The transition represents the culmination of a deliberate, multi-year succession planning process. Over the past three years, Mr. Santos-Ramos has worked side by side with Mr. Nashak to ensure institutional continuity and to prepare the organization for its next chapter of growth.
Advancing the Mission Under New Leadership
"Our Board believes that Jonathan is the right leader to guide CFH into the future because he brings a unique blend of compassion, strategic acumen, and extensive experience serving individuals experiencing homelessness and advancing community-based health care," said CFH Board Chair, Surjit Chana. "Throughout his career, Jonathan has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to expanding access to high-quality care and developing innovative, person-centered solutions that address the complex needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. He is a thoughtful and collaborative leader with a deep bench of experience, a proven ability to strengthen and grow CFH's programs, and a track record of creating meaningful impact across New York City. Having prepared for this role side by side with George, the Board is confident that Jonathan has the leadership, expertise, and strategic vision to build on our strong foundation and guide the organization into its next chapter."
Mr. Santos-Ramos, who joined CFH in 2023 as Chief Program Officer and was promoted to his current leadership role in 2026, expressed his readiness to lead the organization's next era of advocacy and service delivery.
"I am deeply humbled by the confidence placed in me by the Board of Directors and by George, who has served as an incredible mentor to me over these past three years," said Mr. Santos-Ramos. "Care For the Homeless has a vital charge in our city, and I look forward to working closely with the Board, our amazing staff, the service community, and most importantly, our New Yorkers in need, to expand our reach and deepen our impact."
Mr. Santos-Ramos is widely recognized for his expertise in developing anti-oppressive healthcare models. His professional background includes impactful work with the Community Healthcare Network and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. With over two decades of experience in healthcare administration, Mr. Santos-Ramos has held key leadership positions, including Interim Executive Director and Senior Director of Organizational Planning & Sustainability at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, a global leader in LGBTQ+ health care. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Non-Profit/Public Organizational Management, Baruch College and a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies, Rutgers University.
About the transition, Mr. Nashak noted: "It has been the honor of my career to lead Care For the Homeless. I am deeply grateful to the Board and the staff for their partnership with me over the last nine years. I have also been very lucky to be able to surround myself at CFH with people with lived experience of homelessness. Their courage and wisdom have inspired me every day. I have enormous confidence in Jonathan's vision and leadership skills. My only request is that he does better than I've done!"
Honoring Nine Years of Visionary Leadership
George Nashak's legacy at CFH has been defined by a deep commitment to treating housing and healthcare as fundamental human rights and by promoting and executing solutions to homelessness. Building on the strong foundation established by CFH's previous leaders, Susan Neibacher and Bobby Watts, Mr. Nashak has expanded CFH's pioneering holistic model of care, which seamlessly integrates high-quality health care, shelter, and social services.
"We owe George a profound debt of gratitude for driving our integrated model of care that has led to ending episodes of homelessness for New York City's most vulnerable populations," said Board Chair Mr. Chana. "Every single day of his tenure, George has thought only of serving New Yorkers in need. His impact on this organization, and on the lives of thousands of individuals experiencing homelessness in New York City, cannot be overstated."
Mr. Chana said that when Mr. Nashak first arrived at CFH, the organization served 7,500 unique patients and it now serves over 12,000 patients annually, providing nearly 44,000 health care visits each year. He has also expanded CFH residential programs from one to six, increasing the capacity from 200 to 870 shelter and safe haven beds. Among these programs were the first two acquisitions of property by CFH, including the purpose-built state-of-the-art Blondell Avenue shelter and health center in the Bronx. CFH has also become a national leader in policy and advocacy, hosting two policy-focused thought leadership events each year and amplifying the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness through the organization's communications and advocacy activities. Mr. Chana added that Mr. Nashak has guided CFH through extraordinary growth expanding annual revenue from $18 million to over $68 million and expanding the CFH team from 117 to more than 450 employees.
Praise for Mr. Nashak's contributions extended across the homeless services sector. Kristin Miller, Executive Director of Homeless Services United (HSU), remarked on his broader impact on the field: "Congratulations to Jonathan Santos-Ramos on his appointment as the new CEO of Care For the Homeless. We also thank retiring CEO George Nashak for his decades of service to people experiencing homelessness in New York City as an HSU Board member and former chair, nonprofit leader and public servant. We are confident that Jonathan will continue this great legacy of stellar leadership in our field and look forward to continued partnership and innovations from CFH."
Prior to arriving at CFH, Mr. Nashak served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at HELP USA. He previously served as Deputy Commissioner for Adult Services at the New York City Department of Homeless Services where he was responsible for the single adult shelter system, the adult family shelter system, street homelessness services, and the re-housing of homeless adults. He began his tenure at NYC DHS by serving as Assistant Commissioner for Housing and Program Planning, a role in which he worked on the development and implementation of the New York/New York III Agreement and on other initiatives to promote permanency and to develop housing options for homeless people on the street and in shelters. His unique ability to bridge public policy and ground-level human services has made him a leading voice in the community.
About Care For the Homeless
For over 40 years, Care For the Homeless has paired compassion with results. CFH is New York City's original "Health Care For the Homeless" program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. By integrating high-quality health care, shelter, and social services, CFH delivers dignified care to New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, at 16 community health centers and 6 residential programs. Learn more about our work and our advocacy, at www.careforthehomeless.org.
SOURCE Care for the Homeless
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