Three Executives Join Pace University’s Board of Trustees

Three executives with an array of business experience in healthcare, finance, and law have joined Pace University’s Board of Trustees, the University today announced.

The new trustees are Michael DiSimone, president, and CEO of PayFlex; Audrey Murphy, executive vice president and chief legal officer of Hackensack Meridian Health; and Zubeen Shroff, managing director of Galen Partners.

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In making the announcement, Board Chairman Rob Sands said each new trustee brings a great deal of experience to the university and understands Pace University’s central mission of creating opportunities for students through education.

“Audrey, Michael, and Zubeen are committed to Pace’s mission of creating opportunities for our students – now and throughout their careers,” said Sands. “We welcome them to our Board of Trustees and are eager to benefit from their expertise, vision, and leadership.”

The new trustees are joining the board at an exciting time at Pace University. Pace continues to be hyper-focused on experiential learning, career readiness, diversity and inclusion, and providing a strong return on investment to its students while investing significantly in its nationally acclaimed programs such as its School of Performing Arts, College of Health Professions, Seidenberg School of Computer Information Systems, and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, which this year was again ranked as the No. 1 environmental law program in the country.

Furthermore, the university continues to broaden its academic offerings that align with growing market demands and it has plans of transforming Lienhard Hall, home to its College of Health Professions on the Pleasantville campus, into a modernized Healthcare Hub that will add important programming for students preparing for careers in the region’s burgeoning healthcare and biotechnology sector.

As president and CEO of PayFlex, Michael DiSimone leads the organization with the goal of making it simple to plan, save and pay for personal well-being. He is most passionate about helping people optimize their health ambitions and health care savings while delivering exceptional service to members. Prior to leading PayFlex, he served as vice president, Global Business Solutions for Human Resources, at Aetna. He has also worked in leadership positions at Mercer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Affiliated Computer Services. He holds a B.B.A. in accounting and an M.B.A. in finance from Pace University. He completed executive education programs in management and leadership at Columbia University. DiSimone established a scholarship at Pace, and in 2021 the university presented him with the Changemakers in Healthcare Award.

He has three children: Michael Jr., Nicholas, and Laura. His two sons also graduated from Pace. DiSimone lives in Valley Cottage, N.Y. with his wife Jennifer.

“I know first-hand the value of a Pace education,” said DiSimone. “It helped open doors and prepared me for a rewarding and fulfilling career. I look forward to working with Pace leadership and my colleagues on the Board of Trustees to make a meaningful contribution to Pace University.”

Audrey Murphy serves Hackensack Meridian Health as Executive Vice President, Co-Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Officer, Team Member Health and Safety. In her role as Co-Chief Legal Officer, her direct network responsibilities include the Enterprise Risk Management Program, the Physician Enterprise, the regional CTS programs, the Foundations, all academic programs, including the School of Medicine, the vast insurance programs and captives, Research, and the Center for Discovery and Innovation and all non-strategic litigation. As Chief Officer, Team Member Health and Safety, Murphy is responsible for Workplace Health and Safety, The Keeping America Safe Program, Corporate Wellness, Network Environmental Safety, Network Security, and Emergency Management.

Prior to joining Hackensack University Medical Center, Murphy worked as a critical care nurse, nurse manager, supervisor, and clinical specialist. She began her legal career at Hackensack UMC as associate counsel and director of risk management in 1992. She earned her J.D. from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace as well as a B.S.N. and M.S.N. degrees from Pace’s College of Health Professions. She is married to William Johnson and has three children; Marilyn, Harrison, and Kelly. They reside in Washington Township, N.J.

“The education I received at Pace has shaped my career,” said Murphy. “I’m really excited to join Pace University’s Board of Trustees and look forward to helping guide its direction so that generations of students have opportunities to excel in college and their careers.”

Zubeen Shroff is managing director of Galen Partners, a leading healthcare growth equity investment firm founded in 1990. With over 30 years of experience in building healthcare companies, Shroff has acquired deep expertise, and demonstrated strong leadership in working with entrepreneurs to maximize shareholder value in the following areas: specialty pharmaceuticals, medical imaging, therapeutic devices, diagnostics, capital equipment, specialty supplies distribution, consumer driven healthcare, insurance & payor services, homecare-based solutions and technology enabled services. Prior to joining Galen in 1997, Shroff was a principal at The Wilkerson Group, a leading medical products management consulting firm that was sold to IBM.

He started his career at Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals, where he directed marketing, sales, and Phase IV clinical development for the company’s high growth biotech business in France and was responsible for the launch of alpha-Interferon in several new indications. Shroff serves as an advisor to several not-for-profit institutions: He is chairman for WMC Health, the $2.5 Billion healthcare system serving Hudson Valley New York residents; he is the former chair, and current member, of the Boston University School for Public Health Dean’s Advisory Board. In addition, Shroff is a Fellow of the NY Academy of Medicine.

Shroff earned an M.B.A. from the Wharton School and a B.A. in Biological Science from Boston University. A 45-year resident of the Hudson Valley, Shroff is committed to workforce development in the region.

“Pace University is well positioned in the marketplace,” said Shroff. “I believe in its mission, and I am eager to work with my colleagues on the Board of Trustees to help make a significant contribution.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains.