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Voices February 28, 2020

Technology will always pace healthcare (and it should)

By TERRY LYNAM // Healthcare has always been at the forefront of technological development; robotics and artificial intelligence are no exception. Science fiction may spur images of sentient robots living seamlessly among us, but the reality is also remarkable, in unexpected ways. At Northwell Health, AI is revolutionizing not only the practice of medicine but also good health far beyond hospital walls, enabling providers to analyze healthcare data through complex algorithms. When coupled with advanced…

Voices February 21, 2020

On corned beef, and corned beef done right

By AMBROSE CLANCY // Old joke: What’s the shortest book on the shelf? Answer: “The Culinary Arts of Ireland.” One page, one recipe – “throw stuff in a pot of water and boil it until every last trace of flavor is eliminated.” It’s an old joke because it doesn’t apply anymore. Ireland has become a modern European nation, and its natural resources of fresh vegetables, lamb, beef and fish are served in wondrous ways, in…

Voices February 14, 2020

Your product isn’t the product, and other PR truths

By DAVID CHAUVIN // Early in über-successful streetwear designer Bobby Hundreds’ (real name Bobby Kim) book “This Is Not a T-Shirt,” there’s a striking passage that sent me thinking about my industry, public relations: We’ll sell you a T-shirt, Bobby writes, but not before we tell you about the artist behind it or his or her message. Our stores are less about sales and profit and more about providing a venue to experience our culture….

Voices February 7, 2020

In rural schools, online help for bottom, top learners

By HARRY AURORA // Rural schools and schools in low socioeconomic areas face a litany of challenges. Transportation, hiring/retaining staff, distance from students’ homes, budget shortfalls – these are all common obstacles, often by virtue of nothing but location. And oftentimes, sadly, students and their families bear the burden of these disadvantages. And frequently, it’s the students on the extremes of the achievement spectrum who are impacted most. Studies show that rural students have considerably…

Voices January 31, 2020

As population ages, geriatrics eyes some young blood

By TERRY LYNAM // By the year 2050, there will be as many people in their eighties as teenagers. People are living longer and living healthier, and it’s amazing. It’s also scary: This phenomenon will fundamentally change the country’s healthcare industry. No matter how healthy our lifestyles, age inevitably takes over. Enter geriatric care, the process of planning and coordinating care for the elderly, with services and professionals dedicated to helping patients maintain independence and…

Voices January 17, 2020

As resolutions crumble, dishing on doomed diets

By AMBROSE CLANCY // How’s that New Year’s diet going? What? You’re back to Danish and bacon for breakfast, chicken nuggets for lunch and beers and pizza-with-extra-cheese (you know, with the gang) for dinner? And who’s the evil person who left black-and-white cookies in the break room? Don’t they know you’ve become a healthy, weight-conscious person? What happened? Simple, according to Mag Selig, writing in Psychology Today: “Diets don’t work!” But you’re not alone in…

Voices January 10, 2020

In 2020, integration is key to brand communication

By DAVID A. CHAUVIN // It’s believed humans have been making annual resolutions for over four millennia, all the way back to the ancient Babylonians making yearly promises to the gods to pay off debts or settle old grudges. I’m fortunate enough to owe no outstanding debts to Marduk or Nergal, currently, though I certainly like to set few new goals each January. Any custom that’s been around that long must have something going for…

Voices January 3, 2020

Online hiring practices, 2020 Census loom large for LI

By ROSALIE DRAGO // Ah, the start of a new year, when people (and companies) consider some major decisions that could improve both prosperity and quality of life (or business). If entire regions could make New Year’s Resolutions, I’d recommend these two workforce development-related commitments for Long Island: develop and deploy an Island-wide strategy that helps employers clear barriers created by online applications (more skills-based hiring, less “degree inflation”), and leverage the networking capabilities of…

Voices December 20, 2019

For struggling students, recovery where credit is due

By HARRY AURORA // Educators are keenly aware that the underachievement of a student isn’t always a true representation of the student’s capabilities. Poor academic performance, sporadic attendance and antisocial behavior aren’t habits that develop overnight, nor is any student wholly responsible for finding him or herself in that situation. Research has indicated that students develop poor academic and social habits at a young age. Therefore, educators have a profound responsibility to identify, understand and…

Voices December 13, 2019

Employers sink or swim as the ‘Silver Tsunami’ rises

By TERRY LYNAM // For years, business owners and anyone who follows the business world have been preparing for Millennials – and soon after, Gen Z – to enter and transform the workforce. But in all the excitement over young people changing the way we work, we’re losing sight of another fundamental shift in workforce demographics. The American workforce is, in fact, getting older. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 25 percent of…

Voices December 6, 2019

On whiskey in winter: Some like it hot

By AMBROSE CLANCY // It was raining horizontally, with sleet, driven by a December gale. We could hear the sea pounding the concrete strand one street away as we ducked down an alley with the sharp smell of turf fires on the wind. No one was around, except the two village dogs crouched in a doorway, just their noses sticking out to the wind. Soaked, shivering, we made it into the safe harbor of the…

Voices November 22, 2019

As channels evolve, brands need a grip on social media

By DAVID CHAUVIN // Thanks to the proliferation of social media, the relationships brands share with their target audiences have changed drastically. Researchers suggest that consumer/brand relationships psychologically mimic personal relationships; professionals measure how consumers feel about a brand based on categories including Passion, Commitment, Intimacy and Trust. This relationship is measured by the Brand Relationship Quality Index. Without giving away the secret sauce, I can say marketing teams use this measurement to develop messaging…

Voices November 8, 2019

When workforce development met entrepreneurism

By ROSALIE DRAGO // This has certainly been a busy year for workforce development – especially if you know what workforce development truly is. In 2019, in this space, we’ve discussed key tools for robust and impactful workforce development, including equitable and inclusive growth strategies; leveraging relationships between economic developers, employers and high-school educators; and evaluating the work-first and college-first paths. But we haven’t focused specifically on one of the most critical components of workforce…

Voices November 1, 2019

Keeping it real, in a world of med-tech marvels

By TERRY LYNAM // Healthcare embraces constantly evolving tools and processes to help those who are sick and vulnerable – and to continue fulfilling this purpose, we need technology companies and venture capital firms to understand and appreciate our mission and business models. Healthcare-related technologies and product concepts would often benefit if their developers had a better handle on real-world applications. Hospitals are ecosystems of humanity’s highs, lows and in-betweens – all day, every day….

Voices October 25, 2019

As teacher shortage grows, a virtually ideal substitute

By HARRY AURORA // It’s no secret the teacher shortage facing school districts across the county is a legitimate crisis. A widely distributed 2019 study by the Economic Policy Institute called the teacher shortage “large and growing,” and analysts point to two key issues: Public schools are hiring fewer teachers and fewer people are pursuing teaching careers, a perfect storm for a public-education epidemic. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 60,000…