{"id":385980,"date":"2026-01-02T03:02:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T03:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/385980\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T03:02:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T03:02:10","slug":"mary-ann-mazzone-staten-island-health-care-leader-for-hiv-aids-patients-dies-at-80","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/385980\/","title":{"rendered":"Mary Ann Mazzone, Staten Island health-care leader for HIV\/AIDS patients, dies at 80"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"CFIZBAZTPZBHZO6KWFE6HEXPEE\">STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Mary Ann Mazzone, a Staten Island health-care advocate whose quiet leadership shaped decades of compassionate care for people with HIV\/AIDS and disabilities, died Wednesday, Dec. 31. She was 80 years old.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"5LLD7IPEXBAEJJYVQ5ZTDDVZJ4\">Mazzone served in senior leadership roles at the Sisters of Charity Health Care System and St. Vincent\u2019s Catholic Medical Centers in West Brighton, where colleagues remember her principled approach to patient-centered care.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"COMTHY3ZTRHQVDQ4MXFM46U2M4\">During the 1990s and early 2000s, when fear and discrimination surrounding HIV\/AIDS were widespread, Mazzone expanded services at Bayley Seton Hospital in Stapleton. Under her leadership, the hospital developed outpatient primary care, an AIDS dental clinic, inpatient services and adult day programs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QWRKLKUPUFFRXGWFLNR64ROUYI\">\u201cMary Ann led with integrity and humility,\u201d said Jayne Cooper, a social worker, colleague and longtime friend. \u201cShe never sought recognition, but her leadership changed lives \u2014 especially for people who were often overlooked or stigmatized.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mary Ann Mazzone\" class=\"article__image-content\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/H5HE6KAGTNDQTEFGUNVAT3FGRE.jpeg\"  \/>From left to right, Jayne Cooper, Mary Ann Mazzone and Cris Marchionne photographed together in 2019.(Courtesy of Cris Marchionne)<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"DPTZDBZZBBFUDMQQKE4SSDEH5Q\">Cooper said Mazzone believed no one should be turned away from care. \u201cDignity was not optional \u2014 it was a right,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"ZL3UPVE4QNEOVDEOIBV6QOOVD4\">Mazzone also advocated for ethical decision-making in health care, particularly around end-of-life care. She supported advance directives and chaired ethics discussions, helping families and providers navigate difficult decisions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"XTBG7DZNZVFXFPNSHYQMV4GHHI\">Beyond her work within health-care systems, Mazzone served as the first president of the board of Person Centered Care Services, helping transform the organization from an idea into a mission-driven program focused on integrity, inclusion and community belonging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"5PPQBCB7BZDJZIVJALAMNBCQ4U\">Cris Marchionne, Mazzone\u2019s niece and the executive director of PCCS, announced her aunt\u2019s passing in a statement honoring her legacy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"3OX5R5KQZJFMPJNY4KZ4AX5EEA\">\u201cShe taught me that leadership is not about authority \u2014 it\u2019s about responsibility, ethics and showing up for people when it matters most,\u201d Marchionne said. \u201cI would not be the leader I am today without her wisdom and example.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mary Ann Mazzone\" class=\"article__image-content\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/H22VNY5DWFDCPAMU5GNNBYCPTM.jpeg\"  \/>Mary Ann and Vincent Mazzone with their first grandchild, Alyssa.(Courtesy of Cris Marchionne)<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"SAXDAVEEVFH53NQOAXW3EGS6VE\">Mazzone\u2019s advocacy extended to people with disabilities, pushing for access to health-care coverage, in-home supports and community-based services.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2VOLL7KTNNHZ7NHM6EI6QFNGRQ\">Those who knew her said she worked quietly, focused on outcomes rather than recognition. Her satisfaction came from knowing people received the care, respect and opportunities they deserved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2PNX56LYHBAMFN7KKLO5XNXTHI\">Mazzone is survived by her husband, Vincent; her sons, Martin and Matthew; their wives; and their children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2UYI7IZUPZHA5E7N3ZL64UQAMU\">\u201cWhile her loss is deeply felt, her legacy continues in the lives she touched, the systems she helped shape and the many leaders she mentored along the way,\u201d Marchionne added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"HXX7NTT4OJHFJISSQCF7IQQGPI\">Visitation is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 2 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Martin Hughes Funeral Home, 530 Narrows Rd. South.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"PRBAAQ5FXFAHZGPQYN3ECM2VRQ\">Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Jan. 3, at 11 a.m at Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church, 61 New Dorp Lane. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Mary Ann Mazzone, a Staten Island health-care advocate whose quiet leadership shaped decades of&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":385981,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[64,63,137,500],"class_list":{"0":"post-385980","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-healthcare"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=385980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/385981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=385980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=385980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=385980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}