De Balsio’s deputy has strong experience in health care, finance, public administration

Markowitz praises Anthony Shorris

December 6, 2013 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio’s announcement of Anthony Shorris as First Deputy Mayor has put a spotlight on a man with a long history of competence in managing city agencies, public authorities, education and health care institutions.

Shorris, 56, will serve as the second-highest ranking official in New York City, and be charged with managing the day-to-day operation of the city, and covering for the Mayor when he is out of town.

“We are going to deliver progressive and effective leadership that sets the standard for cities across the country,” he said on Wednesday. “The rebirth of this city has been my life’s work, and I know its best days are in front of us. We have waited a long time for this progressive moment, and I am incredibly excited to join our new mayor and this team to take this city in a new direction.”

“Anthony Shorris has a rich breadth of experience in public service. I believe he will serve our new Mayor and the city with distinction,” said Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Sorris started out at City Hall in 1978 during the Koch Administration, where he served as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Shorris also served as Mayor Koch’s Finance Commissioner.

Shorris also served as First Deputy Executive Director and Executive Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, both Governors Mario Cuomo and Eliot Spitzer.

From 1995-2000, he moved into the health care field, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Healthfirst, a nonprofit offering free and low-cost insurance plans to low income individuals, families, and seniors. Healthfirst, which Sorris helped launch, is one of the largest nonprofit managed healthcare organizations in New York, serving over 900,000 members. Sorris worked closely with the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund to create a new program to provide homecare workers with health insurance.

Starting in 2001, he moved into education, serving as Deputy Chancellor for Operations at the Department of Education under two chancellors. Sorris also taught at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School, where he led the Policy Research Institute for the Region and taught classes in crisis management, poverty policy and education economics. From there, he moved on to become director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and professor of practice at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School Public Service at NYU.

Currently, Shorris serves as Senior Vice President, Vice Dean, and Chief of Staff of the NYU Langone Medical Center.

He is a board member of the Regional Plan Association and co-chair of the Fourth Regional Plan, an advisory board member of the Independent Budget Office, as well as a board member of the Healthcare Association of New York State.

Shorris was born in New York City to authors Earl and Sylvia Shorris. His father Earl founded a celebrated educational program that introduces the poor to the great philosophers, while providing transportation and childcare during the classes.

Mr. Shorris holds degrees from Harvard College and Princeton University. He is also a Fellow at the Century Foundation in New York City and was chosen as “Professor of the Year” by the student body of NYU’s Wagner School.