HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:00:00] What's up? I'm Ron Rapatalo and this is the Ronderings Podcast. Around here, I sit down with guests for real, unpolished conversations about the lessons and values that shape them. And I'll be right there with you, sharing my own take, laughing at myself when I need to, and wondering out loud about this messy thing called life. Glad you pulled up a chair. Let's get into it. Welcome back to Ronderings, where we slow down, dig deep, and honor the stories that shape who we are. Today, I'm so grateful to be joined by Helen Arteaga, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. From beginnings in Ecuador to leading one of New York City's most diverse, dynamic hospitals, Helen's journey is all about resilience, purpose, and community. We'll talk about what it means to serve, to leave with heart, and to never forget where you came from. Most of all, Helen is one of my homies from back in the mid to late 90s ‘cause we went to NYU together. So, let's get into it. Here's my conversation with Helen Arteaga. Peace. Hey friends, before we get started, I want to share something that's been a big part of my own journey. Two years ago, I published my book, Leverage. That experience cracked something open for me. I saw how publishing isn't just about pages, about owning your story, sharpening your voice, and amplifying your impact. The part that meant the most, readers reached out to me to say they felt seen. That's when I knew this work mattered. I loved it so much I co-founded Leverage Publishing Group with friends who would make know this world inside and out. Now we help leaders, entrepreneurs, and change makers turn their ideas into books and podcasts that actually move people. You got a star in you, and I know you do. Let's chat. Find me on LinkedIn or at leveragepublishinggroup.com because the world doesn't just need more books. It needs your book. All right, let's get to today's episode. Peace. Ronderings Universe, I have a dear friend from the ‘90s and when I went to NYU, we were in all things because I was the Filipino who hung out with the Latinos at NYU. So, my home girl Helen was involved in lots of the things aside from like the the Latino student life on campus between Lucha Larencia Latina which was the Latin Heritage Month at NYU. She did a host of other things. She was premed, Uber involved, and fast forward now she's a boss extraordinaire, mom of three, the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital Center, which is not far from where I grew up in Queens. My home girl, Helen Arteaga is on the mic. How you doing, Helen?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:02:18] Hi, Ron. It's so good to be and see and be with you. I just feel like we're back to our NYU days. The ideas that we can come up with
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:02:24] Oh my god. Now, and if we did this properly, lobe would still exist. We would be doing this on the green stairs or something.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:02:30] Yes, it would stage at the same time.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:02:32] And then what would we be eating? See what would it would be maybe it would be some catering from like one of our favorite like Latin spots from like [inaudible] Oh my god..
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:02:46] Remember it was um it was Caliente Cab if you remember. Yeah. Sorry. I remember the Crazy Chicken Place that was down the corner. Oh my god. Was it called Crazy Chicken or Pluck Chicken or Chicken You?
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:02:53] Pluck You. Oh my god. Oh my god. Those wings. I lived on Pluck You.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:02:59] Yes, they did. Best French fries. Late night, too. NYU is too fancy now. I can't I can't afford nothing about that.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:03:03] I know. Like how much is this meal? Like oh my god. Like a protein shake is $10. What? Hard to be God
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:03:05] I'm gonna have a blender and my own frozen fruit. Oh my god. Well, Helen, it is so good to chop it up with you. So, I'm going to let you start by answering what is your story? Cual el tu cuento? because I like to speak a little Spanglish to my Spanish.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:03:22] Oh, yes. Well it is Hispanic Heritage Month, so I think for me, my story is very, it's unique, but not unique. Especially coming in New York City where we are the city of immigrants.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:03:31] Yes, I'm very proud that I'm Ecuadorian and I started my roots in Ecuador and yes, the first woman hero I had was my grandmother who like took no s*** from nobody.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:03:40] Love it.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:03:41] And was very very business-like, very focused. She taught me how to be disciplined and organized. And then coming to New York City when I was 12
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:03:52] and really learning English and, you know, achieving the American dream and My dad and my mom were very very involved in the community. My dad was very focused in the community. He was a community activist without really knowing what that word meant. He just believed in helping thy neighbor. His best friend was a priest.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:04:12] So, okay,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:04:13] our faith was very important in our lives until this day. My faith is very strong.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:04:18] Okay.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:04:19] You know, knock on wood. You know, God has been giving me many blessings.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:04:24] Amen. Amen.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:04:26] So, unfortunately, my dad unexpectedly got sick. I don't know, Thanksgiving and fainted in the bathroom. And when he did, you know, we took him to Elmhurst Hospital to the emergency room and being a public hospital in the early 1980s, you know, was rough.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:04:44] I know. I used to go to Kings County Hospital in the – Oh, yeah. I know.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:04:47] But the the thing is back then we didn't have Google. It wasn't cool to be Latino. We didn't have JLo yet or Selena or you know, all the cool Latino people that we have. We didn't have Ricky Martin yet.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:05:01] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:05:02] And so when we went to the hospital, they asked us for our insurance card. And in Ecuador, we have universal healthcare. So your social security kind of type, which is called a cedula which we call is what like your it's it's your everything. It's your insurance card is everything. So
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:05:15] Okay.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:05:16] When we came in, they were like, "Where's your insurance card?" And we like gave them our social. They were like, "Oh, no. This is not insurance. You need to apply." And it's so funny because it was the first time I realized I was poor
