Episode #456 Health Is The Village, With Vanessa Guzman, MS
- 8 hours ago
- 5 min read
On This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast
What Does It Really Mean to Build Health Equity Work That Lasts?
What happens when you stop chasing the terminology and commit fully to the work itself? In this episode of the PHEC Podcast, Dr. Huntley welcomes back Vanessa Guzman, biomedical engineer, CEO and president of SmartRise Health, and co-founder of Ella Es Health, for a candid catch-up conversation nearly two and a half years in the making.
This is not a surface-level update. It is a rich, honest conversation about what it takes to build health-centered organizations that can withstand political shifts, funding uncertainty, and a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
From the Bronx to Boardrooms: A Career Rooted in Community
Vanessa's path into health equity work did not begin in a classroom. It began in her own family and her own lived experience as the daughter of Dominican immigrants navigating a healthcare system that did not always reflect her community's reality.
She shares how growing up surrounded by deficit-laden language that did not match how her community saw itself shaped the way she approaches her work today. That personal foundation, combined with her engineering mindset and years leading quality and network operations at one of New York's largest academic medical centers, gave her the tools to build something entirely her own.
Taking the Leap, Right Before the World Changed
Vanessa submitted her resignation letter one week before New York became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. SmartRise Health launched one month later.
In this conversation, she and Dr. Huntley reflect on that moment together, because Dr. Huntley made a similar leap herself. Both women left institutional security to build consulting practices just as the world was shutting down. Their shared experience brings a layer of authenticity to this conversation that is genuinely compelling to hear.
Staying the Course When the Political Climate Shifts
When the conversation turns to the current political environment and the widespread retreat from equity language in healthcare organizations, Vanessa offers a grounding perspective. She and her team made a clear strategic choice: stop chasing the term and stay rooted in the work.
She explains why specificity, deep community connection, and systems built on strong roots are what allow organizations to remain effective regardless of which way the political wind is blowing. This section of the conversation carries lessons well beyond any single administration.
A Second Company Born from Personal Loss
Vanessa also opens up about Ella Es Health, her women's health organization, and the deeply personal origin story behind it. Founded in the wake of multiple pregnancy losses, Ella Es Health exists to help women understand and advocate for their own health across their entire lifespan, not just during childbearing years.
She speaks candidly about the gaps in women's health research and the way that health tends to surface as a priority only when something forces it to. Her mission is to change that.
Finding Your Anchor in Uncertain Times
The episode closes with a message that lands for everyone, from students to seasoned professionals to anyone simply trying to keep going right now. Vanessa's advice centers on knowing your anchor, whether that is your faith, your values, or your mission, and building from that place of clarity rather than reacting to everything swirling around you.
About Our Guest
Vanessa Guzman, MS
Vanessa Guzman, MSÂ is a biomedical engineer and the CEO and president of SmartRise Health, as well as co-founder of Ella Es Health. SmartRise Health works with health systems, health plans, pharmaceutical companies, community-based organizations, and employers to design and operationalize strategies that improve health outcomes, advance equitable care, and strengthen community-based initiatives. Ella Es Health focuses specifically on women's health, supporting women through a lifelong health coaching journey that extends well beyond reproductive years. Vanessa's career has spanned executive leadership at one of New York's largest academic medical centers and more than a decade of consulting across healthcare, technology, and community-based sectors. Her work is grounded in the belief that communities thrive when people become active participants in their own health.
Listen To This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast
Conversation Highlights
The language matters less than the work.Â
When equity-focused language became politically fraught, Vanessa and her team made a deliberate choice to stay committed to the work itself rather than the terminology. Organizations that are rooted in mission, not messaging, are far more resilient.
Specificity is the engine of equity.Â
Blanket approaches to health improvement fall short. Vanessa argues that truly understanding the specific needs of specific communities is not only the right thing to do, it is the most efficient use of resources.
Cross-sector partnerships are not optional.
Improving health outcomes is not a solo project. Vanessa makes a compelling case for building bold, intentional partnerships across sectors, especially as AI and automation continue to reshape how care is delivered.
Personal experience is a professional asset.Â
From her upbringing as the daughter of Dominican immigrants to founding a women's health company in the wake of personal loss, Vanessa's life experiences have directly shaped her most impactful professional work.
Health is the foundation for everything else.Â
Vanessa's plain-language framing of public health is simple and powerful: without health, nothing else is possible. That message resonates across communities and across conversations.
Know your anchor.Â
Whether you are navigating a shifting political landscape or simply trying to stay grounded in your career, Vanessa's advice is clear. Identify what centers you, your values, your faith, your mission, and build your decisions from that place.
"We're still restratifying to understand what are the needs of different populations and helping our customers do the same thing, because without understanding specific needs, you won't solve the right problem." — Vanessa Guzman
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DrCHHuntley LLC is a public health consulting firm that specializes in epidemiology consulting, supporting large nonprofit organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida that serve Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We also provide nationwide public health consulting and epidemiology consulting support to BIPOC organizations across the United States.