Ceremony celebrates Shulman’s legacy as nurse, advocate, and healthcare champion
Our Bureau
Queens, NY
NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens unveiled the newly renamed Claire Shulman Pavilion during a ceremony honoring the late Claire Shulman, Queens’ first female Borough President and a trailblazer for equitable healthcare. The renaming, approved by the NYC Health + Hospitals Board of Directors, commemorates Shulman’s lifelong dedication to public health, beginning with her career as a nurse at Queens Hospital in the 1940s and culminating in her historic 16-year tenure as Borough President (1986–2002). Shulman’s advocacy led to the creation of the Queens Cancer Center of Excellence and critical upgrades to emergency services, ensuring access to care for over 400,000 annual patients. Renderings of the renamed pavilion, displayed at the ceremony, showcased the permanent tribute to her contributions.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr., who like Claire Shulman is a fierce supporter of Queens Hospital and equitable healthcare, spearheaded the call to rename the pavilion in Shulman’s honor. Borough President Richards reflected on her fight to protect public healthcare. “It is an indescribable honor to call Claire Shulman my predecessor, my mentor and my friend. But the way she’s impacted my life pales in comparison to how she saved lives during her time as a Queens Hospital healthcare hero, or how she saved the hospital itself from being sold during her tenure as borough president,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “To see Claire’s career and legacy come full circle with the renaming of the Pavilion after her is moving beyond words. I’m proud to have fought to make this day possible, and I thank all our partners for their shared belief in the importance of honoring the greatest champion for Queens families we’ve ever known in this way.”
“Claire Shulman’s journey began in these halls as a nurse, where she met her husband, Dr. Melvin Shulman, and developed an unshakable commitment to this hospital and the people of Queens,” said Neil J. Moore, MBA, MPA, FACHE, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens. “As Borough President, she fought privatization threats, secured over $150 million to modernize Queens and Elmhurst Hospitals, and transformed healthcare for generations. Renaming this pavilion ensures her legacy of courage, compassion, and service lives on.”
“Claire Shulman was an extraordinary champion of our health system, securing more than $150 million for a major modernization project and upgrading of both Queens and Elmhurst Hospitals to ensure the highest quality care for Queens families,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Katz, MD. “Her lifelong dedication to quality healthcare and love of nursing saved our public hospitals from the threat of privatization in the mid-1990s. It is only fitting we honor her by naming the Pavilion after her. I want to thank Queens Borough President Donovan Richards for his advocacy on this issue and his support for Queens and Elmhurst Hospitals. He has been a true friend and supporter of NYC Health + Hospitals.”
Melinda Katz, former Queens Borough President (2014–2019) and current Queens District Attorney, played a pivotal role in advancing Shulman’s vision by securing critical funding for hospital upgrades during her tenure. Katz praised Shulman’s enduring impact by saying, “Claire Shulman, the first woman to serve as the Queens Borough President, was a trailblazer, a fierce leader and a beacon of hope who dedicated her life to bettering the lives of all Queens residents. She was pivotal to the vibrancy and prosperity of this borough, something that we continue to enjoy today. During her tenure as Borough President, Claire secured millions in capital funding for the extensive modernization of Queens Hospital, which raised the level of care and professionalism of its operation and saved the hospital from privatization.”
Dr. Lawrence Shulman (Deputy Director for Clinical Services, Abramson Cancer Center at UPenn) and Dr. Ellen Baker (NASA astronaut, physician, and veteran of three Space Shuttle missions), Claire Shulman’s children, shared a joint statement: “Our mother was deeply committed to the hospital and the critical role it plays in providing excellent healthcare for the people of Queens. And while she never felt the need to be honored in this way, we feel it is a fitting acknowledgement of her commitment to the hospital and her commitment to quality healthcare for everyone. Thank you so much for honoring her in this way.”
Claire Shulman began her career as a nurse at Queens General Hospital (now NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens), where she met her husband, Dr. Melvin Shulman, a psychiatrist. Her political career started as chair of a local community board, eventually leading to her election as Queens Borough President. During her tenure, she prioritized healthcare access for immigrant communities, expanded emergency care, and championed modernization projects at Queens and Elmhurst Hospitals.