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:05:31] because to tell you the truth, I didn't think I was poor. I like I came to the US. We were very lucky. We had so much love in our family.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:05:35] Yes. Yes.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:05:36] And being in an overcrowded apartment seemed normal. Looking back, I was like, how did one bathroom, there were like 10 people. How did we survive? I'm very lucky now. We have three bathrooms and my kids go cuckoo. I don't know how they how I survived with one bathroom and 10 people. So having that multigenerational home, that immigrant home, like I didn't feel poor because we always had food, we always had love, we always had each other. And then when we couldn't afford health care, I think it was the first time that I was like, well, I don't have the money.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:06:05] And then to apply for Medicaid was like 15 pages long and you had to mail that. Unlike now, you know, now we have computers and like we just there was so much lack of information.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:06:17] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:06:18] And then there was the issue of the the language barrier.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:06:21] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:06:22] I still remember the doctor telling me the results of my dad because my mom didn't speak any English. And him telling me, "Well, your dad has leukemia." And I didn't know what the hell that meant. There was no Google. There was no phone for me to look it up.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:06:40] Oh, wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:06:40] And I looked at him like, "I don't know what that means. I'm a I'm a kid still, right?" And he was like, "Well, your dad has a rare disease. You know, it's like blood." And he was like, "And he's dying. He has stage four." He was like, remember how simple he was. He was like, "Can you just tell your mom?" And I I still remember what I was wearing wearing like this sweater with a Timberland on it. I don't know if you remember the Timberlands were in style back then.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:07:03] Oh. Oh, yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:07:05] I had a Timberland sweater on. And I looked at my mom and I was like, "How am I going to tell my mom that the love of her life because she like they were like those amazing couples that loved each other that the love of her life was dying. Yeah.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:07:18] A child to do that. Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:07:20] To really even explain how he was dying. And unfortunately, there was no one to help me with the Medicaid application. And my dad died waiting for his Medicaid. And he got rejected from so many doctor's offices. He was in so much pain. And you know, he was a natural healer, so he believed in doing herbal therapy and stuff, but you know, when the cancer is that big and the stage four cancer is very painful.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:07:44] Yeah. Like I saw him and I never it was so bad and I was already my first year at NYU by this point and
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:07:48] Oh wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:07:49] He died in February. He died on an Ash Wednesday which is you know which made sense because right in his face of course. Yeah. I remember when he died I was like he did he died without getting real access to health care. He died pending his Medicaid and he died at Elmhurst Hospital in the emergency room.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:08:14] I did know there's a full circle here. I did not. Wow, this is really powerful, Helen. I did not
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:08:16] as I did not know the the extent of this story. This all makes sense like what you do now.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:08:24] Yeah. So, and then, you know, as a young adult, I was when I look at my son who's 17 and I'm like could you imagine him trying to explain to me without having the tools of an adult to say, "Hey, mom, like the love of your life is dying."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:08:40] to put that on a child? It that's just It it's just it and conquer it. Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:08:52] So, and you know, my dad's best friend was a priest, Padre Tamas, who you know, he died this year or so. OFor me, he was my spiritual dad.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:08:54] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:08:55] And I remember I was so mad at the world. So mad.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:08:58] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:08:58] And I was ready to quit college, by the way, cuz I was like, how am I going to support my family? I'm the oldest. My brother joined the military. It was chaotic. My mom got into a deep depression. She didn't leave the house for six months. So, can you imagine like the only person that's making money and not go to work? Like we we were like, you know, thank God for neighbors and loved ones, but like there were days where we didn't have any food
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:09:25] and then the bills started piling up and things started shutting off and like for a point there like we were almost homeless.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:09:30] Wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:09:31] We had to leave and you know, so what what do you do? And then I'm going to like will I go continue NYU? And I was very lucky, you know, I still had like a full ride at NYU, but it wasn't until Dean Santerolco was like, "No, you have so much potential, Helen. We will figure out how do we make you stay?" And I don't know what Dean Santerolco did with his magic and and he got me housing. He got me a stipend for food, you know. So, I'm so grateful to NYU because if it wasn't for them and Dean Stookco, like I would have been working at a Key Food, which is fine. fine. I would have been the manager of the Key Food, but can you imagine what I would have missed out on my potential, what I could do, you know, because I went to NYU, I built my my my own clinic
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:10:14] you know, and I dedicated to my dad. And then, now fast forward, we're pandemic heroes, you know, I've been managing being the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital not only being the patient that became a CEO, but I'm also the first Latina and the first woman.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:10:29] Yes. Yes. So yes,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:10:31] very big deal. And my team is 6,057 employees, you know. It's a big team. It's a village. There's more people working at Elmhurst than in my town in Ecuador.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:10:43] Holy s***. What the
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:10:46] I know. So for me, I'm like I feel like I'm my own little mayor.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:10:48] You are. Oh my god. Holy.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:10:50] But the impact that we've done for our people is amazing because with the where Elmhurst sits, we sit in the most diverse district of like the world.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:11:00] Oh, I definitely
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:11:00] over 138 languages. We speak more languages than Google. Google is able to translate 125, but we speak speak it. 138
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:11:09] Yes. If any like uh Ronderings audience, if you've never been in Elmhurst, Queens, come to Elmhurst, Queens. The diversity, the quality of food, the love of the people You have to you have to walk through the neighborhood to experience it because hell I remember when I visited you. It was like coming back home because there's something I hold sacred when I come back to Queens that like reminds me of how much living in a multicultural environment and seeing so many different people humanizes the human experience because you realize how much commonality that we truly have once you start to have that proximity to so many different people.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:11:51] It's either you believe that everyone's crazy. But I think what often happens is like you realize how much we are all in the human experience and how much we have in common. It's such a beautiful part of Queen and the food is bomb. Let's be
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:12:03] Oh my god. They call the Elmhursrt… They call it the Elmhurst Ten. I gained the
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:12:08] Oh my god. I remember the pot luck I had access to when I visited you. Yeah. The potluck that we got I had access to when I visited you a couple years ago and all that. I was like, "Oh my god. God, y'all eat. Oh, this is bad. This is so good, though.”
