ROI Influencers: Women In Business 2025
Deborah Visconi
President & CEO
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
As president and CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, Deborah Visconi is redefining what it means to lead in health care. At the helm of New Jersey’s largest hospital, she has spearheaded a dramatic transformation, expanding services in acute care, behavioral health, addiction treatment, long-term care and providing inclusive, affirming care that meets the unique health needs of the LGBTQ+ community. But beyond these advancements, her true impact lies in how she leads—with a commitment to caring for the whole person.
Bergen New Bridge is more than a hospital; it is a lifeline for the community. As a nonprofit, publicly owned safety net hospital, it serves some of the most vulnerable individuals in Bergen County. Visconi has championed a shift in health care—one that goes beyond treating symptoms to address the social and economic barriers affecting patients’ health.
She recently shared a story we think perfectly illustrates her mission and gives insight into her as a human being.
A 75-year-old woman arrived in the Emergency Department, brought in by Saddle Brook police after being scammed out of an apartment. She had nowhere to go, no family to call, and no place to turn. She had been outside in the cold for hours, and her already fragile health deteriorated. Severely dehydrated and suffering from multiple chronic conditions, she needed immediate medical care—but also something more.
“In another hospital, she may have been treated and discharged back into the same impossible situation,” Visconi said. “But at Bergen New Bridge in 2025, we do things differently.”
Instead of simply stabilizing her and sending her on her way, the hospital’s multi-disciplinary team took action:
Clinicians treated her immediate medical needs; physicians and nurses determined she was too medically fragile for a shelter; social workers, and clinical navigators found her permanent supportive housing.
“This is what health care should be,” Visconi said. “It’s not just about healing—it’s about helping people reclaim their dignity and their future.”
This patient-centered, holistic approach to healthcare is the foundation of Visconi’s leadership philosophy. And it’s a big part of why she has been named the No. 1 woman of influence in New Jersey business.
A Career Built on Impact
Since taking the reins at Bergen New Bridge in 2017, Visconi has turned the institution into an award-winning medical center. Under her leadership, the hospital has received state and national recognition, including earning Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Women Leaders honor.
Yet, for all the accolades, Visconi remains focused on her mission. She is a champion of women in leadership, personally mentoring rising female executives and ensuring her leadership team reflects diversity and inclusion.
Fighting for the Future of Public Healthcare
Despite Bergen New Bridge’s success, Visconi. like other health care leaders, now faces one of her biggest battles yet: proposed federal budget cuts that would eliminate nonprofit status for publicly owned hospitals like hers.
“This is a direct threat to the communities we serve,” she says. “Public hospitals are not businesses. We exist to care for people, not to turn a profit.”
With rising health care costs and growing patient needs, safety net hospitals already struggle to secure funding. Losing nonprofit status could mean devastating cuts to essential services, putting patients like the elderly woman who found refuge at Bergen New Bridge at even greater risk.
“This is about more than policy. It’s about people,” Visconi says. “And I will fight for them—because that’s what leaders do.”
Visconi’s influence extends far beyond Bergen New Bridge. She is a nationally recognized healthcare leader, a mentor to women in business, and a fierce advocate for equitable healthcare access.
Her work doesn’t always make headlines, but it changes lives.
That is why Deborah Visconi isn’t just one of the most influential women in New Jersey business—she is a leader shaping the future of health care, one life at a time.
