Oswego Health Announces New Board Leadership and Welcomes Four New Members to Board of DirectorsPosted on July 20, 2026 |
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(Oswego, NY – July 20, 2026) Following its Annual Meeting held on June 29, 2026, the volunteer Oswego Health Board of Directors unanimously elected a new slate of officers and welcomed four accomplished community leaders to the governing board. As a locally governed independent nonprofit health system, Oswego Health is guided by volunteer community leaders who bring diverse expertise and a shared commitment to ensuring local healthcare decisions are made in the best interest of the communities the organization serves.
Peter Cullinan has been elected Chair of the Oswego Health Board of Directors. Joining him in officer roles are Katie Toomey Zaryski as Vice Chair, Ron Tascarella as Treasurer and Lynne Eggert as Secretary.
The Board also welcomed four new directors: Sean Broderick, Andrew Fish, Marie Schadt and Alex Sterio, each bringing extensive experience in business, education, public service, communications, economic development and industry leadership.
"On behalf of everyone at Oswego Health, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Vicki Furlong for her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment during her tenure as Board Chair," said Michael C. Backus, President and CEO of Oswego Health. "Vicki has helped guide our organization through an important period of growth and transformation while always keeping our mission and community at the center of every decision. We are equally excited to welcome Pete Cullinan as our new Board Chair, our outstanding slate of officers and four exceptional new board members. Their diverse expertise, leadership experience and deep commitment to our region will help shape the future of healthcare across Oswego County as we continue to strengthen and expand access to high-quality, local care."
Board Officers
Peter Cullinan, Chair
A lifelong Oswego resident, Peter Cullinan retired in 2021 following more than three decades in emergency planning, including leadership roles with Oswego County and Exelon at the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant. A graduate of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Biology, Cullinan has dedicated his career to public safety, emergency preparedness and community service. In addition to serving on the Oswego Health Board of Directors, he also serves on the Oswego Health Foundation Board and has volunteered with organizations including the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Operation Oswego County and the Town of Minetto Zoning Board of Appeals.
Katie Toomey Zaryski, Vice Chair
Katie Toomey Zaryski serves as Vice President of Employee Engagement & Strategic Communication for Elemental Management, where she leads corporate communications, public relations, employee engagement, recruitment initiatives and organizational culture. She is also President of Burt Street Communications & Consulting, providing strategic communications, leadership coaching and organizational consulting services. Throughout her career, Toomey Zaryski has held executive leadership positions with Bond, Schoeneck & King, CenterState CEO and the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, bringing extensive experience in communications, business development, workforce engagement and community partnerships throughout Central New York.
Ron Tascarella, Treasurer
Ron Tascarella brings more than 45 years of banking and financial leadership experience to the Board. Recently retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer at Pathfinder Bank, he built a distinguished career specializing in commercial lending, credit administration and strategic financial management. A graduate of SUNY Oswego, Tascarella remains deeply engaged in community service as President of the Gifford Foundation, Past President of the Red House Arts Center and also serves on the board of CABVI (Central Association for the Blind and Visionally Impaired, providing valuable financial expertise to nonprofit organizations throughout the region.
Lynne Eggert, Secretary
Lynne Eggert is a Family Nurse Practitioner who recently retired after a distinguished 32-year career with Alcan/Novelis. During her tenure, she served as a primary care provider before spending the final 15 years as Environmental Health & Safety Associate Leader, overseeing Occupational Health, Emergency Services and the employee wellness program. Eggert has served on the Oswego Health Board of Directors for more than six years and the Farnham Family Services Board of Directors for more than seven years, bringing extensive clinical, occupational health and governance experience to the organization.
New Board Members
Sean Broderick
Sean Broderick serves as Early College High School Program Coordinator at G. Ray Bodley High School, where he helps prepare students for college and career success. Prior to entering education, Broderick spent 25 years in the private sector, serving as Executive Vice President of A&E Transport Services and Vice President of Durham School Services, overseeing transportation operations for school districts and municipalities throughout the East Coast. A passionate community advocate, he founded Fulton Community Basketball, which provides free youth programming and meals to children throughout Oswego County, and serves on numerous nonprofit boards, including Catholic Charities, the Fulton Family YMCA, Arc of Onondaga Foundation and Fulton Rotary.
Andrew Fish
Andrew Fish serves as Head of Stakeholder Management and Third-Party Engagement for U.S. Corporate Affairs at National Grid, leading enterprise-wide engagement with business, government and community stakeholders. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at CenterState CEO overseeing economic development, business attraction, member engagement and regional competitiveness. Fish also brings entrepreneurial experience as a commercial real estate investor and former co-owner of a New York farmstead goat cheese operation, while serving as an adjunct instructor teaching social entrepreneurship. He earned his MBA from SUNY Oswego in 2024 and has spent more than 16 years advancing economic development and regional collaboration across Central New York.
Marie Schadt
A fifth-generation Oswego County resident, Marie Schadt is a longtime entrepreneur, community leader and public servant dedicated to strengthening the community she proudly calls home. Over the course of her 47-year career, she has owned and operated several successful small businesses, including K9 Grooming & Pet Motel, Irish Fox Farm, home to nationally ranked hunters and jumpers, and an estate acquisitions business. Since 2014, Schadt has served as an Oswego County Legislator and currently serves as Democratic Minority Leader. She previously spent 10 years on the Oswego Town Board, building a long record of public service to the region.
Alex Sterio
Alex Sterio serves as Site Vice President of the James A. FitzPatrick Clean Energy Center and brings more than 36 years of executive leadership experience within the nuclear energy industry. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions overseeing engineering, maintenance, operations and integrated work management at both Nine Mile Point and FitzPatrick. A graduate of Clarkson University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Sterio has built a career centered on operational excellence, safety and organizational leadership. A longtime Oswego resident, he remains committed to supporting organizations that strengthen the quality of life throughout the region.
As the governing body of Oswego Health, the volunteer Board of Directors provides strategic oversight and guidance to ensure the organization continues fulfilling its mission of delivering exceptional, accessible healthcare throughout Oswego County. The Board reflects a diverse cross-section of the community, with expertise spanning healthcare, finance, education, communications, economic development, energy and local business, providing valuable perspectives that help shape the organization's long-term vision and continued independence.
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About Oswego Health:
The mission of Oswego Health is to provide accessible, quality care and improve the health of residents throughout Central New York. As a nonprofit healthcare system established in 1881, Oswego Health is proud to be one of Oswego County’s largest private employers. More than 1,400+ employees spread throughout its 25 campuses, work for the Oswego Health system, which includes the 132-bed community Oswego Hospital, a 32-bed psychiatric acute-care facility with multiple outpatient behavioral health service locations, The Manor at Seneca Hill, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility, and Springside at Seneca Hill, an independent retirement community. The health system also operates Oswego Health Home Care, the only hospital-based certified home healthcare agency in the County, as well as two outpatient centers, including the Fulton Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, physical therapy, and occupational health services, and the Central Square Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, and physical therapy services. In addition, the healthcare system includes Oswego Health Medical Practice, a multi-specialty medical group offering the community accessible, high-quality healthcare. 300+ physicians and advanced practice providers offer an extensive array of services across CNY, including primary care and specialty care in orthopedics, cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, breast care, general surgery, urology, pulmonology, and bariatrics; for more information ab
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