Leadership
Damian Family Care Centers, Inc.
Damian Leadership
DFCC is a not-for-profit primary medical health center, mental health and dental care provider.
Junnie Campbell
Chair
Chinyere U. Eze-Nliam, Esq.
Vice Chair
Alan
Woghin, CPA
Treasurer
Michael DeGraffenfreid
Secretary
Cynthia
Cortes
Director
John
Tavolacci
Director
Idania Lopez Mercado
Director
Tony
Jimenez, MD.
Director
Rogelio
Thomas, MD.
Director
Executive Management
Meet Damian’s Executive Management Team.
Peter A. Grisafi, CEO
President / Chief Executive Officer
Peter A Grisafi has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Damian Family Care Centers, Inc. since October 2013. Mr. Grisafi was a founding board member of Damian when it started in 1999. He also served on the finance committee during his tenure on the board.
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Mr. Grisafi has an extensive experience with substance abuse treatment and healthcare organizations. From his days working as an auditor and then manager in a CPA firm that had numerous audit clients in the substance abuse and healthcare fields he developed a true understanding and respect for the services these organizations provide day in and day out. In 1988 Mr. Grisafi became Director of Finance of Samaritan Village, Inc. one of the largest substance abuse providers in the nation. He became Sr. Vice President of Finance and Administration, Chief Financial Officer in 1993 and served in that capacity until 2007. As CFO, Mr. Grisafi led Samaritan to becoming one of the most financially solid organizations in the substance abuse treatment field.
In 2007, Mr. Grisafi became Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at The Institute of Family Health, a national leader in healthcare and one of the most complex Federally Qualified Health Centers, in the United States. Mr. Grisafi was hired to stabilize The Institute’s various departments in its recent growth. Doubling in size, and expanding from NYC to the Hudson Valley, Mr. Grisafi was responsible for maintaining the stability and fine reputation of support systems The Institute was known for. Mr. Grisafi also led a team through a $30 Million project that secured New Market Tax Credits and grants to build a 35,000 sq. ft., state of the art health care facility in Harlem, NY.
As the CEO of Damian Family Care Centers, Inc. Mr. Grisafi has lead the organization to incredible growth and financial stability. Damian tripled in size in the first three years Mr. Grisafi took over leadership. This growth comes not only from Damian’s reputation of providing quality health care to individuals in substance abuse treatment, but also to the general communities in which Damian has its health centers. This includes a 30,000 sq. ft. health center in the South Bronx that brought comprehensive quality health care to adults and children in a medically underserved community. In addition, quality care initiatives have increased every year from an already impressive performance level under his guidance. Mr. Grisafi also served a Board of Education board member for 16 years, 4 years as President, for the Herricks Union Free School District located on Long Island, NY.
Gilbert Ross, MD, CMO
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Gilbert Ross has been a practicing physician since 1973. He was trained at NYU-Bellevue, Jabobi and Montefiore Hospitals in the 1970s after graduating from NYU School of Medicine in 1972. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, and practiced on Long Island over the next 25 years.
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Philip Gunraj, CFO
Chief Financial Officer
Philip Gunraj joined the Damian team in March of 2023, he has more than 23 years of experience in the not-for-profit healthcare and FQHC world. Prior to joining Damian, Mr. Gunraj worked at one of the largest FQHC in the country, he has a bachelor’s degree and an MBA with a finance concentration.
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Sadia Choudhury, MPA, PCMH CCE, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
Chief Corporate Compliance & Quality Assurance Officer
Sadia Choudhury is responsible for leading vision, strategy and implementation of Corporate Compliance, Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement, Patient Safety, Risk Management and Regulatory/Accreditation activities for the entire Damian network of 14 Federally Qualified Health Centers.
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With more than 10 years of experience in Healthcare Quality, Population Health, Healthcare Compliance, Program/Project Operations and Management, Sadia Choudhury brings a wealth of knowledge to Damian Family Care Centers. Sadia Choudhury was hired as the Director of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement in July 2020. Within 2 years she got promoted to Chief Corporate Compliance & Quality Assurance Officer. During her tenure as the Director, Sadia implemented and led many successful initiatives within Damian network. To name few of many successes were: roll out of Social Determinants of Health Initiative (SDOH) for the first time in Damian, significant patient health improvement outcomes from the Hypertension Remote Blood Pressure Monitoring Initiative (a HRSA grant funded program) (recognized by AHA and CHCANYS for the program success), thru various PDSA projects, transitioning most HRSA reported UDS clinical quality measures to 1st and 2nd quartile ranking, achievement of American Heart Association (AHA) Recognitions for Gold and Silver Award for all 14 Health Centers for Hypertension Control, Diabetes Control, and Cholesterol Management, and National Council of Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition with Behavioral Health Distinction.
