The NYC Health & Hospitals (NYCHH) today named Nataliya Yakovleva, as the new Chief Executive Officer of Roosevelt Island’s Coler Rehab and Nursing Center.
According to this January 14 NYCHH press release:
NYC Health + Hospitals Appoints Nataliya Yakovleva, LNHA, LMSW as Chief Executive Officer for Coler Nursing Home, Award-Winning Long-Term Care Facility on Roosevelt Island
Yakovleva is the first female Chief Executive Officer at Coler in over 40 years
With 815-certified beds, NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler is among the largest public long-term care facilities in the nation; ranked #10 in New York State in Newsweek’s 2026 Best Nursing Homes and high-performing in long-term care and short-term rehabilitation by U.S. News and World Report in 2026.
Yakovleva brings nearly twenty-five years of experience in long-term care settings working with geriatric, sub-acute, and memory care populations, with fifteen years in various leadership roles at large-scale nursing home organizations, including Metropolitan Jewish Health System – Menorah Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Care in Brooklyn, and Clove Lakes Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center on Staten Island. In her previous role as the Executive Director at Clove Lakes, Yakovleva achieved a 5-star rating for Quality Measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), successfully implemented a new electronic medical record system, and increased the overall census by over 100 residents. She is the first female Chief Executive Officer at Coler in more than 40 years. Coler has earned 5-star ratings from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in quality, staffing and overall. Yakovleva will assume her new role effective January 20.
“Nataliya Yakovleva has a lifelong commitment to post-acute care and a deep understanding of how to improve operations while maintaining high quality care,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are grateful she will join our team and bring Coler into its next chapter.”
“We are excited to welcome Nataliya Yakovleva as the next Chief Executive Officer leading Coler, our award-winning post-acute care facility,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President for Post-Acute Care Khoi Luong, DO, MBA.“Her leadership comes at an important time and we are confident that her commitment to patient-centered care, accompanied by her longstanding career in social work and skilled nursing facility administration, will be the perfect combination to continue Coler’s high quality standards and reputation as a preferred provider for long-term care and short-term rehabilitation.”
“For more than two decades, my commitment to advocacy and dignified care have been the hallmark of my career in social work, and the desire to create change on a broader scale inspired my transition to skilled nursing administration,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Incoming Chief Executive Officer Nataliya Yakovleva, LNHA, LMSW. “I am truly humbled and grateful for the trust placed in me as CEO, and I am excited to partner with our staff, residents, and community as we begin this next chapter together.”
Yakovleva attended New York University, where she earned a Master’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She is also a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Yakovleva was born in Odessa, Ukraine and has lived in Brooklyn since 1990. She is fluent in Russian.
“I am pleased to congratulate Nataliya Yakovleva on her appointment as CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler on Roosevelt Island. Coler earned a remarkable reputation nationally for excellence in caring for older adults and is a vital resource to District 5 and the City. I am confident that under her leadership Coler Skilled Nursing Facility will continue to set the standard for compassionate, high-quality care for the seniors and families it serves in New York,” said New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin.
“I am very pleased with the selection of Natalia Yakovleva to lead Coler. She is the just the right kind of professional and person to take on NYC’s award-winning post-acute care facility. Under her direction, I am confident that Coler will continue to evolve and be a leader in patient care and collaboration with its residents, who are my constituents. Welcome Director Yakovleva – I look forward to continued partnership,” said New York State Senator Liz Krueger, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler plays a vital role in caring for older adults and medically complex residents, and strong, compassionate leadership is essential to that mission. As Chair of the Assembly Aging Committee and Co-Founder of the Coler Task Force, I am committed to ensuring that residents receive high-quality, dignified care. I welcome Nataliya Yakovleva to this role and look forward to working closely with her, staff, residents, and families to continue strengthening Coler as a cornerstone of post-acute care on Roosevelt Island,” said New York State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Aging.
“The Roosevelt Island community is excited to welcome Nataliya Yakovleva, LNHA, LMSW, as the new Chief Executive Officer of Coler Skilled Nursing Facility. Nataliya brings tremendous experience in long-term care to the island, with a background in social work that will be particularly beneficial to the Coler population. NYC Health + Hospitals made an outstanding choice in leadership, and I look forward to working with her in the coming months. I also want to thank outgoing Interim CEO David Weinstein for his dutiful work and wonderful partnership this past year,” said B.J. Jones, President & CEO of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC).
“As a life-long resident of Roosevelt Island and recipient of Coler’s rehabilitative care, I have first-hand experience of the invaluable service it provides to our community and all New Yorkers. The selection of Coler’s new Chief Executive Officer is a pivotal moment for hundreds of staff seeking a fair and progressive administrator, and residents seeking one who is compassionate, accessible, and creates a dignified care experience,” said Coler Auxiliary Board Chair & Roosevelt Island Historical Society President Judith Berdy. “I am confident that Nataliya Yakovleva will bring the leadership and collaborative spirit to meet these expectations and reaffirm the future of Coler for decades to come.”
“The Coler Resident Council delightedly congratulates Nataliya Yakovleva on her appointment as the new Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler,” said Coler Resident Council President Francene Benjamin. “We look forward to getting to know her and to working closely with her on behalf of Coler’s residents.”
“The Coler CAB looks forward to the appointment of the new CEO. We plan for a positive and productive working relationship that would benefit both residents and staff. A lot has been accomplished by mutual cooperation and the CAB is ready for Coler to continue shining and growing,” said Coler Community Advisory Board Chair Verna FitzPatrick.