Mamdani appoints Elmhurst Hospital CEO as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has named NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Dr. Helen Arteaga as his Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.

Mamdani made the announcement at a press conference at Elmhurst Hospital Tuesday afternoon, citing Arteaga’s ability to guide the hospital through “success and adversity” since taking over as CEO in February 2021.

Arteaga, the first Latina CEO of Elmhurst Hospital, oversaw a 545-bed Level I Trauma and Academic Medical Center that stood at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mamdani said Arteaga’s nearly five-year tenure as CEO has been “transformative” for the facility, crediting Arteaga for delivering “consistent improvements” in patient care as well as “making historic strides” to support frontline workers.

Under Arteaga’s leadership, Elmhurst Hospital was named as one of the “Best Regional Hospitals” in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, while the non-profit Joint Commission also recognized the hospital as the first in New York State to achieve a Health Equity Gold standard certification in September 2023. The Joint Commission recognized Elmhurst Hospital for its efforts to reduce disparities in healthcare access, outcomes and experiences.

Mamdani touted Arteaga’s roots in Elmhurst and said she had brought leadership “driven by empathy” to her role as CEO.

Mamdani speaks at Tuesday’s press conference. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.

A visibly emotional Arteaga described the agencies under her new portfolio as the “safety net” that many New Yorkers rely on to survive. Arteaga, who succeeds the outgoing Deputy Mayor Suzanne Miles-Gustave, will be responsible for overseeing the city’s health services, mental health services, social services and homelessness services, among other agencies.

She pledged to provide “innovative solutions” in order to expand access to healthcare in the city.

“It is the workforce and providers in this portfolio that work so hard to get New Yorkers through the hardest times in their lives,” Arteaga said Tuesday. “I’m ready to work alongside you to provide innovative solutions so you can take advantage of every opportunity, every interaction to address the affordability crisis that brings so many through our doors.”

She also vowed to reach out to those who are “suffering in silence” because they “do not know if the government will protect them.”

“I promise you today that I will work so hard to ensure that you are seen and that we are thinking big and courageous about solutions that will allow you to thrive in the city that you love,” she said.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.

Arteaga also praised Mamdani for announcing her appointment at Elmhurst Hospital, which she credited with saving her life during the pandemic. Arteaga’s father also died at the hospital, she said at Tuesday’s press conference.

Arteaga confirmed on Tuesday that she will depart the hospital to serve as deputy mayor, stating that she would “not leave her home” unless it was for “something important.”

“Working with the Mayor-elect and his team and his vision is something that I want to do because I see the impact,” Arteaga said. “It’s going to take a lot of work, so I’m going to dedicate 100% to the vision.”

Mamdani also named longtime public interest attorney Steven Banks as his pick for the city’s next Corporation Counsel and named Ramzi Kassem as the mayor’s chief counsel for the new administration during Tuesday’s press conference.

Banks, a former attorney-in-chief for the Legal Aid Society, previously served as the city’s “homelessness czar” under former Mayor Bill de Blasio and will require Council confirmation. Kassem, meanwhile, is the founder of the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility, or CLEAR, Project at the City University of New York School of Law.

On Monday, Mamdani announced that he planned to renominate Dr. Mitchell Katz to continue leading NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest municipal care system.

founder of the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility, or CLEAR, Project at the City University of New York School of Law