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NY Professional Spotlight: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Roman Kirzhner
NY Professional Spotlight is the show where host Roman Kirzhner sits down with accomplished professionals from across New York to uncover the stories, strategies, and expertise behind their success.From doctors and lawyers to engineers, financial professionals, business owners, and industry leaders, each episode features candid conversations about career growth, leadership, business, investing, overcoming challenges, and building a lasting legacy.Whether you're a professional looking to elevate your career, a business owner seeking new insights, or someone who enjoys learning from successful people, NY Professional Spotlight delivers practical wisdom and real-world experience from some of New York's most accomplished professionals.Success. Strategy. Legacy.
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- Today20 min
Dr. Clifton Jackness on Breaking Free from Insurance, AI in Healthcare, and Putting Patients First
What happens when a doctor decides to walk away from the traditional insurance system to focus on better patient care? In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, host Roman Kirzhner welcomes Dr. Clifton Jackness, an endocrinologist at Park Avenue Endocrinology and Nutrition in New York City, to discuss the business of medicine, the growing role of artificial intelligence, and the importance of building strong relationships with patients. Dr. Jackness shares one of the biggest challenges of his career: moving his medical practice away from insurance-based billing. He explains why the decision was difficult, how his team managed the transition, and why he believes the change allows them to deliver more personalized care. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is changing healthcare. From AI-assisted medical notes to improving office communication and supporting medical research, Dr. Jackness discusses the benefits of new technology while emphasizing why human experience and professional judgment remain essential. Roman and Dr. Jackness also discuss financial planning for physicians, finding opportunities outside of medicine, and maintaining a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal interests.
- Yesterday17 min
From Wall Street to Life Sciences: Building Trust in AI with Sakthivel (SV) Vellingiri
What does it take to leave a successful Wall Street career and build technology that could help improve people's lives? In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, host Roman Kirzhner sits down with Sakthivel (SV) Vellingiri, an experienced technology professional who made the move from financial services to life sciences. After spending years working with leading investment banks and fintech companies, SV decided to follow his passion for using technology to make a meaningful difference. Today, he's focused on developing AI-powered platforms that help life sciences and pharmaceutical companies manage data, improve trust, and support drug discovery and development. From Finance to Life Sciences SV shares how his background in electrical engineering led him into technology and eventually to Wall Street. Despite building a successful career in financial services, he felt driven to take on a new challenge. He explains why he chose life sciences, how calculated risk-taking shaped his career, and why his family's support has been so important throughout his journey. Why Trust Matters in Artificial Intelligence AI can process large amounts of data and help companies work faster. But in highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals, getting the right answer is only part of the challenge. SV discusses why data accuracy, traceability, and accountability are essential when using AI in drug development. He also explains the two key areas his company is developing: data provenance and data intelligence. Keeping People Involved in AI Decisions Can AI make important decisions on its own? SV believes human oversight remains essential, especially in industries where mistakes can affect people's lives. He explains how AI can support research, analyze information, and make recommendations while people remain responsible for final decisions. Career Lessons, Investing, and Building for the Future Roman and SV also explore the importance of embracing challenges, taking calculated risks, and looking beyond financial success. Drawing on his Wall Street experience, SV shares his preference for long-term investing over active trading for everyday investors. He also discusses his startup's goals, the importance of his engineering team, and his vision for bringing trustworthy AI technology to more life sciences companies. Key Topics Discussed SV's journey from electrical engineering to Wall Street and life sciences Why he left a successful financial services career How AI could support pharmaceutical research and drug development The importance of data provenance, accuracy, and auditability Why human oversight is essential in regulated industries Calculated risk-taking and professional growth Long-term investing versus active trading Building a technology startup focused on trustworthy AI
- 4 days ago22 min
Building Trust, Using AI, and Growing Nonprofits with Sharon Doctor
What does it take to help nonprofit organizations grow, improve performance, and better serve their communities? In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, host Roman Kirzhner welcomes Sharon Doctor, Founder and CEO of Valentius LLC, to discuss the importance of strong leadership, better systems, and building trust within organizations. With more than 20 years of experience working with nonprofit and healthcare organizations, Sharon shares practical lessons about organizational change, responsible technology use, and creating long-term financial stability. From the Peace Corps to Nonprofit Leadership Sharon's career was shaped by her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, where she helped bring healthcare services to rural communities. She saw firsthand how people with the greatest healthcare needs often waited until their conditions became serious before seeking help. That experience inspired her to focus on making services easier to access. In 2019, she founded Valentius LLC, a New York State-certified minority-owned consulting company that helps nonprofits improve their operations, develop strategies, and grow their impact. Building Trust and Stronger Organizations Sharon believes many nonprofits face challenges because of inefficient systems rather than a lack of talented employees. She explains why organizations need to break down barriers between departments, improve communication, and ensure everyone works toward shared goals. She also shares an example from her career in which she helped improve organizational performance from approximately 70% to 85%. Through better performance tracking, staff training, and leadership development, the organization improved its operations and expanded its ability to serve clients. Using AI Responsibly Artificial intelligence is changing how organizations operate, but Sharon believes technology must be introduced thoughtfully. She discusses why leaders should first understand how employees feel about AI, identify opportunities to improve workflows, and establish clear guidelines for responsible use. She also emphasizes the importance of checking AI-generated information and keeping people involved in important decisions.
