Dr Lesly Kernisant, an eminent gynecologist, distinguished clinical teacher , a corporate executive and a great Haitian-American is the CEO and President of Societe Immobiliere d’ Agriculture, de Commerce et de Tourisme (SIMACT), one of the Haitian-American business groups targeting Haiti as the main focus of their investments. He is also the Chief Medical Officer of Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center, Inc, a community-based healthcare center in Fort-Green, New York
He was, until 2015, the Executive Director of Clincal practice for AdvantageCare Physicians, one of the largest, independent multi-specialty medical group practice in New York City with more than 400 physicians serving more than 500,000 patients citywide. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of thePreferred Health Partners, P.C., the largest medical group in Brooklyn where he was credited for many transformational changes that led to a highly successful healthcare operation in Brooklyn.. As one of the most prolific physician leaders in Brooklyn, he changed the make-up of the professional staff of most of these healthcare facilities by hiring a proportionate number of Haitian-American physicians to reflect the diversity of the 150,000 Brooklynites who seek care regularly at more than eleven medical centers. In addition, he is considered an advocate for healthcare reform applauding several of the recently expressed healthcare initiatives that call for more affordable healthcare for more than 500,000 uninsured in New York. He is one of the main proponents of the movement toward eliminating healthcare disparities in the minority communities in Brooklyn. He has, in the past, joined Marty Markowitz, the then Brooklyn borough President , in sponsoring a well- attended symposium on “ Solutions to Healthcare Disparities in Brooklyn” in 2011..
As a practicing gynecologist for more than 25 years, Dr Kernisant is well known for his high moral integrity, great surgical skills, great intellect and fair-mindedness. He is the product of the Brooklyn Public school system where he enrolled soon after his emigration to New York City at the tender age of 14 and continued his higher education in Washington, D.C. where he obtained his M.D. degree from Howard University School of Medicine as an “accelerated student”. He then did a four-year residency training at Harlem/Columbia-Presbyterian University hospital in Obstetrics-Gynecology where he was named the “Best Chief Resident” for that year. Dr Kernisant has been a clinical instructor at most of the major hospitals in Brooklyn, including Brookdale University hospital, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Methodist Hospital and Long Island College hospital. As the Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology for the Group for more than 18 years , Dr Kernisant is credited for being responsible in transforming this group of 22 obstetricians/gynecologists into the best comprehensive healthcare providers for women in Brooklyn.
He is a member of many professional organizations, including AMA, American College of Ob-Gyn Fellows, Clinical Provident Society, Board members of OMAT, past executive member of both Central and local NY chapter of AMHE. He has delivered several keynote addresses at different events, ceremonies and important fund-raising gatherings.
More importantly, Dr Kernisant never abandoned his roots. He has maintained a solid bond with his homeland, Haiti. His dream of an eventual “Haitian Renaissance” has led him to rally a number of Haitian professionals under the banner of SIMACT,INC (Societe Immobiliere, d’Agriculture, de Commerce et de Tourisme), a company that started as an idea and mushroomed into a movement calling for a unified Diaspora to use its collective financial power to change Haiti. As founder and CEO of SIMACT, Dr Kernisant is mindful of the difficulties in implementing the company’s ambitious mission and realizes that team spirit, hard work, abiding faith and great personal sacrifices on the part of his associates are key to a successful journey. It is a company with a dual purpose: to provide monetary rewards to its investors while at the same time create a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities involved.
Despite his very active professional life style and the numerous demands upon his time, Dr Kernisant still finds time to be a caring husband and affectionate father. Both his children , Lesly and Natalie , are now young adults striving to follow in their father’s footsteps as successful professionals, one as a doctor, the other one, a lawyer.