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:12:21] Yeah. Yeah. No, it's delicious. I like, you know. Yeah. I I don't And you know, and because culturally there's so many cultures and what do we do when we're grateful because we land a lending hand or we save someone's life or we help the someone get on their healing path. People always send us food.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:12:41] Yes.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:12:41] Oh my god. The holidays starting even during the Jewish holidays, we get food. So, we get I mean there's Diwali's coming up. We get food there, too.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:12:48] Oh my god.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:12:49] Oh, where it started from like September all the way to New Year's.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:12:53] And if folks know nothing about hospitals, being Filipino, I can only imagine the Philippine feast at this hospital. Bananas.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:13:00] Oh my god. Yes. A lot of my nurses are Filipinos.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:13:03] I mean, hello.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:13:04] Oh my god. We had the the arch pope. I'm saying this wrong. So, the pope has a cabinet.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:13:10] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:13:11] Like, you know, like he has like a officers And one of his officers was Filipino and he actually was up for Pope.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:13:16] That's right. I remember this. Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:13:18] He came to Elmhurst. Oh my god. That was like a rock star. My nurses went wild.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:13:22] It was nuts. I you know, besides him like being like almost the pope.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:13:25] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:13:26] I you know, he was such a he was such a blessing.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:13:29] Wow. How amazing. Yeah. Well, so I want to go back to that NYU story because it reminds me very similarly of like my NYU stories, right, where I had the help of Dean Delgroso, people I work with because I had a student worker job at SPS and the folks who were in financial aid there were my stewards to make sure I got audited. I needed help and they were like, "Ron, we got you. We can support you." Because there was a moment I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to continue to afford NYU in my undergrad years, right? Because I came with a pretty decent scholarship and all the aid, but then it started slowly but surely get cut and it was like what do I we didn't have the means, right?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:14:14] yeah know and being first generation I think it's very hard because you're literally the first ones trying to explain these to our parents you know my you know like my son right now he's going through all the SATs and and NYU’s his top choice but it's hard
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:14:27] yeah
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:14:27] you know it's hard like he's applying to 20 schools because he you know thank the Lord I have a good job and he can apply to 20 schools I did not have that flexibility when I was growing. My dad was like, "You could take wherever the seven train takes you." Like that's where you're going.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:14:50] Yeah. That was it.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:14:53] Yeah.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:14:53] The seven train goes far to be clear, but it's not that it doesn't go across.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:14:58] Yeah. Like that's all you can go. Yeah. And and you know, and I was I was very honored, you know, NYU made me a Coca-Cola scholar and
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:06] God bless.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:07] It was like, you know, and being a chemist, right? Cuz I'm a chemistry major.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:11] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:12] Like it was it was a big deal. It was a big deal. And I felt so much warmth and comfort at the College of Arts and Science. Dean Bratthway was like my rock star.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:23] It was the first time I saw a woman of color.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:26] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:27] Be like a dean. Like be a boss. I was like what? We could be bosses, you know?
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:31] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:33] So she's… seeing women strong women like that because even in the world of science, you know, and of course NYU has come a long way. But when we were going to school, there weren't that many women professors.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:45] No,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:46] especially in science.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:48] Oh,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:15:48] I didn't have not one woman science professor. Not one.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:15:52] I had one or two neuroscience from what I recall. I think everyone else, chem, bio, psych. No,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:16:00] they were all men.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:16:01] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:16:02] Mine were all men. Yeah. The women were more like in my Latino studies like as my second major, you know, because I did nothing. They had to write. Because I'm a horrible writer. I went to everything that like math.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:16:15] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:16:15] I remember they made me take a thing of biology. Ugh. I was like, I don't need this.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:16:20] Yeah. Oh my gosh.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:16:21] But you know, NYU, I have so many memories. And of course, I met my best friends there, Giselle, Mel, who are parents of my children, you know.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:16:33] Yeah. Similar story. Like, you know, Chris Simamora is the god parent. to both of my girls, right? Amaloha, Garcia, Anamaria, Yoa are very close friends of the family, right? Ama is the god daughter, godmother to my youngest, Ava. So, you and I share that comment that like my the my deepest social network by far is my NYU network. It's why you and I are so uber involved, the NYU Alumni Association, all the things because when I think about like #VioletPride, you and I are like poster children.