- 5 days ago14 min
Making AI Accessible to Everyone: Abhishek Malvankar on Open Source Innovation
Artificial intelligence is changing how we work, learn, and solve problems. But what does it take to make AI technology available to more people around the world? In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, host Roman Kirzhner welcomes Abhishek Malvankar, Senior Software Engineer and Master Inventor at IBM Research, to discuss the future of artificial intelligence, open source innovation, and the importance of collaboration in technology. Abhishek has built his career around optimizing large-scale computing systems, managing resources, and improving how technology operates in cloud environments. Today, his work focuses on making AI systems more efficient and accessible. As one of the founding contributors and special interest group leads for the open source LLMD project, Abhishek is helping develop technology that allows organizations to run large AI models more efficiently.
- 6 days ago12 min
Beyond Traditional Medicine: Building Trust, Overcoming Fear, and Transforming Patient Care with Dr. Robert Kornfeld
What happens when a doctor realizes that the traditional healthcare system isn't allowing him to provide the kind of care his patients deserve? For Dr. Robert Kornfeld, the answer was to change the way he practiced medicine. In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, host Roman Kirzhner welcomes Dr. Robert Kornfeld, an experienced New York podiatrist specializing in functional and regenerative medicine. With 44 years in practice, Dr. Kornfeld has built his career around understanding the underlying factors that contribute to chronic pain rather than focusing only on symptoms. He shares why he moved away from conventional podiatric medicine, how he transitioned to a direct-care practice, and why spending more time with patients has become one of the most important parts of his work. The conversation goes beyond healthcare to explore the challenges of running a professional practice, overcoming fear, recognizing opportunities, and building a meaningful career. Dr. Kornfeld also discusses how he is sharing his knowledge with other healthcare professionals through the Institute for Functional Podiatric Medicine.
- 1 weeks ago14 min
Beyond the Smile: Building a Patient-Centered Dental Practice with Dr. Parul Makkar
Running a successful dental practice takes more than clinical skills. It requires compassion, trust, business knowledge, and the ability to adapt to a changing healthcare industry. In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, host Roman Kirzhner welcomes Dr. Parul Makkar, a general dentist and private practice owner based in Jericho, Long Island. Dr. Makkar shares her journey of building a patient-centered dental practice, the challenges of running a small healthcare business, and why she believes treating the person behind the smile is just as important as treating their teeth. From navigating dental insurance frustrations to exploring artificial intelligence in dentistry, Dr. Makkar offers valuable insights into the business and human sides of healthcare.
- 3 weeks ago22 min
Building Wealth With Purpose: Kathy Entwistle on Trust, Financial Planning, and the Human Side of Wealth
In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast with Roman Kirzhner, Roman sits down with Kathy Entwistle, Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor at Morgan Stanley with the True North 360 Group. Kathy helps clients who have worked hard to build wealth understand how their financial resources can support the next phase of their lives. Kathy explains why great wealth management starts with listening. Rather than focusing only on numbers, she takes time to understand each client's goals, values, priorities, and what matters most to them. From there, she works to create a financial path that connects their resources with the life they want to build. Roman and Kathy also discuss the importance of trust in professional relationships. Kathy shares why trust is earned over time by showing up, following through, and being there when clients need support. She also explains why communicating financial concepts in clear, understandable language can help clients feel more comfortable and confident. Kathy shares her unusual path into wealth management after spending 12 years as a stay-at-home mom. Despite entering a demanding training program with nearly 400 participants, she was one of only three who remained after three years. Her story highlights persistence, flexibility, and the value of recognizing the strengths people bring from different life experiences. Pasted markdown Kathy shares her unusual path into wealth management after spending 12 years as a stay-at-home mom. Despite entering a demanding training program with nearly 400 participants, she was one of only three who remained after three years. Her story highlights persistence, flexibility, and the value of recognizing the strengths people bring from different life experiences. Pasted markdown
- 4 weeks ago19 min
From Engineer to AI Leader: Deepika Sidana on Leadership, Mentorship, and Responsible AI
In this episode of the NY Professional Spotlight Podcast, Roman Kirzhner sits down with Deepika Sidana, a Senior Engineering Manager at American Express with around 15 years of experience in software engineering. Deepika shares how she began her career as a Java developer and gradually moved into engineering leadership. One of the biggest lessons from that transition was learning that leadership is not about being the person who solves every problem. Instead, strong leaders empower their teams to think independently, challenge assumptions, make decisions, and learn from mistakes. Roman and Deepika also explore the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence. Deepika discusses her work with AI agents and knowledge-assistant initiatives, along with her personal interest in using AI as a tool for learning rather than simply an “answering machine.” She created a custom GPT for her daughter designed to encourage critical thinking by guiding her toward answers instead of providing them directly. Deepika also shares her efforts to help the next generation become more confident with technology. She has delivered coding and AI workshops to nearly 100 Girl Scouts and hopes to expand the initiative so more volunteers can help young people develop foundational AI and technology skills The conversation also touches on career growth and the importance of becoming comfortable with uncomfortable situations. Deepika explains why failure has been an important part of her own development and why professionals shouldn't allow fear of failure to prevent them from taking on new challenges
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About NY Professional Spotlight
NY Professional Spotlight is the show where host Roman Kirzhner sits down with accomplished professionals from across New York to uncover the stories, strategies, and expertise behind their success.From doctors and lawyers to engineers, financial professionals, business owners, and industry leaders, each episode features candid conversations about career growth, leadership, business, investing, overcoming challenges, and building a lasting legacy.Whether you're a professional looking to elevate your career, a business owner seeking new insights, or someone who enjoys learning from successful people, NY Professional Spotlight delivers practical wisdom and real-world experience from some of New York's most accomplished professionals.Success. Strategy. Legacy.
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