Damian Leadership

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.

He left medical practice to become the medical director of a public health non-profit in New York City until 2016, and joined the Damian Family Care Centers in 2017. He became the Chief Medical Officer of Damian in March of 2019, and has been both a practicing physician and administrator since then, working at the Headquarters in Jamaica, as well as several of the DFCC clinical sites. He is a New Yorker, born and raised, and currently resides on the Upper East Side.

Philip is a powerful force in the workplace and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Philip is an experienced finance leader who uses a proactive approach and leverages the power of technology to make informed decisions. Philip is inspired by his wife and three kids. His ultimate goal is to ensure that Damian remains financially stable and continues to grow and maintain its mission to serve our communities.

As the head of the Corporate Compliance and Quality department, Sadia Choudhury has the ultimate responsibility of ensuring the organization is adhering to all federal, and state laws and regulations, evidence based quality standards and as well as with Damian’s internal Corporate Compliance Program.

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).

She brings the same passion for teaching to Damian’s clinical staff and provides clinical leadership to foster excellence and care at Damian Family Care Center.

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.

Before joining Damian, Ms. Estevez made significant contributions at The Institute of Family Health and Morris Heights Health Center, two of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States.

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.

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.