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:17:15] Yes.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:17:15] I'm not saying that there aren't others that don't rock NYU, but I think you and I, but like these stories, it creates a level of indebtedness and gratitude that's really hard to like explain to people. Like when I No, when I think about like what pivots, major pivots of the world.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:17:33] Yeah.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:17:33] You know, NYU, I remember I had a very big opportunity in front of my path and I went back to NYU and I met with Dean Santerolco and I was like, what do I do? Because by then Dean Santerolco was the provos.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:17:51] Yeah. He had he had elevated. Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:17:53] Whoa. I was like, go Matthew. Yeah. And and I he made time for me cuz I was in a in a pivotal moment in my career and I was really lost. And usually when I'm lost, believe it or not, I like walking around NYU. And he was like, "Come Helen, let's have coffee."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:18:04] Oh, beautiful.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:18:05] And I had coffee with him and he was like, "Helen," you know, he just helped me think out. Yeah. Like Helen, this is where you this is where like this is the Helen I know from like the freshman year and this is where I think you could go but if you go this way this is what your options are and what could happen and you know it was it was amazing like his his advice led me to become the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:18:27] All right let me keep it real. A lot of us have write a book sitting our goals list maybe for years. I sure did. Good news is there's more than one way to get it done. If you've got more money than time, a ghostriter can help bring your story to life. If you got more time than money, a great book coach can guide you through the process step by step. If you already written the thing, you'll want someone to shepherd you through publishing so you don't waste time or cash. Here's the thing, though. No matter how you do it, the real win is writing the right book. The one that builds your credibility, grows your business, and actually makes a difference. That's what the team at Books That Matter is all about. Head to books that matter.org and get some feedback in your idea or manuscript. Don't sit on it any longer. Your book could be exactly what the world needs. So, when you became the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital, knowing that story of your father's experience, how did that feel in that moment?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:19:25] For me, it was truly full circle. It was I'm It was a little traumatic as well because, you know, Elmhurst Hospital doesn't change much. We are 192 years old.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:19:35] Yeah. Wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:19:36] And when I went to the emergency room, it kind of looked the same to be honest.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:19:40] Oh, wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:19:41] It's the feeling of being in the emergency room. I remember when you know when you we first I first became CEO, they did like all this walkthrough. Remember, it's the pandemic. Everyone's wearing masks.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:20:00] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:20:01] And and for me, it was very traumatic because I got really sick during the pandemic because I was helping everyone in the clinic and plus or so, and then when I got really sick, I ended up in the emergency room.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:20:14] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:20:14] I was one of the lucky ones that came out of there after 14 days.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:20:19] Oh, wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:20:20] And I remember being in the emergency room during the pandemic and I was like, "Oh my god, I'm going to die in the same place my father died." I came back, you know, and God, you know, God was like, "Nope, I have other things for you to do."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:20:34] Of course.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:20:34] And when I came back and they was doing the walkthrough with me, like introducing me as their CEO. I remember my hands shook because I was like the emergency room has been moments of my saddest moments of my life like losing my dad like I still remember when I lost him and then also being the moment where I I thought I was going to die.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:20:56] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:20:57] But then also being the moment of like saying like like something's burning like it's gonna I'm going to rise again. So to be the same spot of that, you know, like it like took my breath away. Like I remember like I felt it, but I also felt a sense of pride and perseverance that I'm not saying, right? But more importantly, it was it was evidence of faith. Evidence and faith that I could do more for my community. Evidence that I have the power to get up even when things are really hard.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:21:30] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:21:31] And evidence for me of like I could do this job, right? Because I I'm a woman. I'm a girl from the neighborhood. Not a lot of people wanted me to be the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital. There was a lot of you say haters.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:21:44] Of course. Yeah. They can't hate now. Your accomplishments speak for themselves, right? And your community focus.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:21:48] I remember someone really like it. It was crazy cuz you know, everyone's wearing masks. So, I get on the elevator. So, I'm a new I'm the new CEO…it must have been like my first month there. Right.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:22:00] I'm on the elevator and like these two surgeons, you know, and I can tell they're wearing green scrubs cuz that's the scrubs for the OR, right? And they get in the elevator. So I'm like, "Oh, they get in the elevator." So I go and I'm little, too. So I'm 5'2. So I come to the back of the elevator and they're like, "Oh, did you hear? We have a new CEO." And I'm like, "Oh, they're talking about me."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:22:20] And then, oh my god, isn't that funny to be a fly on the wall when they don't?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:22:25] Yeah. Well, this was an interesting fly.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:22:28] Yeah. And then like, "Can you believe she's an immigrant?"
