children, families and communities across New York. - Harris-Madden earned both a Master of Science in Human Resource Management and a Master of Business Administration from Mercy University. - Mercy described Harris-Madden’s appointment as a homecoming for the alumna. - Harris-Madden has more than 20 years of executive leadership across state government, local government, education and the nonprofit sector. - Her prior roles included positions 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 MBA, a master’s 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 said the Pancreas Center is one of the world’s largest and most effective clinical cancer programs. - The center serves as both a treatment facility and a research hub focused on new pancreatic cancer therapies. - Chabot has performed more than 2,500 complex pancreatic procedures. - Chabot has spent his entire career at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian, rising from intern in 1983 to 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. - Chabot is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Between the lines: - Mercy is signaling that its governing board should reflect both community service and specialized professional expertise. - Harris-Madden brings policy experience tied to children, families and public investment. - Chabot brings clinical leadership tied to cancer care, surgical innovation and training the next generation of health professionals. - The university is leaning on trustees who can connect Mercy’s academic mission to workforce needs in health care and public service.

What's next: - Harris-Madden and Chabot will help guide Mercy University’s strategic direction as new members of the board. - Mercy said their experience will support its mission of academic excellence, innovation and service. - The university expects their addition to help advance its goal of empowering students to transform their lives and communities.

The bottom line: - Mercy University is expanding its board with two leaders whose careers span public policy, child welfare, surgery and cancer research.