July 20, 2021

Hackensack Meridian The Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of Behnaz Baker, Thomas Evans, Stephen J. Martinez and Thomas X. Geisel to its Board of Trustees.

“These new directors are all great additions to our board,” said Clare Ward, Interim Executive Director, Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation and Vice President, Principal Giving, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation. “Tom Evans and Stephen joined us at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately stepped up to help Hackensack University Medical Center through its most difficult time in its history. Behnaz joins us as the pandemic appears to be ending, but she has been involved in medical center-related child-related causes for several years and is eager to use her time and talents as Hackensack University Medical Center continues. its expansion and recognition as one of the best hospitals in the country. Tom Geisel’s extensive experience in regional and national organizations, combined with his leadership experience, involvement in many leading industry associations and passion for extending his expertise to business organizations and the local community make him a wonderful addition to our board of directors.

Baker is the CIO and Executive Director of Integration at Riverside Medical Group, which is part of Optumcare. As a member of the leadership team, she leads several divisions of the practice to execute Riverside’s vision and strategy to provide the best possible care to New Jersey residents through partnerships with internal and external stakeholders. through growth and acquisitions. In 2018, Baker was recognized as one of New Jersey’s “50 Best Business Women” by NJBIZ. She and her husband, Omar Baker, MD, established the Dr. Omar and Behnaz Baker Patient Assistance Fund at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital to provide financial assistance to children and families. faced with chronic health problems. Additionally, she was a member of the Hackensack Meridian Health Children’s Hospital Advisory Committee for the past two years. Baker resides in Manhattan with her husband and three children.

Evans retired from PwC after a 38-year career where he helped develop the organization’s best leaders and teams at all levels. He began his career at PwC in 1977 as a Chartered Accountant in the firm’s insurance practice before joining the Leadership & Development team to launch his industry-specific training efforts where he quickly rose to prominence. through the ranks, eventually becoming the firm’s first Chief Learning Officer, followed by the Development Leader for PwC West businesses in Canada, Brazil and Mexico, as well as in other Latin American and Caribbean countries. He is a member of the Association of the US Army (AUSA), the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and the AICPA. He is also very active in his community and is deputy mayor and commissioner of revenue and finance in his hometown. Evans lives in Nutley.

Martinez is an architect at RSC Architects, a full-service architectural firm specializing in healthcare, education and municipal works. Previously, he worked in New York for Kohn Pedersen Fox, an international architectural firm specializing in skyscrapers in New York and Asia. Martinez is a registered architect in the state of New Jersey and a member of the American Institute of Architecture and the National Council of Architectural Registration Board. He received his BA from Lehigh University and his MA in Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Recently married, Martinez lives in Ridgewood with his wife Burgess.

Geisel is President of Corporate Banking at Sterling National Bank, where he leads corporate banking strategic, innovation and execution activities. His responsibilities include strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, capital allocation and overall execution of revenue generation. In addition, Geisel is a member of numerous committees of the bank, as well as a number of major professional societies in New York and New Jersey. He was named one of New Jersey’s “50 Most Influential People in Banking” by NJBIZ and his ideas have been featured in many leading media outlets.

To learn more about how you can support the Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation, please contact Clare Ward, Acting Executive Director, Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation, at [email protected] or visit hackensackumc.org/givenow.