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:22:27] Que lo que? Que mierda
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:22:34] ]And I remember I stood there and I didn't move. I didn't correct them. I didn't change anything. I didn't say, "Well, I'm here." But for me, I was like, "Okay, I have a lot to work. I have to show people." Yes. You know, I don't speak English perfectly. Yes. You know, I might not come from like Harvard or the Ivy Leagues. And you know, I'm a girl from the neighborhood. Yes. And I take that with pride. I'm from the hood of and I'm a woman.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:22:58] And I was like, well, I'm going to show you what I could do with this hospital. And I've, you know, and I say this with pride, I've transformed my hospital. You come into Elmhurst Hospital is not the same hospital that you went in before the pandemic. It's not. It's a different atmosphere. It's a even the what we do clinically Like I've taken the full potentials of the doctors that we have and really put them pushed them to the next level because we can cuz the stuff that happens in Elmhurst Hospital, I'm telling you it's better than the stuff that's happening on Park Avenue. I can tell you that for sure.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:23:31] Tell me how you led Elmhurst through that journey. What informed the transformation of Elmhurst from your leadership lens? To now I'm like bringing leadership.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:23:40] If I had to describe Elmhurst as a person as if I had to describe the hospital as a person.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:23:44] Okay.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:23:45] The hospital lacked confidence, lacked someone believing in them, lacked someone being their cheerleader. So I was like because the stuff I mean it was in the middle of the pandemic. The stuff that was happening at Elmhurst was groundbreaking. It is the reason why we're not wearing masks today. It is the reason why we were able to save so many lives from the medication to the infusions to what kind of mask we should wear. I mean everything was being tested at Elmhurst and clinical procedures, how women gave birth during the pandemic was set in Elmhurst, how we like gave medication, like everything from methadone clinic to like behavioral health, telemedicine,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:24:32] I mean transfusions because yeah there was a horrible virus going around but people still gave birth to kids. People still had heart attacks like healthcare still needed to go on and Elmhurst figured it out.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:24:42] Wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:24:43] And then they took their practices and like gave it to the world. But they didn't take any credit for it. So I was like, "Oh, no, no, no." I was like, "We're gonna start taking credit for this."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:24:53] Good for ya. Because it's one of those things, right? Doesn't that sound like like a very immigrant story and someone is lacking confidence of like I do this good work, but I don't want…No, it's not. I don't want to take it'... No, I'm just And then we're left to the wayside, right? Yeah. We have to tell our story. So, how did you tell start telling that story? What did that start?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:25:13] I went to all the elected officials and I started saying our story like what we were doing, how we set things in place and I'm very proud after that whole I mean I went to a lot of defunders because one of the things I noticed we hadn't invested in the hospital we were over 190 years old.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:25:31] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:25:32] And you know we needed the non sexy things like we needed new roofing, we needed new beds.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:25:40] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:25:41] We needed new floors. We needed to declutter. I remember I spent so much money just throwing stuff that was old and unnecessary.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:25:49] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:25:50] And you know, it was the pandemic, so nobody wanted none of our stuff.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:25:53] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:25:53] And so, you know, we kept a log of everything and we were like, "Okay, we're discarding this. This is end of life." And then I started fundraising and I'm very proud that like I fundraised out of any CEO Elmhurst has had. I' I've been able to fund raise in my less than five years $140 million.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:26:24] And the hospital is changing. Labor and delivery is changing. I got 27 million from the governor to build three floors in the women's pavilion. We've gotten so much technology in our hospital. We are we're going to get a PET scan. I have three MRIs. I have three three CT scan machines. I have two CAT labs. I have two robotic machines, Da Vinci machines that are machines, robots that do the surgery. I have two of them. Not one, two
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:26:54] Dos
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:26:56] This is how we treat our patients. Just because we're poor doesn't mean we got to treat our patients less. So I treat our patients like they were in the Ritz Carlton.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:27:04] I give them
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:27:05] and I can't help but think this so much of this is for if in some ways I'm sure you've thought about this. If you did not go through what you went through when you were younger with your father being diagnosed with stage four leukemia in the ER in Elmhurst, your empathy lens, your cultural lens on top of the incredible academic professional respon like you know things that you've done doesn't I would argue doesn't lead you to the point to see things in Elmhurst in that way.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:27:40] You know it definitely gives me a different lens for sure.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:27:42] Yeah,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:27:42] because I really do think of the patient experience because I am that patient. I am that daughter, that mom who brings their kid or their parent or their loved one to the hospital.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:27:57] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:27:58] And I have to tell you, I love that I see, you know, I see the mailman. I'm trying to think of how I don't break it up. I see people from my church. I see people from my supermarket because I see people teachers of my kids going out
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:28:09] from the neighborhood. This is this these are your people. How do you not,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:28:18] you know, and you know, and I get to see them and I get to help them and be on their health journey, you know? Or they like, "Didn't I see you in church?" I'm like, "Yeah, we go to church together. Yeah. I I heard you were here and I came by to set up.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:28:34] Wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:28:34] Or you know the other day I was again walk because I walk it's 12 floors, five buildings so I have to walk a lot.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:28:44] Yeah. You get your steps in
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:28:51] Yes, I do because of all the food I'm eating.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:28:53] Yeah. And this lady
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:28:56] Well, let me help with that next time. I can I can help with the food.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:28:58] Yeah. This lady comes to me and she's like, Heln.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:01] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:02] And I'm like, yes, señora, like how can I help you? Cuz you know, because of my name tag. I thought she like just called me Helen.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:07] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:08] She was like, she was like, "do you know who I am?” and I’m like, “no, but how can I help you?" and she was like, “I used to,” I still remember this cuz I used to live on 111 and 43rd.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:16] Okay.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:16] And I always used to go to the bodega down the corner. She was like, "I was the cashier in the bodega."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:21] What?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:22] She was like, "I remember I would always give you a lollipop, una paleta, right?"
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:26] Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh wow.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:29] And I was like, oh my god. I was like, how do you remember? She was like, yeah, cuz you always, she's like, you always like, you know, I would always ask for a paleta because my mom was having to go buy milk. And I was like, can I have a lollipop? How cute? You know, you know, she would just give it to me.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:41] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:41] So she was like, she was like, "Why is your face in the picture?" Of course, she's a much older lady now.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:29:48] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:29:48] And she's like, "Why is your you know, because you know there's a leadership wall." She was like, "Why is your face you know, she was like, "That's why I stopped here. I was looking at the picture and wh was like, "That looks like the little like Helen." Because again, everybody knew my dad.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:30:03] Yes.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:30:04] Like, what is Luis’ daughter doing on the wall? And of course, you know, she doesn't understand English.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:30:10] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:30:11] So, when she saw me, she's like, "Helen." And she was like, porque ta tu foto? you know,
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:30:18] Estoy la jefa!
