WCA in the News

Westchester County crossed a milestone when the last census in 2020 revealed there are now more than one million people living here. So, with more folks competing for a housing stock that hasn’t kept pace, the result is predictable. “It’s Economics 101,” Tim Foley of the Building & Realty Institute told a gathering of more than 75 at the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber breakfast on Jan. 9 “If the supply is inadequate, the prices go sky high. In addition, with the migration up from New York City during Covid, the housing inventory shrunk and the prices went bananas.”

The U.S. healthcare system is facing a dual crisis: a critical shortage of nurses and an even more severe shortage of nursing faculty. This interconnected challenge creates a dangerous threat to the system’s capacity to meet current and future healthcare needs, with dire consequences for patient care quality.

An estimated 400 business, nonprofit and community leaders were on hand November 20th when The Westchester County Association honored four Westchester leaders at its Annual Leadership Event, “Impact in Action.” The event took place at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle.

On Oct. 1, more than 150 attendees — including state and local officials, tech experts, college presidents and national scholars — gathered at Pace University for the Hudson Valley Digital Innovation Conference to discuss how to turn this vision into reality.

The Welcome Home Westchester Campaign (WHWC) has called on local officials not to wait for action from New York state on housing but to move now on their own to address the county’s housing needs.

As New York state continues on its mission to meet clean energy goals, the real estate industry in the Lower Hudson Valley is embracing a new mindset — with hopes of reducing carbon emissions.

To harness the promise of the ACP, the Westchester County Association together with the STEM Alliance and other partners launched two first-of-its-kind, digital connectivity initiatives, the Yonkers-based YZone and the county-wide Connect Westchester.

It’s hard to believe in this age of hyper-connectivity, but about half a million people living in New York City and its suburbs still lack access to high-speed broadband despite more than a decade of state and federal programs that have poured billions of dollars into closing the digital divide.

With the rapid rise of AI, remote work, sustainability, and cybersecurity, remaining up-to-the-second with business trends is not only smart, it can make or break a company.

Beginning in 2022, the Westchester County Association’s Healthcare Talent Pipeline Program placed and trained 100 workers with regional healthcare providers. The initiative funded by a grant from Westchester County has an annual economic impact of more than $3.5 million.

Pelham, NY — January 22, 2026 — The Westchester County Association (WCA) today announced the formation of the Westchester Economic Alliance, a new, joint countywide economic development initiative launched in partnership with Westchester County Government.

(November 20, 2025 – New Rochelle, NY) — More than 450 business, nonprofit, and government leaders gathered at Glen Island Harbour Club on November 19 for the Westchester County Association’s (WCA) “Impact in Action” Annual Leadership Event—the capstone celebration of the organization’s 75th anniversary.

(October 13, 2025) … Westchester County leaders, healthcare executives, and policymakers gathered at the Westchester County Association’s (WCA) annual Toasting to a Healthy Westchester: An Evening to Celebrate WCA’s Legacy of Healthcare Advocacy & Initiatives.

Westchester County, NY — [July 24, 2025] — The Westchester County Association (WCA), Westchester County, and The STEM Alliance today hosted the second annual CONVERGE: Hudson Valley Digital Innovation Conference, bringing together business, government, nonprofit, and education leaders to explore how artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and digital inclusion can power the region’s economy and create a more equitable, resilient future.

WHITE PLAINS, NY (May 22, 2025) — As cranes rise and hospital campuses expand across Westchester County, new findings unveiled at the Westchester County Association’s (WCA) Annual Real Estate Summit reveal a critical imbalance—Westchester’s housing supply is not keeping up, and the cost of inaction could reach tens of billions of dollars.

White Plains, NY (January 23, 2025) — The Westchester County Association (WCA) launched its 75th anniversary year with newly appointed County Executive Ken Jenkins’ first address to the Westchester business community, where he outlined his vision for the county’s growth and vitality – subjects that drive WCA’s mission.

(November 21, 2024) …. Four exceptional Westchester leaders, cited for their outstanding contributions to Westchester’s robust economy, benefiting its people and businesses, were honored at the Westchester County Association’s (WCA) Annual Leadership Event, “Impact in Action,” held on November 20th at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle.

White Plains, New York - (November 10, 2023)….Over 450 members of Westchester’s professional community packed the Westchester Marriott ballroom on November 9th for the Westchester County Association’s 73rd annual leadership event.

White Plains (October 12, 2023) More than 300 job seekers lined up to meet with over 40 employers and resource providers at a regional career fair October 12 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.

Connect Westchester is Westchester County’s Office of Economic Development’s new initiative to bridge the digital divide through providing essential digital resources, education and affordable internet access to low-income residents.

White Plains Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification, the highest level of stroke care accreditation. This milestone reflects rapid growth in its Neurosciences program and leadership from Dr. Rafael A. Ortiz and Dr. Paul Lleva in delivering advanced, 24/7 stroke care.

Congratulations to Skanska on receiving the Project Safety Award at SAFEBUILD 2026 for the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal Port Upgrade. The recognition highlights Skanska’s commitment to safety through planning, risk management, and a strong job site culture.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has appointed Shakeeb Akhter as Chief Digital Officer. Formerly Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Akhter will lead MSK’s digital strategy, advancing innovation across clinical care, research, AI, analytics, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology.

This week, New York Blood Center declared a blood emergency as regional blood supplies have dropped to less than a two-day supply ahead of summer trauma season. Give blood: A single donation can save up to three lives. Host a blood drive: If you have space and 30+ willing donors, NYBC will arrange the rest.

Innovative projects aimed at improving patient access, function, safety, and satisfaction took center stage at Burke Rehabilitation's Annual Performance Improvement (PI) Showcase. Developed by multidisciplinary teams across the organization, this year’s showcase featured 20 projects reflecting the ongoing focus at Burke to advance rehabilitation medicine excellence and exemplify the forward-thinking work taking place every day.

Join RPI, Westchester County, IBM, NVIDIA, Regeneron and others on June 2 to explore how organizations are operationalizing AI today while preparing for the future of quantum and supercomputing. The Summit helps lay the foundation for deeper regional collaboration ahead of CONVERGE '26's focus on quantum infrastructure and workforce development.

The countywide Juneteenth Coalition will launch its month-long freedom celebrations on May 28 at ArtsWestchester. The multi-day event will assemble culture, commerce, and community to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. This year’s celebration centers around the theme, "Built by Us: The Black Blueprint of American Business."

Nonprofit Westchester's Inside the Nonprofit Sector series brings together leaders from nonprofit, healthcare, business, government, and higher education to address the critical issues shaping Westchester's community well-being. The June 4 "Advancing Community Health: Aligning Cross-Sector Action," session features keynote speaker Lyndon J. Mitnaul, Ph.D. of Regeneron Genetics Center.

Zayo, a leading digital infrastructure provider, acquired Crown Castle's fiber solutions business, which will add 90,000 metro-dense route miles to Zayo's expansive network, advancing Zayo's leadership across AI and enterprise connectivity.

The WCA congratulates Vanitha (Van) Pushparaj, MPA, on her new role as Vice President of the Faculty Practice Group at Montefiore Einstein. With 30+ years of experience, she has advanced operational excellence and growth across its ambulatory network, supporting 2,500+ providers and 200+ sites while expanding access to care.