Our Team

Our Team

Our Team
Ilene Corina

Ilene Corina has worked extensively with diverse groups as their advocate and holds focus groups to learn the needs of specific populations as it relates to their care while hospitalized. As part of her project with the American Hospital Association / National Patient Safety Foundation Patient Safety Leadership Training, Corina developed an independent Patient Safety Advisory Council where she studies the care and treatment of diverse patient populations and reports the findings using their words and experiences.

The primary objective of this council is to learn, from the grassroots level, what involved community leaders feel is needed to address patient safety. Additionally, as participants of the council they will be able to acquire knowledge and tools to pass on to their constituents in order to fulfill the following goals:

1) Patients will be better prepared to advocate for themselves and their family members,

2) Health literacy and communication between the community and local health systems will be improved,

3) Lessons learned will be passed on to improve patient safety in local healthcare settings.

Mirna Cortes-Obers

Community Development Director and Health Advocate

Mirna Cortes-Obers has been working at the Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN) since 1991. As part of her work at CARECEN, she has been working as a health advocate since 2008. Ms. Cortes has assisted individual Hispanic immigrants with obtaining access to affordable and quality health care by ensuring that they are provided both language and financial assistance as required by law.

Ms. Cortes has degrees in Public Relations and Sociology and has completed courses toward a Master's Degree in Humanities.

Arlene Reith

Arlene Reith is a volunteer Parent/Family Advocate for a Long Island hospital (P.I.C.U. including Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Medicine). She provides support to parents of mentally and intellectually challenged children and promotes patient and family centered care. Arlene became interested in advocacy for Patient Safety for the Intellectually / Developmentally Disabled after advocating for her autistic/intellectually disabled son, Gabriel during his battle with A.L.L. leukemia. Gabriel’s battle ended in August, 2007 when he died from sepsis (at age 13). Arlene is the mother of eight adopted children ranging in age from 31 to 14 years old. Her youngest child has Down Syndrome and is autistic.

Leslie Farrington MD

Leslie Farrington is a practicing OB/GYN on Long Island. She completed her training at Long Island Jewish in 1989 and has been practicing and teaching at LIJ, now part of the North Shore LIJ
Health System for most of the past 20 years. Dr. Farrington was involved in the planning and participation of the PULSE Patient Safety Health Fair for Patient Safety Awareness Week in March 2006. She was active in developing the curriculum for the Family Centered Patient Advocacy Training and has co-presented numerous patient advocate training workshops. Dr. Farrington is presently training in Compassionate Communication and has been involved in developing presentations for healthcare workers using compassionate communication skills.

Dr. Farrington’s personal experience in her own family has fueled her interest in making a contribution to ongoing efforts of PULSE. She lives in Freeport Long Island with her family.