Gerald "Jerry" Steinberg

Gerald Steinberg (Jerry) died peacefully at his home in Brookline, his two children at his side, on August 25.

Born in 1943 to Herman and Rae Steinberg, Jerry grew up on Bergen Avenue in Jersey City, N.J. His parents instilled in him and his two sisters the importance of hard work, and Jerry demonstrated from an early age a desire to be useful to others. As a teenager, his job at a local pharmacy would spark his interest in both medicine and caring for people – the beginnings of what would become a prolific medical career.

Jerry graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University and Alpha Omega Alpha from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, with orthopedic training and fellowship at Harvard. He had a distinguished career as an orthopedic surgeon beginning at UMass Medical Center, where Jerry practiced clinically, taught as a professor of orthopedic surgery, and served as chair of the Department of Orthopedics. He later served as Chief Quality Officer before becoming Chief Medical Officer, helping lead the merger of UMass Medical Center and Memorial Hospital, laying the foundation for what became UMass Memorial Medical Center and the broader UMass Memorial health system. In 2005, he joined the Cambridge Health Alliance, where he served in various leadership capacities, spearheading numerous efforts to strengthen the quality and accessibility of health care across Greater Boston.

Throughout his career, Jerry was led by his conviction that everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have quality medical care. He believed that medicine was about people, and that he had to know his patients in order to treat them. He was a deeply caring doctor, whose clinical touch was characterized by a sincere curiosity of others and a gifted knack at conversation.

Jerry’s generosity and attentiveness also permeated his role as a beloved father to his two children, Molly and Daniel, and devoted partner to his late wife, Peggy. Jerry and Peggy’s marriage was an extraordinary love story and the defining relationship of his life. For more than 45 years, they inspired each other to live joyfully and to the fullest. They cultivated and nurtured meaningful friendships wherever they went, beginning their life together in Framingham, and then in Southborough, where they raised Molly and Daniel. In 2004, they moved to Brookline.

For nearly 50 years, Jerry was a seasonal resident of Martha’s Vineyard, where he and Peggy built a second home. There they enjoyed bringing friends and family together, often with dinner parties full of lively conversation and, inevitably, dancing. Among Jerry’s other pleasures at the Vineyard were his vigorous walks along the beach, preferably with a friend equally as eager for a robust discussion about politics or other current events.

Peggy’s death in 2018 was an enormous loss for Jerry, and his love for her remained a constant presence for the remainder of his life. His relationships with his children and grandchildren remained deep sources of meaning. For Molly and Daniel, and later his daughter-in-law Emily, he was a steadfast supporter and confidant. He never ceased expressing profound pride in their accomplishments, in their communities, and in the lives they chose to build. He loved being a part of their lives, and effortlessly extended the same interest and generosity to many of their friends, whom he welcomed into his home as a second father.

Jerry was his same big-hearted self but with a bit more goofiness when it came to his five grandsons—Luke, Charlie, Lev, Isaac, and Reuben. He never ceased engaging their curiosity, always indulging their questions, reading with them, and masterfully tricking them into solving math problems. He was an avid fan of Luke’s hockey games, and with equal delight watched his younger grandsons learn most anything. He rejoiced in everything they did – any and every new milestone.

Curiosity, service, friendship, and a devotion to family were the enduring threads of Jerry’s life. Whether sitting with a patient, leading a hospital, talking with one of his children, or gathered around a dinner table with the people he loved, he brought the same warmth and fundamental conviction: Other people matter, and a meaningful life is one spent caring for others.

Jerry is survived by his children, Molly and Daniel; his daughter-in-law, Emily; his grandsons Luke, Charlie, Lev, Isaac, and Reuben; and his sisters, Barbara Nestler and Shelley Karmiller.

A memorial service will be held at Congregation Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, on Friday, September 25, 2026 at 2pm.

A lovely tribute was written about him from the colleagues at the Cambridge Health Alliance, seen below:

Dear Colleagues,

I am saddened to share that Gerald Steinberg, MD, senior vice president and chief network development officer, passed away on Tuesday night at the age of 83 following a four-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Dr. Steinberg was an incredible friend, mentor, and colleague who played a critical role in CHA’s growth and transformation, advancing strategic initiatives throughout his tenure while providing exceptional clinical leadership and a true focus on our vulnerable and complex patients. Throughout a distinguished 57-year career, Dr. Steinberg earned immense respect and admiration across the region for his devotion to high-quality patient care. As a trained orthopedic surgeon, he came to CHA in 2005 to serve as our initial senior medical quality officer before assuming the role of chief medical officer in 2010. In these roles, he spearheaded numerous clinical quality and safety initiatives, driving enhancements in quality metrics and fostering an improved care environment for our patients. He also played a key role in establishing our strategic partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and its accountable care organization, Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization. For the past decade, he identified opportunities for academic collaboration, clinical integration, and growth while sharing his extensive wisdom and expertise as part of the senior leadership team.

Before joining CHA, he served as senior vice president and chief quality officer as well as chief medical officer of UMass Memorial Health Care. He also acted as interim chairman of the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was the school's Feigenbaum Distinguished Professor of Quality.

It is nearly impossible to measure Jerry’s impact at CHA, where his warmth, compassion, clinical excellence, and generosity of spirit helped shape the trajectory of this organization for the past two decades. His commitment to put our patients and communities first is at the heart of everything we do, and he will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. A memorial service is being planned for the next month or two, and we will share details once available.

Sincerely,

Assaad J. Sayah, MD

Chief Executive Officer

Cambridge Health Alliance