New York City / Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

Agency file

Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

Source file: New York City — Citywide Payroll / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Department of Health/Mental Hygiene oversees public health and medical services — disease prevention, clinics and hospitals, and health licensing and regulation.

In 2025, this agency had 7,556 employees with median total compensation of $79,562; the highest distinct record was $421,286.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $609.3M
Employees: 7,556
Median total: $79,562
Highest record: $421,286

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

-$17,977$203,740+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 7,556 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($79,562) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $73,321 (91%)
Overtime — $2,428 (3%)
Other — $4,887 (6%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$12,210

$54,163

$79,562

$105,024

$131,841

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $131,841 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $12,210. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

City Research Scientist

970 · $101,624

Public Health Nurse

519 · $82,989

Public Health Adviser

477 · $56,352

Public Health Sanitarian

340 · $65,913

Community Coordinator

317 · $72,064

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Record list

Employees

Page 2

Louis Vargas

Criminalist Director of Laboratory/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$168,679

Base pay: $168,679
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $168,679
Hire date: 2014-11-10
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Manhattan
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $174,659
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Louis Vargas is a Criminalist Director of Laboratory at Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Manhattan. Hired in 2014, they have about 11 years of service. 2025 total compensation came to $168,679.

Rishi Sood

City Research Scientist/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$168,650

Base pay: $157,753
Overtime: $5,887
Other pay: $5,010
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $168,650
Hire date: 2011-10-24
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Queens
Middle name: K

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $162,777
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 58.5
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Rishi Sood is a City Research Scientist at Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Queens. Hired in 2011, they have about 14 years of service. 2025 total compensation came to $168,650.

Shamecka Williams

Administrative Procurement Analyst/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$168,489

Base pay: $168,489
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $168,489
Hire date: 2007-04-30
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Queens
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $152,079
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Shamecka Williams works as a Administrative Procurement Analyst for Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Queens. They have served since 2007 (about 18 years). Shamecka earned $168,489 in 2025.

Philip Kurpiel

City Research Scientist/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,863

Base pay: $166,310
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,553
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,863
Hire date: 2019-10-21
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Manhattan
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $129,327
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Philip Kurpiel works as a City Research Scientist for Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Manhattan. Their tenure dates to 2019, about 6 years. Philip earned $167,863 in 2025.

Felicia Lee

Director of Public Relations/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,844

Base pay: $167,844
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,844
Hire date: 2018-04-16
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Queens
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $173,795
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Felicia Lee is a Director of Public Relations at Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Queens. Hired in 2018, they have about 7 years of service. 2025 total compensation came to $167,844.

Preeti Pathela

City Research Scientist/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,555

Base pay: $158,798
Overtime: $16
Other pay: $8,741
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,555
Hire date: 2003-11-24
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Queens

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $163,540
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

At Department of Health/Mental Hygiene, Preeti Pathela serves as a City Research Scientist based in Queens. Their tenure dates to 2003, about 22 years. Their 2025 pay totaled $167,555.

James Meyer

Medicolegal Investigator/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,539

Base pay: $129,426
Overtime: $21,569
Other pay: $16,544
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,539
Hire date: 2001-12-31
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Manhattan
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $133,647
Leave Status as of June 30: On separation leave
Overtime Hours: 215.25
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 2,080

James Meyer works as a Medicolegal Investigator for Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Manhattan. Hired in 2001, they have about 24 years of service. James earned $167,539 in 2025.

Michele Defreitas Withi

Executive Agency Counsel/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,488

Base pay: $167,488
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,488
Hire date: 2006-01-24
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Queens
Middle name: F

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $172,680
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

At Department of Health/Mental Hygiene, Michele Defreitas Withi serves as a Executive Agency Counsel based in Queens. Hired in 2006, they have about 19 years of service. Their 2025 pay totaled $167,488.

Caroline Bragdon

City Research Scientist/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,474

Base pay: $157,038
Overtime: $1,856
Other pay: $8,580
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,474
Hire date: 2004-11-15
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Manhattan
Middle name: H

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $161,657
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 19.5
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

At Department of Health/Mental Hygiene, Caroline Bragdon serves as a City Research Scientist based in Manhattan. Their tenure dates to 2004, about 21 years. Their 2025 pay totaled $167,474.

Waheed Bajwa

Administrative Public Health Sanitarian/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,383

Base pay: $167,383
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,383
Hire date: 2002-12-30
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Manhattan
Middle name: I

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $173,318
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Waheed Bajwa is a Administrative Public Health Sanitarian at Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Manhattan. They have served since 2002 (about 23 years). 2025 total compensation came to $167,383.

Yawwamal Donenfeld

Administrative Public Health Nurse/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,195

Base pay: $141,851
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $25,344
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,195
Hire date: 1990-09-04
Pay basis: Annual
Work city: Bronx
Middle name: T

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $144,784
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 0
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Yawwamal Donenfeld works as a Administrative Public Health Nurse for Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Bronx. Hired in 1990, they have about 35 years of service. Yawwamal earned $167,195 in 2025.

Keith Bissoon

Electrician/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,188

Base pay: $122,378
Overtime: $44,810
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,188
Hire date: 2017-10-10
Pay basis: Daily
Work city: Manhattan
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $481
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 444
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,820

Keith Bissoon holds the role of Electrician at Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Manhattan. Their tenure dates to 2017, about 8 years. In 2025, their total compensation was $167,188.

Rabia Hakim

City Medical Specialist/Department of Health/Mental Hygiene

2025 total comp

$167,186

Base pay: $164,476
Overtime: $89
Other pay: $2,621
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $167,186
Hire date: 2023-12-26
Pay basis: Hourly
Work city: Richmond
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Salary: $96
Leave Status as of June 30: Active
Overtime Hours: 1
Payroll Number: 816
Regular Hours: 1,726

Rabia Hakim holds the role of City Medical Specialist at Department of Health/Mental Hygiene based in Richmond. They have served since 2023 (about 2 years). In 2025, their total compensation was $167,186.