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:30:20] Soy la jefa de la hospital and she's like, her face drew up to the floor. Just dropped to the floor. She was like, "Oh my god." Like, I could see like she wanted to like almost cry that this little chubby girl that she used to give lollipops to, you know, Luis' daughter. Luis’ daughter like Don Luis's daughter like got to be president of Elmhurst Hospital, like one of her own people cuz it's it's a neighborhood. It's a it's a pride from the neighborhood,
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:30:40] of course and it's not common unfortunately in in many in in healthcare, I would say, in many spaces that someone gets to come back home
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:30:52] Yeah. In this way, right? It's such a beautiful I I hear I've heard enough of these stories that make me really happy when I hear and especially having got to know you over the last 20 years to hear the kind of impact you're having because at the end of it all, you see people in a way that I think it would be harder if someone had all the accolades and all the other professional experience. You're from the neighborhood.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:31:11] Yeah.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:31:11] You've gone through things that allow you to see the customer and the patient experience in a way that will it's you're going to carry that for the rest of your life. It is the
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:31:22] and hopefully my kids too because you know we live here.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:31:24] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:31:25] You know like it's so funny my kids are like mommy why do we live in Corona still? I was like because just because you've made it doesn't mean you leave your neighborhood behind. Like you know I tried to think you know that we should invest in our community doesn't mean because you made it you get it.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:31:41] I should connect There's someone I should connect. This this gave me a Ronderings bubble. So, someone I had on my podcast earlier. She's one of my home girls. She's um a chicana from California. She now has been running the leadership academy. She lives with her partner in Manhattan. Her name is Nancy Gutierrez. Her story is really similar. She wrote a book with another, a senior leader in education around basically talking about the power of staying in your community and not leaving it, right? We've been taught so much, particularly as immigrants, particularly as people of color, that in order to make it,
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:32:02] we have to leave. You have it. She has it. Right. And I think it's something I suspect you two would vibe. You're two of my favorite people. I like I y'all would really and as like fellow Latina bosses who live in the New York City area, I think,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:32:16] okay, you should connect us.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:32:17] You and you and Nancy would get along really well. I think would have a lot to talk and you're probably all involved a lot of the the circles and the things that happen in New York City.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:32:26] We probably have seen each other because it's his it is Hispanic Heritage Month. I've been to like 30 events.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:32:31] I you probably run into just haven't Yeah. But I'm going to make sure because y'all would
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:32:37] Yes. Connect us for sure.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:32:38] Really hit it off. Well, I know when we were in the quasi green room before I hit the record button, something I wanted to make sure we elevated considering your role running Elmhurst Hospital is talking about health care in this day and age.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:32:55] So,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:32:56] so I think healthcare right now is being attacked all of a sudden. You know, we went from like everyone needs health care being united during the pandemic and making sure everybody has access to all these crazy theories from vaccines, you know, have something to do with autism. Tylenol has something to do with autism, too. I don't know this fascination with autism. I'm still not sure. Everything from vaccine hesitancy, getting access to primary care, getting your screenings done from mamograms to colonoscopies.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:33:51] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:33:52] And kind of saying like healthcare should only be for the few and not for all. I think it's a very sad moment in our history and I think our kids’ kids are going back and think like what the hell we were doing to each other because we might not be at war but we're definitely in a war of science.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:34:10] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:34:11] There's a science war going on. And I think as this generation and as a population and as the rise of AI goes on, we have to decide what kind of population we want to be, what kind of humans we want to be.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:34:25] Do we want to be a humans where some have and some don't?
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:34:29] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:34:30] Or do we want to be really a good communal society? And the only way a society moves forward always is by having good healthcare. I mean, if you look at the Renaissance, you look how London, you know, the innovation of London, how like we came to be was because we got good access to healthcare like the science of healthcare like the whole reason why the life expectancy in the US went up by 20 years was because we got the invention of vaccines through smallpox
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:34:59] you know and the fact that we're having measle outbreaks because of miseducation is so sad
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:35:07] no vaccines in Florida now
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:35:10] like that it's so horrible and now we're creating coalitions we're dividing the nation I think it's so sad to see I was like, because you have the coalition of the west and then now we're creating the coalition of the east and then the people in the middle are just like, oh, we don't want to do anything. But healthcare is important because I don't choose where I'm born. So if I'm born in Utah, I won't have access to vaccines that could be life- saving, but if I'm born in New York, I'll have the vaccines. That causes a disparity.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:35:36] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:35:36] And children grow and people travel. I mean, if anything showed us how much we travel and how these borders we think we have really don't exist was the pandemic I mean that virus flew on fire all you needed was one Uber driver you know
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:35:59] one times 100,000 in a matter of like freaking days yeah
