Helen Arteaga Landaverde

Last updated
Helen Arteaga Landaverde
Deputy Mayor of New York City for Health and Human Services
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2026

Helen J. Arteaga Landaverde (born 1975 or 1976) is an Ecuadorian-American public health administrator and government official. She served as the first female and first Hispanic chief executive officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. In December 2025, she was appointed deputy mayor for Health and Human Services for New York City by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Contents

Early life and education

Arteaga Landaverde was born 1975 or 1976 in Ecuador to Luis and Liliana Alava. [1] [2] [3] and immigrated to the United States with her family at a young age. [2] She speaks fluent Spanish and is a longtime resident of Corona, Queens. [4] She is a lifelong member of the Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Corona, where she graduated from its academy. [1]

Arteaga Landaverde attended New York University (NYU) on a scholarship, where she majored in chemistry. [2] During her sophomore year at NYU, her father, Luis, died following a diagnosis of leukemia. [1] He was a community activist in Corona who had worked with local clergy to address gang violence in the neighborhood. [1] This event prompted her to shift her career focus from chemistry to public health. [2] She went on to earn a Master of Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. [2] On June 27, 2023, she received a Doctor of Public Health from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, with a concentration in Community Health and Health Policy. [3] Her doctoral committee was chaired by Christopher Palmedo. [3] Her dissertation, titled "Understanding Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy And Uptake Among U.S. Hispanic Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic," was dedicated to her grandmother, Luz, whom she described as her "first women leader." [3]

Career

Arteaga Landaverde held positions within the Northwell Health. [4] She subsequently spent 15 years with Urban Health Plan, a system of community health centers, eventually serving as the assistant vice president of the Queens Network and Executive Initiatives starting in 2015. [4]

Inspired by her father's memory, she co-founded the Plaza del Sol Family Health Center. [1] In March 2016, she was appointed to the Board of Directors for both NYC Health + Hospitals and the NYU Alumni. [4] During her career, she received a fellowship with the National Hispana Leadership Institute. [2]

On February 8, 2021, Arteaga Landaverde became the chief executive officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. [4] Her appointment made her the first woman and the first Hispanic person to lead the hospital. [2] During her tenure, U.S. News & World Report named Elmhurst one of the "Best Regional Hospitals" in the United States. [5] Additionally, in September 2023, the Joint Commission recognized the hospital as the first in New York State to achieve a Health Equity Gold standard certification. [5]

On December 30, 2025, during a press conference held at Elmhurst Hospital, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced Arteaga Landaverde's appointment as deputy mayor for Health and Human Services. [5] In this role, succeeding Suzanne Miles-Gustave, she is responsible for overseeing the city's health, mental health, social, and homelessness services. [5]

Personal life

Arteaga Landaverde is married to Victor, and the couple has three children. [1] In 2020, prior to becoming CEO of the facility, Arteaga Landaverde was admitted to Elmhurst Hospital with a severe case of COVID-19. [2] She nearly died from the disease and credits the hospital staff with saving her life. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miller, Bill (2021-03-09). "Elmhurst Hospital's New CEO Fixing One Block at a Time" . The Tablet. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Amezola, Karla; Guadalupe, Patricia (March 26, 2024). "She almost died from Covid at this hospital, which saved her life. Now she leads it". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Arteaga, Helen J. (2023-06-27). Understanding Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy And Uptake Among U.S. Hispanic Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic. Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. thesis). CUNY Academic Works.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Russell, David (February 4, 2021). "New CEOs for two Queens hospitals". Queens Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  5. 1 2 3 4 O'Brien, Shane (2025-12-30). "Mamdani appoints Elmhurst Hospital CEO as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services – amNewYork". amNewYork. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
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