City & State New York Recognizes Two leaders From NYC Health + Hospitals And MetroPlusHealth on 2026 “Black Trailblazers” List
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief of Orthopedics Dr. Toni M. McLaurin and MetroPlusHealth Chief Growth Officer Roger Milliner are recognized on the list of distinguished individuals
Feb 02, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals announced that NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief of Orthopedics Dr. Toni M. McLaurin and MetroPlusHealth Chief Growth Officer Roger Milliner are recognized on the list of distinguished individuals who have been named to City & State New York’s annual “Black Trailblazers” list for 2026. This honor celebrates outstanding contributions to healthcare business, real estate, labor, social services, and advocacy. City & State New York is a media organization dedicated to covering New York’s local and state politics and policy through in-depth, non-partisan coverage.
“I am honored to be recognized as a Black Trailblazer. I never set out to break barriers or blaze any trails – I was just pursuing the career that I found most interesting, even though I didn’t see anyone else who looked like me doing it,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/ Bellevue Chief of Orthopedics Dr. Toni M. McLaurin. “To be recognized for that is very rewarding, especially as I have spent most of my career trying to help change the face of orthopedic surgery by encouraging others interested in following my path and supporting those who are already on the journey with me.”
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Executive Officer Dr. Eric Wei said, “Dr. McLaurin is an exceptional surgeon, a caring clinician, and a thoughtful mentor for the next generation of providers. She embodies the best of Bellevue. We are incredibly proud to see her achievements recognized.”
“Being named to City & State’s Trailblazers in Healthcare list is an honor,” said MetroPlusHealth Chief Growth Officer Roger Milliner. “City & State Health Care Trailblazer recognition underscores the importance of innovation, collaboration, and compassion in health care.”
Dr. Toni M. McLaurin is a nationally respected orthopedic trauma surgeon, educator, and leader whose career embodies excellence and service. The second Black woman to become an orthopedic trauma specialist in the U.S, and still only one of about a dozen, she serves as Chief of Orthopedics at Bellevue Hospital and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Michigan Medical School, she completed advanced trauma fellowship training at Emory University and later earned a master’s in medical informatics from Northwestern University. Dr. McLaurin is renowned for her expertise in complex trauma care, limb reconstruction, and post-traumatic deformity correction, restoring mobility and independence for patients with the most challenging injuries. Equally celebrated as a teacher and mentor, she has received multiple “Teacher of the Year” awards and is a national leader in efforts to diversify the surgical workforce. As Vice Chair for DEI at NYU Langone Orthopedics and past member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons board of directors, she has expanded pathways for underrepresented students and elevated equity across the profession.
Roger Milliner serves as the Chief Growth Officer for MetroPlusHealth, where he leads the organization’s strategic membership growth initiatives. A proud Brooklyn native, Mr. Milliner began his career with the then–Metropolitan Health Plan in February 1990 as a marketing representative. After gaining a decade of experience at two Health Maintenance Organizations, he returned to MetroPlusHealth in August 2000 as Associate Executive Director of Marketing. In his current role, Mr. Milliner oversees a team of more than 300 employees dedicated to expanding access to high quality, affordable health coverage for New Yorkers. His longstanding collaboration with regulatory agencies has contributed to shaping key healthcare policies and government sponsored programs across New York State. He is also deeply committed to strengthening partnerships with community leaders, city agencies, and civic and community-based organizations to elevate awareness of MetroPlusHealth and broaden healthcare options for residents throughout New York City. Mr. Milliner holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from St. Joseph’s College and is a Certified Health Care Insurance Executive through America’s Health Insurance Plans.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.