Congratulations to GlobalMindED’s 2023 Inclusive Leader Award Winner for Health & Wellness: Dr. Elena Rios

Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP has dedicated her life to championing health equity and empowering underserved communities. Her personal journey, fueled by a deep connection to her Mexican American roots and a passion for making a difference, has led her to become a trailblazer in healthcare policy, education, and advocacy. You can see Dr. Rios at the Inclusive Leader Award Dinner on June 7th, and on the Health Panel at GlobalMindED 2023.

Here is her story in her own words:

I am the eldest of five children born to Mexican American parents from Los Angeles—a machinist and a nurse who raised us close to our extended family of grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins with our traditional food, music, and celebrations. My family lived in a middle-class home in Pico Rivera, California in the 1960s and 70s, then moved to Whittier, California.

My mother became engaged in civic activities, as a leader for voting rights and participant in campaigns of Latina politicians. She completed her career at Alta Med, the largest Federal clinic in the U.S. Meanwhile, I excelled in grammar school, graduated at the top of my class, and won awards — including a regional Catholic school math competition to attend Sacred Heart of Mary High School.

In 1973, I was awarded a scholarship to 美国斯坦福大学 , where I pursued a premedical curriculum. I was active in Latino organizations, University leadership committees, and the Stanford in Government Program in Washington, DC. After a high school colleague shared a proposal with me, I started Project Motivation at Stanford as my work-study job–organizing visits to campus by high school Latinos and African Americans from the area. Later, I was a graduate student intern at the State Health Department in Sacramento.

I obtained my MSPH (health planning and policy analysis) and MD from UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA followed by an Internal Medicine residency and an NIH fellowship in health policy research. As a medical student, I founded the California Chicano/Latino Medical Student Association and, as a resident, founded the National Network of Latin American Medical Students.

In 1992, I started working as a policy researcher for the State of California Office of Healthcare Planning and Development, when a Stanford roommate asked me to work on the Clinton/Gore campaign. After the election, I moved to Washington, DC to serve in President Clinton’s White House. I worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office on Women’s Health from 1993 to 1998.

While at meetings with The White House , a core group of Latino physicians established the? National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) ?in 1994. Our goal has been to improve the health of Hispanics and other underserved through advocacy and our programs. Supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the HHS Office of Minority Health, we have developed campaigns to educate Latinos on health issues. We direct the NHMA Leadership Fellowship for physicians and other programs to increase diversity in the health workforce and in clinical research. Since 1998, I have worked as NHMA President and CEO.

In my role as President of the? National Hispanic Health Foundation , I’ve worked alongside a dedicated staff and leaders from across the nation to develop the National Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Program and the National Center for Hispanic Health Research.

I have worked with the White House and HHS leaders on various committees and summits and coordinated with Congress and advocacy coalitions on key health equity legislation—including prevention, health and mental health services, and diversity in the health workforce.

When speaking at conferences and medical schools, in media interviews, and in contributing articles, my focus is on health equity. In both public and private sectors, there is a critical need for diverse leadership and advocacy for our vulnerable communities. This work impacts the health of all Americans.

Dr. Rios' unwavering dedication to health equity and her tireless efforts to shape policies and legislation have earned her numerous accolades and recognition from prestigious organizations, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , the American Public Health Association , and the Congressional Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American Caucuses. Latino Leaders Magazine recognized her as a Maestro among the top 100 Latinos, and Washingtonian Magazine named her one of the top 500 influencers on policy in Washington, DC.