Dr. Helen Arteaga is New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, where she oversees the city’s public health, social service, and safety-net systems to advance health equity and access to care for all New Yorkers.

Previously, she served as CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, becoming the first woman and first Latina to lead the hospital and guiding it through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic while strengthening its role as a critical safety-net institution. Earlier in her career, she helped launch Plaza del Sol Family Health Center in Queens, expanding healthcare access for immigrant and underserved communities.

Dr. Arteaga holds degrees from NYU, Columbia University, and the City University of New York and has been widely recognized for her leadership in urban public health.

A passionate advocate for bringing Shakespeare to young people, Ann has dedicated decades to expanding access to arts education.

After more than 40 years as a commercial litigator and 20 years serving on the Board of The Shakespeare Society, she now works as a freelance Shakespeare dramaturg and educator. In 2007, Ann partnered with HPAC to co-found the Hunts Point Children’s Shakespeare Ensemble and has served as the Ensemble’s dramaturg ever since.

Each year, students in grades four through six come together to study, rehearse, and perform a full Shakespeare play. This year’s performance of Twelfth Night marked the Ensemble’s 19th production, an extraordinary testament to Ann’s enduring commitment to nurturing creativity, confidence, and a love of literature among Hunts Point youth.

Ariana Cruz, a student at Saint Ignatius School, began her HPAC journey in fourth grade and quickly distinguished herself through her talent, dedication, and leadership.

She has performed in leading roles in Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, and most recently made her Off-Broadway debut in Sugarcraft at 59E59 Theater.

A standout in both the Shakespeare Ensemble and Ballet in The Bronx, Ariana will attend Loyola School this fall on a full scholarship.