Widely recognized for her leadership and strategic legal acumen, Tamara Gordon-Ferguson, senior risk services counsel for Northwell Health, expertly guides senior executives on complex insurance and enterprise risk matters—but her journey to service was formed far from the boardroom, shaped instead by her quiet determination as a single mother who refused to let circumstances define her future.
Beyond her Long Island–based corporate role, Gordon-Ferguson is also deeply committed to serving others through mentorship, career development, and community outreach, including as co-chair of the Northwell Health African American Caribbean Business Employee Resource Group (AA/C BERG), founder of the AA/C BERG Movers Circle, Northwell School of Health Sciences mentor, and chaplain for the Suffolk County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
“I believe that the knowledge that I have is not for me, it’s to share,” she said. “Being a lawyer is not about authority; it is about service, stewardship, and using my gifts to lift others higher.”
“It is difficult to capture all that Tamara has to offer in just a few sentences,” said Crystal Thomas, senior administrative support assistant for Northwell Health Physician Partners and one of Gordon-Ferguson’s mentees. “Her unwavering support, insight, and example of excellence have had a lasting and transformative impact on my professional growth and career trajectory.”
While it’s hard to measure the magnitude of her reach, Gordon-Ferguson admits: It all started at Farmingdale State College (FSC). An excellent student, Gordon- Ferguson, who grew up in Massapequa, New York, graduated from high school a year early with an interest in criminal law and a loving family that wanted her to stay close to home.
(FSC) will always be close to my heart because it is where I discovered what I wanted in my life. It opened the door. - Tamara Gordon-Ferguson, ’91
“I was determined to find a college that would give me the opportunities I was searching for—a chance to live on campus and study the field I was passionate about,” she said. “FSC was that place. It will always be close to my heart because it is where I discovered what I wanted in my life. It opened the door.”
Through FSC, Gordon-Ferguson earned an AAS in criminal justice in 1991 and from there earned a BA in criminal justice and a dual MS in criminal justice and political science from Long Island University, all while building a career that spanned public service and several top-level positions at State Farm Insurance Companies. She later obtained a JD from the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, which she notably achieved while navigating a lengthy divorce and raising her young son, Brendan—now in his fourth year of PhD studies in chemical biology at Princeton University.
“During a time when I thought I would be a wife and a mom, I found myself a single mother with the responsibilities of two people,” she said. “I have my own home. I have all these things to manage, and I have this beautiful baby boy. I went through a very tough time. But I had a very strong support system in my family, and I just kept moving forward. Sometimes I worked two jobs, seven days a week. I did whatever I had to do to take care of my son. And it was particularly important to me that he see me achieve my goals, succeed, and thrive.”
And thrive she has. Today, Gordon-Ferguson serves “as a guiding light, inspiring action among team members and fostering a profound sense of community and purpose,” said Andrea S. Adams, DNP, MS, RN, ANP-BC, SCRN, a nurse practitioner in hematology oncology at Northwell’s Zuckerberg Cancer Center. “Her insightful leadership and dedication enhance our vision, ensuring that it resonates deeply within the community and drives meaningful societal change.”
So, what’s next for Gordon-Ferguson?
“I want to continue helping others rise, especially single mothers and the next generation,” she said. “My faith guides me as a lawyer to use my journey, my voice, and my perseverance to open doors for those who need hope the most.”
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