NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Mateo Espinosa Named to National Minority Quality Forum’s “40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health”

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst's Mateo Espinosa Named to National Minority Quality Forum's "40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health"

Mar 25, 2026

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is proud to announce that Mateo Espinosa, Assistant Director for Special Projects and Research in Ambulatory Care Services, has been selected as one of the National Minority Quality Forum's (NMQF) 2026 "40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health." Espinosa will be recognized at the NMQF Leadership Summit on Health Disparities and Health Braintrust, in Washington, D.C. this spring.

Since 2016, NMQF has annually honored 40 emerging leaders from minority communities under the age of 40 who are advancing health equity, improving patient outcomes, and building healthier, more sustainable communities. Honorees include clinicians, researchers, advocates, and policy leaders working at the forefront of addressing disparities in healthcare.

Espinosa, who is originally from Quito, Ecuador, brings a strong academic and professional foundation to his work in public health and healthcare delivery. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Health from Fordham University, and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Policy and Management from New York University.

Espinosa began his work at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst in 2023 and, since early 2024, has served as Assistant Director for Special Projects and Research in Ambulatory Care Services. In this role, he has led and supported multiple performance improvement initiatives aimed at ensuring accessible, equitable care for diverse communities. His work has focused on expanding language services, increasing lung and colorectal cancer screening rates, and improving influenza vaccination uptake.

In addition to his leadership in ambulatory care, he serves as a Research Coordinator at Elmhurst Hospital, contributing to studies that advance clinical knowledge and patient care. He is a lead coordinator on several cancer-related research initiatives, most recently focusing on small cell lung cancer. Through both his research and community engagement efforts, he remains committed to advocating for patients across all backgrounds and addressing systemic barriers to care.

"I am proud that I have been recognized as one of the award recipients for the 2026 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health by National Minority Quality Forum," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Assistant Director for Special Projects and Research in Ambulatory Care Services Mateo Espinosa. "It is with a full heart that I receive and share this news with all of my professional peers and colleagues. With the support of NMQF and NYC Health + Hospitals, we have been able to make strides towards the creation of a more equitable and fairer healthcare system for all."

"Congratulations to Mateo on this well-deserved honor," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Alina Moran. "Mateo embodies a new generation of public health leaders determined to reverse generations of disinvestment in minority communities and ensure fair and equitable access to healthcare in communities of color. We are enormously proud of him and the great work he has done at Elmhurst Hospital, and look forward to seeing him continue to advance within his field."

"I have had the immense privilege of witnessing Mateo's remarkable growth into an emerging leader in equitable healthcare, and am thrilled that his considerable achievements are being recognized by NMQF," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Deputy Executive Director and Chief Implementation Officer Amy Harris. "His passion, strategic vision, and unwavering dedication to underserved communities distinguish him as a transformational force whose impact extends far beyond the walls of our institution. Mateo represents the very best of the next generation of healthcare leaders-visionary yet grounded, strategic yet compassionate, and deeply committed to advancing equitable outcomes for all communities."

For more information on programs and services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, please call 718 334-4000 or visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/locations/elmhurst/. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @elmhursthosp.

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Media Contact: Atiya Butler, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, Director of External Affairs, 917 319-5167

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The 545-bed hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station, a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Receiving Center, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center of Excellence, and a 911-Receiving Hospital. It is a premiere health care institution offering exceptional services across a wide range of specialties, including surgery, cardiology, women's health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, and mental health care. In the past year alone, the hospital received nearly one million ambulatory care visits and over 140,000 emergency room visits, reflecting its essential role in the community. NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst has been nationally ranked and recognized as a "Best Regional Hospital" by U.S. News & World Report in critical areas such as Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Hip Fracture, Maternity, Kidney Failure, Orthopedics, Pneumonia, and COPD. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @elmhursthosp.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth -all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.