Sadia earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) specializing in Health Policy & Management degree from Long Island University and Bachelor (BA) degree with Biochemistry major from CUNY Hunter College.
Sadia Choudhury is certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. She also achieved recognition as New York State Department of Health Medicaid Accelerated Exchange (NYSDOH MAX) Certified Train-the-Trainer for Leading Lean methodology inspired Quality Improvement projects in an organization with primary objective of reducing potentially avoidable inpatient admission and ED visits. Sadia Choudhury also achieved Content Expert certification (PCMH CCE) for Patient Centered Medical Home from the recognition body of National Council of Quality Assurance (NCQA). Sadia is also the active member of American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Healthcare Leaders of New York (HLNY), American Society of Public Administration (ASPA), and HealthCare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Dr. Tahira Ilarraza, CHO
Chief Health Officer and Director of Nursing
Dr. Tahira Ilarraza joined the Damian team in May 2023, after years of working in Higher education and clinical care. Dr. Ilarraza serves as the Chief Health Officer and Director of Nursing, as well as a Family Nurse Practitioner for Primary Women’s Health. She has been a professor at both public and private institutions of higher education, where she had the privilege of educating future nurses and nurse practitioners.
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Dr. Ilarraza is inspired by the dedication of Damian’s team to serve the community, as they continue the caring legacy of Fr. Damian Pitcaithly. Dr. Ilarraza is married to Rev. Dr. JP Ilarraza, and they have three children. Her family actively engages in pastoral ministry through their local church. Dr. Ilarraza’s area of clinical interest is in the field of women’s health. Her doctoral research was focused on the topic of Maternal infant bonding.
Cynthia Estevez, COO
Chief Operating Officer
Cynthia Estevez is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in healthcare operations. She joined the Damian team in June of 2017 as the Senior Practice Administrator for Damian’s largest health center. In March 2023, she was recognized for her exceptional work and promoted to Director of Operations.
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Since joining Damian, Ms. Estevez has been instrumental in driving significant improvements across various facets of the organization. Her knowledge of operations, quality assurance, and quality improvements has led to notable enhancements in service delivery, such as reducing patient wait times and increasing appointment availability, ensuring that the health centers maintain the highest standards of patient care. Recognizing the value of a versatile team, she spearheaded comprehensive cross-training programs that have empowered staff members to excel in multiple roles, thus optimizing overall productivity.
Under her leadership, provider productivity substantially increased, reflecting her ability to streamline operations and foster a collaborative work environment. Ms. Estevez also played a pivotal role in several major projects, including the successful opening of Damian’s newest health center, Mott Haven Family Health Center. Her vital role in achieving Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition is a testament to her dedication and expertise.
Ms. Estevez’s career is marked by a dedication to enhancing staff, customer, and patient satisfaction. Her meticulous attention to detail and commitment to creating positive environments for patients and employees have driven excellence in patient care and staff management, resulting in improved patient outcomes and high staff retention rates.
As a native New Yorker, Ms. Estevez immerses herself in the city’s vibrant energy, exploring its hidden gems, traveling to new places, and savoring its diverse culinary experiences during her free time.
Ann Pooser, CIO
Chief Information Officer
Ann Pooser joined Damian Family Care Centers, Inc. as the Director of Informatics in 2022 and has a career spanning over 16 years in healthcare informatics and information technology. Ann is deeply committed to leveraging technology to optimize patient care and thrives on data-driven solutions.
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An alumna of Brooklyn College and 14 years at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Ann combines academic rigor with extensive hands-on expertise. As the newly appointed Chief Information Officer at Damian, Ann is focused on driving technological innovation to elevate the organization’s impact on the communities served and reach new heights of excellence.
Outside of work, Ann is a dedicated mother of four, a proud grandmother, and she finds balance as a fitness enthusiast.
Damian Family Care Centers, Inc.
Damian Family Care Centers, Inc. is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) organization providing Primary Care, Dental and Mental Health Services.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Damian Family Care Centers participate in the federal medical professional liability program known as the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
Annual Report
Corp. Compliance
Awards by Location
Damian Family Care Centers, Inc.
is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) organization providing Primary Care, Dental and Mental Health Services.
Terms of Use & Privacy Statements
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Federally Qualified Health Center
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Damian Family Care Centers participate in the federal medical professional liability program known as the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
Assistive Technologies Resources
508 Compliance Resources