Jon Sendach

How would you describe your experience as a Wagner student?

My experience as a student was terrific. The classes were engaging, relevant, challenging, and properly-paced. The professors in health policy and management were industry scholars with good connections to the area and to local healthcare institutions. I was happy to be able to complete the program in two years while still working full-time.

How did your Wagner experience prepare you professionally for what you are doing today?

The strongest asset I now have as a result of my Wagner experience is leadership skills. Beyond just theory, Wagner courses focused on leadership and this is something sorely missing from many other programs from which I now hire graduates. I think the role of a graduate program is to teach as much about how to get the work done as they do about what work needs to get done. Part of that is analytical, but another part is leadership development skills. As a Wagner adjunct today, I work hard to incorporate those elements into the classroom as well.  

Describe your current job.

As deputy executive director at North Shore University Hospital, I am the second-in-command of an 800-bed academic medical center. In that role, I oversee day-to-day operations, capital projects, strategic initiatives, campus infrastructure, workforce engagement and patient experience. It's a broad role with many senior-level direct reports.  In my work with early careerists, I strongly encourage them to consider their graduate studies at NYU.  I have many Wagner alumni working with me and still see NYU Wagner as one of the best graduate programs for healthcare industry leaders.