5.7.2025
BAYSIDE, NY – The Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children proudly announces the appointment of Sean Lally as their next President and Chief Executive Officer following a comprehensive nation-wide search. Mr. Lally will succeed current President and CEO, Dr. Edwin Simpser, when he retires at the end of June 2025 after dedicating more than twenty-five years to the Healthcare System.
Under Dr. Simpser’s leadership, St. Mary’s has developed pioneering programs for children with speciallhealthcare needs, including St. Mary’s Center for Pediatric Feeding Disorders, state-of-the-art rehabilitation and locomotor programs, and St. Mary’s Home Care. Today, St. Mary’s stands as New York’s largest provider of long-term care for children with complex medical conditions and continues to be one of the nation’s leaders in pediatric post-acute care. Mr. Lally will continue to grow and expand the System’s innovative and industry-leading programs and services, which provide hope and healing for these special children and their families in the Hospital, as outpatients and in their homes.
“This marks a truly exciting time for an organization that has built a legacy of more than 150 years of excellence in care delivery for children”, said Cindy Johnson and Stephen Brent Wells, Co-Chairs of the Board of Directors. “Sean is a trusted leader who deeply understands our mission and shares our strong unwavering commitment to building a brighter, healthier future for children with medical complexity. Together with our dedicated St. Mary’s team, he will help lead us forward with vision, compassion, and continued innovation in delivering extraordinary care. The entire St. Mary’s community is filled with optimism and enthusiasm for the future.”
In his almost ten years at St. Mary’s, Mr. Lally has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, where he oversaw operations management and was responsible for leading the organization’s strategic planning initiatives, system quality and improvement, fundraising, and overseeing external relations activities. Mr. Lally previously held leadership positions at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the American Museum of Natural History, and the New York Historical Society.
“I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to succeed Dr. Simpser and lead St. Mary’s forward into its next chapter where we will continue to deliver on our mission and provide the absolute best care for our unique patients while setting the Healthcare System up for long-term success,” said Sean Lally, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children. “There is truly no place like St. Mary’s for medically complex children and their families– a testament to our Board, our incredible doctors, nurses, therapists, and other staff who I look forward to continuing to work with for years to come.”
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve St. Mary’s for more than twenty-five years as both Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer, but it is time for me to pass the torch. I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together as an organization in serving children with complex medical conditions,” said Dr. Edwin Simpser, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children. “I would like to congratulate Sean, and I know that he will lead the organization to new heights while managing the challenges of New York’s healthcare landscape.”
About St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children: St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children has been the primary provider of long-term and rehabilitative care for New York’s most medically fragile children since the 1870s. St. Mary’s Healthcare System is one of only a handful of organizations around the country that is dedicated to providing intensive rehabilitation, specialized care, and education to children and young adults with special healthcare needs and life-limiting conditions.