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:36:04] no and you know and I think people are like well that was the pandemic blah blah blah and I'm like the measles so the way the viruses work know they they're giving a rating, right? So how how transmittable they are. So like the R value of like a cold is like two.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:36:15] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:36:16] So when I have a cold and I sneeze through my mouth, I can infect 2 people. The flu can infect four people.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:36:19] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:36:19] The measles can infect 16.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:36:22] It's like 2x. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:36:25] So it's just like and again, you need to make sure your washing your hands, you're covering your mouth, and you're getting vaccinated. It is super important. The way measles are so highly transmittable that if you don't have the right vaccines, it's it's, you know, you can get someone really sick.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:36:44] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:36:44] And Sally, the people you're going to get really sick are really young ones or really old ones.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:36:48] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:36:49] And I just think it's disgusting to be in one of the world powers and not have access to vaccines, life-saving vaccines for only a few and not the all is very sad.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:37:00] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:37:01] Because I'm like, make it available to everybody, but if you don't want to take it, it's your choice.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:37:04] Yeah. This is my conjecture. I'm very sensitive to like your role and what you can say. I will say it, right? You know, when I get cynical about like why is this attack on healthcare happening? It's a very it's a slower, methodical way to go to war. particularly with marginalized people without having to go to war in the country. You know, we're not even talking about ICE rates, which in of itself is like a that's right in that's right in our face, right?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:37:41] Yeah.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:37:42] You being Ecuadorian, Latina, I being Asian-American, Filipino, I I think about it a little bit more than I care to think care to want to admit. And I I was born here, you know what I'm saying? There's not, you know, but like, God forbid, but it just these are the kinds of things I think in our country right now. I'm like, Well, there's a playbook here. You want to create an autocracy and a dictatorship, this is how you fan the flames, you start removing the things that have people feel safe.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:38:20] Yeah. Sadly,
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:38:22] right? You know what I'm saying? Like if you want to be an evil scientist and like well there there's a reason why this is happening, right? And I guess the question is from like where you sit cuz you're in a lot of these rooms like leading a major hospital like what's the fight looking like on healthcare?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:38:34] It's looking like a big fight. And it's going to be a long one.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:38:38] Yeah,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:38:39] it's going to be a long one. And it's not…science is not enough. Like we have our stories. We have to tell our stories of what it means.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:38:52] And sadly, you know, until someone big doesn't die, which is sad that a death has to come.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:38:58] So, isn't it always how this stuff happens? Unfortunately, right? Like a major celebrity died of COVID, then that made it more Oh my God, I got to get a vaccine. If that person died, it was like, oh my, we have we have patterns of behavior as American society. Then GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:39:20] I'm just like I forget what comedy show I was watching. I think it was Dave Chappelle. You know, he talked about the crack epidemic, you know, how like crack was hitting our communities of black and brown was everywhere. But the moment opios came to life and it was hitting the the white population. It became like a thing like
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:39:52] it became like we need rehab. We've got government
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:39:43] The government started paying for it, you know, during the crack when if you were addicted to crack, there was no
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:39:46] no it's your fault. It was your fault. It was your fault.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:39:55] Meanwhile, opio came along and but you know, it was funny but kind of like not funny. You were like, "Yeah, that kind of makes sense." So sadly, I think that's what's happening, you know. I think the federal government has decided to decide what's an issue and what's not an issue not based on science and not based on data based on personal views and that's not what government is for.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:40:11] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:40:11] Government serve all ALL based on on our independence and the creation of independence.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:40:20] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:40:21] So for me it's very it's very sad because you come to this country, not only to dream bigger.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:40:29] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:40:29] But to live that American dream because that American dream was written in the declaration. I remember when I went to Washington DC and I saw it.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:40:40] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:40:41] And if you actually read it, it is poetic. It is. It doesn't say women, but it says all.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:40:47] Yeah, it does.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:40:48] But like it is it's true poetry. Yeah. And I I feel like as a country, we have forgotten the word all
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:40:51] And I feel like at some level, right, when it's folks who look like you and I, right, you know, it could be easy to say, well, this country, which I believe has been imperfect in its values and the Declaration of Independence to say, well, what do we have to fight for, right? And I think when you hit a certain level of privilege, right? And so this is like the tension I have is like, do we leave or do we stay? And there's a part of me that believes in this moment as we're recording this, this is the New Yorker me. I ain't no punk. Not going down. You know what I'm saying? Like that's such a New York thing. You know what I mean? You get it right from growing up in Corona and El like yo, you get that in your head. It's like you don't survive the neighbors we live in if get perceived to be a punk because that's the
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:41:40] yo if people think you a punk you going to get walked over like yo I ain't no punk. I might have a nerdy ass kid. It was but like I was no punk ultimately right. I fought when I needed to. I didn't like to fight but if I had to I think
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:41:51] that's what we have to fight for our kids. We have to fight for, you know, making sure everybody has access, making sure people stay healthy.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:42:01] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:42:01] You know,
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:42:02] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:42:02] It's so funny. My my son, you know, he he like got a little bit of a cold. I'm like, "Wash your hands."
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:42:07] Like, "Use hand sanitizer."
