Nora OBrien-Suric, Ph.D.

Nora OBrien-Suric, Ph.D., became the president of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York in 2017. She has over 20 years of experience in philanthropy; with The John A. Hartford Foundation and The Brookdale Foundation.  Both foundations provide funding nationally to support services that enhance the quality of life and healthcare for older adults and their caregivers.

Earlier in her career, Dr. OBrien-Suric worked with community-based organizations focused on services to older adults, including the New York City Department for the Aging and the Institute on Law and Rights for Older Adults.  Dr. OBrien-Suric established the position of Director of National and Internal Partnerships at the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance; and served as the vice chair of the United Nations NGO Committee on Ageing, which provided consultation to the development of the United Nations International Plan on Action on Ageing in 2002.

Dr. OBrien-Suric was named a “WNY Power Woman” by Buffalo Business First in 2021 and 2022 and was included in the 2022 City & State New York’s 50 Over 50 Age Disrupters. In 2021, Dr. OBrien-Suric launched a statewide campaign to advocate for a Master Plan for Aging in New York State. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul initiated the plan and named Dr. OBrien-Suric to the state’s Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Committee. In September 2022, the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York received a $9M gift from MacKenzie Scott in recognition of the Health Foundation’s work in addressing racial and socioeconomic health disparities.

Dr. OBrien-Suric holds a doctoral degree in social welfare from Hunter College School of Social Work, a master’s degree in gerontology from the California State University at Dominguez Hills, and a certificate in geriatric mental health counseling from the University of Southern California Davis School.