NHHF Team

Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, MACP | President: Dr. Rios, a distinguished Medical Doctor with a Master’s of Science in Public Health, Master of the American College of Physicians, has received multiple national and international awards for her outstanding contributions to health equity. Dr. Rios started her career in 1992 as a policy advisor for the State of California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development; in 1993 for the White House Health Care Reform Team, where she met physicians to establish the NHMA and NHHF; and in 1994 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. After 30 years of dedicated service part-time at NHMA and NHHF, shaping their mission and impact, Dr. Rios is now focusing all her efforts on leading NHHF's initiatives. She started the Hispanic Physician Leadership Fellowship, which has resulted in hundreds of Hispanic physician leaders serving in the public and private sectors. Rios earned her BA from Stanford University, MSPH and MD from UCLA School of Public Health and School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency from Santa Clara and White Memorial Hospitals, and her NIH NRSA Primary Care Research Fellowship from UCLA Department of Medicine.

Guadalupe Pacheco, MSW | Director of Programs: Guadalupe served as Senior Advisor for over a decade in the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and led the development of the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards for healthcare. Guadalupe also served in the Washington, DC, government before moving to the federal government and had a dedicated career to providing leadership in public service and support to community-based organizations through health equity programs. 

Guillermo Mendoza, JD, LLM | Associate Director of NHHF Programs: Guillermo is a dedicated advocate for health equity, leveraging his academic background to champion access to healthcare for underserved communities. With a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Global Health Law from Georgetown University Law Center, a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Hamline University School of Law, and a Bachelor's degree in Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Minnesota, he combines legal expertise with a deep understanding of healthcare systems. Guillermo remains dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of underserved populations, embodying a steadfast commitment to social justice and equitable access to healthcare services.

Roshell Andrade | Programs Coordinator: Roshell's professional background includes teaching, marketing, and administration, providing her with a unique perspective on effective program management. Rochelle is coordinating the NHHF Leadership Fellowship and the Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship and Mentoring Program. She has a BA in International Affairs, concentrating on Latin American Affairs from Trinity University and has a Google Data Analytics certification.

Lilian Martinez-Orellana|Programs Coordinator: Lilian is a dedicated public health professional with a deep passion for advancing health equity in the Latino community. Lilian is coordinating the National Center for Hispanic Health Research clinical trial diversity and National Hispanic Pharmacists Association activities. She has a BS in Public Health and Human Services and Social Justice from The George Washington University. She launched "The Luchadora Project," a social media campaign designed to raise awareness about the unique challenges Latinas face when battling cancer. 

Jennifer Zelaya|Executive Assistant:

Jeanne Ponsa | Director of Partnerships: Jeanne is the point of contact for interested partners and sponsors for NHHF programs and events. Jeanne's career journey started in retail fashion advertising with celebrities and models and evolved to advertising with national cause campaigns. She has focused her efforts to support health events to build sustainable partners as well as to coordinate events and high level presentation for the NHHF network of attendees from health care industry, academia and government. 

To schedule a meeting with Dr. Rios, please use the following link: https://calendly.com/nhhf-ld0o