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:42:08] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:42:08] I had to use it. That's why you have a cold. Like, stop saying, you know, so it's the little things sometimes we got to remember our people because no matter what nobody says, we got to show people that We are a better community New Yorkers.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:42:25] Yes.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:42:26] You know, at the end of the day, New York will stand strong for our women, women's health, you know, health care period. And sooner or later, you know, cuz healthcare is not something with health care is not something you can plan cuz when you need it, you need it. You can't be like, "Oh, I'm having a heart attack. Let me let me pencil it in next week." No.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:42:50] No.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:42:51] I'm having a heart attack. You need to be at a doctor's hands.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:42:53] Quit pause in the action. here. I know a lot of us leaders, entrepreneurs, folks just trying to do good work have felt that grind of pushing a boulder uphill by ourselves. What I learned is you don't actually have to do it all alone. Junior's discovery program at Thought Leader Path is like having a think tank in your corner. It's not some cookie cutter formula about your story, your plan of impact, giving you the clarity and assets to take the next big step. I've seen people go through this and walk out with their voices amplified, ideas sharpened, some even launching podcast like this one Ronderings. So if you're tired of grinding in the dark, you're ready to step into your impact with right support, check out geniusdiscovery.org.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:43:51] Well, Helen, we're around that moment that I feel it's appropriate to ask you your Rondering. What's their lesson or value you want to share with the audience today?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:44:00] You know, I think going back to what you said earlier, you know, like, you know, we're from New York. We're not punks.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:44:06] I ain't no punk. That's what we entitled.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:44:09] I ain't no punk. You know, and we got to stand for what we believe in. And it's not just, you know, you don't have to run a big hospital to stand for what you believe in. But like in your own circle, make sure everybody's washing their hands. Make sure everybody has hands. Make sure everybody gets the flu shot. You find you don't want COVID shot, get the flu shot.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:44:31] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:44:32] Or get them both at the same time so you could be out and about and and out of commission for 36 hours. But it's okay. That's what I did. I was like, "Oh, this hits." I was like I was like, "Let me take my two towels. I was like, "Okay, I'm back."
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:44:43] Exactly. You know, but again, and I think, you know, teach others empathy, you know, I think being kind of like open the door for someone. You see someone coming in, open the hold the door, say good morning to the stranger.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:44:59] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:45:00] You know, and I mean, at least that's what I try to do because I'm like,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:45:04] you know what, at the end of the day, no one's going to take my spirit away. I still walk in like, yeah, today I will try to make at least one thing better. One thing for somebody, you know, and the rest hopefully someone will pay it forward.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:45:20] Yeah. Well, and we're not punks.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:45:22] We are not punks. No.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:45:24] You've talked about your father a good deal. So, I'm going to ask you what feels like a Opraesque question before. What would you want to tell your father now that you're in this role about what legacy you're building and what what you're most proud of from the time you you spent with him?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:45:41] First, I think my dad would be so surprised. He'll be like, "What? You're the president of the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital?
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:45:51] Yeah.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:45:52] He would be like, "Wow, I know you had it in you, Helen, but I didn't think you know." Because again, Elmhurst Hospital is a big deal. Not I'm not saying it just because I'm the CEO.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:45:59] No, it is. It's ginormous. I don't know.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:46:04] Five buildings for 6,000 employees. Like again, there's more people at Elmhurst than in my town in Ecuador.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:45:10] You're running a very big company. And And what's the budget? It's got it's got to be
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:46:20] We're a billion dollar.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:46:22] Ah diablo!
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:46:27] I know. That's a lot of zeros. And I don't understand how I'm not a size two. I think my dad would say, you know, good job.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:46:31] Yeah. Sometimes few words carry a lot of meaning. Good job.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:46:34] He would be like, mija, muy bien. High five.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:46:37] I love it. I love it. Well, Helen, before we go, how do people find you? What would you like to promote?
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:46:42] Definitely visit, get your flu shot for sure. Yeah, but visit Elmhurst at Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. And if you need to reach me and you can always reach me at LinkedIn, Helen Arteaga.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:47:01] Helen, I have always appreciated your generosity of spirit, the way that you carry yourself with people. Like you're I think the reason why you and I have always kept a relationship that you know we've humble beginnings and we've got these big titles but at the end of it all this reminds me of this just as before we hit the recorder like we're back at college hanging out on the green stairs at Lo and just kicking it.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:47:24] Yes,
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:47:25] dude. If we could go back and tell our younger selves that what we would do 25 years later,
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:47:33] we would think we were on we were high.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:47:35] Yeah, I would like Okay. Right. Sure.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:47:45] You know, so but thank the Lord the universe had a better plan.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:47:46] Amen to that. Well, Helen, in the words of one of my heroes, Deion Sanders, I always tell folks, we come hot. Appreciate you being on Randings and to be continued. Peace.
GUEST: Helen Arteaga-Landaverde: [00:47:58] Bye.
HOST: Ron Rapatalo: [00:47:59] That was Helen Arteaga. What incredible reminder of how leadership rooted in love and community can transform lives. I'm walking away inspired by her humility, her grit and the way she continues to pour into the city and community that raised her. If you want to learn more about her work, check out Elmhurst Hospital or connect with her on LinkedIn. As always, thank you for listening to Ronderings. Keep it real, keep it human, keep learning together. Until next time, stay grounded, stay curious, and keep wandering. Peace. Before we close out, I want to shout out the crew behind the scenes Podcasts That Matter. Their belief is simple. Every great idea deserves a voice. I'm here to co-sign that. You've been sitting on a podcast idea wondering if now's the time. I'll tell you it is. Head to podcastmatter.org. See how they can help you bring your idea to life. All right, y'all. Thanks for listening. I'll catch you on the next one. Peace. Thank you. Thank you for listening to today's Rondering. I enjoyed hanging out with me and my guest, and I hope you leave with something worth chewing on. If it made you smile, think, or even roll your eyes in a good way, pass it along to someone else. I'm Ron Rapatalo, and until next time, keep rondering, keep laughing, and keep becoming.