Joe Gambino to Retire As CEO of Hometown Health Centers
Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 — After 17 years of transformational leadership, Joe Gambino, chief executive officer of Hometown Health Centers, announced today that he will step down from his position in August 2025.
Gambino, who joined Hometown Health Centers in 2007 as development director and became CEO in 2009, has guided the organization through remarkable growth. Under his leadership, Hometown Health Centers has transformed from a $2 million deficit and 60 employees into a thriving operation with a $30 million budget and 175 staff. Today, Hometown Health Centers is one of the Capital Region’s largest federally qualified health centers, with more than 90,000 annual patient visits, and is one of Schenectady’s top not-for-profit employers.
A central focus of Gambino’s tenure has been enhancing care while staying true to Hometown’s mission of serving all, regardless of their ability to pay for care. The organization now provides a comprehensive range of services — medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy — all supported by modern technology and secure electronic records. This ensures the region’s medically underserved receive high-quality care, while their data privacy and security are fully protected.
Under Gambino’s leadership, Hometown Health Centers has expanded both its services and reach. In 2015, Hometown Health Centers opened its first practice outside Schenectady County, in Amsterdam, to address healthcare gaps in Montgomery County. Later that year, Hometown Health Centers, in partnership with the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS), launched New York state’s first student-run pharmacy inside a community health center. The pharmacy improves medication access for patients and provides ACPHS students with supervised, hands-on experience under the guidance of a licensed pharmacist.
In 2016, Hometown Health Centers collaborated with the Schenectady School District to launch the county’s first school-based health centers at Mont Pleasant Middle and Schenectady High Schools. The centers offer essential medical and behavioral health services to students and families with limited access to care.
In January 2024, Hometown Health Centers unveiled a 12,500-square-foot dental clinic at 1108 State Street, designed to serve the region’s large Medicaid population. The state-of-the-art facility includes 30 exam rooms and advanced digital technology. It offers general dentistry, pediatric care, oral surgery, and emergency services to underserved residents in Schenectady and surrounding counties.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Hometown Health,” said Gambino, who previously served as a CBS6 news reporter and public relations director at Fidelis Care. “We’ve created an organization that not only provides top-quality care, but also serves as a model for what a community health center should be. The most rewarding part of my career has been watching our team work together to improve the lives of those we serve.”
Gambino stressed the significance of a smooth leadership handoff, noting, “With the rapid pace of change in healthcare, it’s time for Hometown to bring in a leader capable of guiding us through the next chapter of growth and innovation. I’m confident the governing board will choose a successor who will build on our success.”
Hometown Health Centers’ Board of Directors is actively searching for a new CEO with the goal of having the executive in place before August. This will allow for a smooth transition and ample time for the new leader to work closely with Gambino before he retires.
“Joe’s leadership has been transformative for Hometown Health Centers,” said Hometown Health Centers Board Chair Evan Brooksby. “His vision, dedication, and tireless commitment have been instrumental in shaping Hometown Health Centers into the vital community asset it is today. We are deeply grateful for his service and confident that we will find a leader who will carry Hometown’s mission forward with the same passion and purpose.”
While Gambino plans to retire from Hometown Health Centers, he will remain involved in healthcare. “I’ll take some time for family and personal pursuits, but I’m confident I’ll continue contributing to healthcare in some capacity,” he said.
For more information about Hometown Health Centers, visit HometownHealthCenters.org.
About Hometown Health Centers
With locations at 1044 State Street in Schenectady and 67 Division Street in Amsterdam, Hometown Health Centers is nationally recognized for providing high-quality, cost-effective primary health care to all in need, with particular concern for low-income residents. As the primary care provider of choice for nearly 20,000 patients, the health center offers primary and preventive healthcare to children and families, behavioral health and lab services, as well as comprehensive dental care. For more information, visit HometownHealthCenters.org.