Irene Caudillo may have only spent 18 months at Swope Health in the early 2010s, but her tenure helped shape her career into what it is today. Currently, Caudillo is a sought-after, community-minded thought leader who currently serves as Chief of Staff to Kansas City, Kansas Mayor Tyrone Garner.
Community connections
From 2011 to 2013, Caudillo was employed as Swope Health’s Director of Operations, Satellites. However, her connection with Swope Health began two years prior when she was recruited to serve as a member of the board of directors, particularly because of her good relationships in Wyandotte County.
“Eventually, Swope Health’s President and CEO, Dr. Verneda Curry, was looking for someone to help oversee clinic operations and assist with relationship building,” Caudillo said. “She wanted someone who had gained trust in the community to help with transition training and standard operating procedures.”
As a result, Caudillo was invited to join Swope Health’s staff. After making the transition from board member to associate, Caudillo supervised the three KCK clinics. Eventually, she relocated to the Northland to oversee eight Missouri satellite clinics. Over time, Caudillo began overseeing the authentication of patients’ online medical records.
“I loved that the electronic medical records and standard operating procedures knocked down barriers and built Swope Health’s capabilities as a partner in healthcare. We were strengthening our customer service by improving our ability to see people more efficiently,” she said.
Back to her roots
In 2013, an intriguing job opportunity came about for Caudillo, allowing her to return to the place where she had started her career.
“My intent was to stay longer at Swope Health, but I had an opportunity to return to El Centro. It brought me back to Wyandotte and Johnson County,” Caudillo said. “I couldn’t say no.”
Caudillo left Swope Health to become Chief Program Officer at El Centro, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides educational, social, and economic services for Hispanic families in Kansas City. Within a year, she was named President and CEO of the organization. She remained at El Centro for 10 years.
“As our Latino population was growing, there were so many things that needed to be done. I took so many of the things I’d learned from Swope Health, especially when it came to standard operating procedures. It took about four or five years to rebuild and grow El Centro to its prime,” Caudillo said. “At the end my tenure, the endowment had grown to approximately $7.2 million.”
Once Caudillo felt she had done what she had come to do, she began planning her transition.
Lessons learned
As her time at El Centro was concluding, Caudillo received a call from Mayor Garner about an open Chief of Staff position, a role she has held since July 2023. Since taking the position, she continues to learn career and life lessons.
“Even though there’s bureaucracy and politics in every space that I’ve encountered, I’ve learned more about myself in this role and the way politics and bureaucracy play out in local government,” Caudillo said.
Caudillo takes care of day-to-day operations and manages the staff in Mayor Garner’s office at the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/KCK. While her career went in another direction away from heath care, Caudillo is proud to be a Swope Health alumnus. She wishes she would have stayed longer and is appreciative of the relationships gained and lessons learned at Swope Health.
