LCHC Responds: Dr. Diana Ramos on her historic appointment as California’s first Latina Surgeon General
The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) congratulates Dr. Diana Ramos on her historic appointment as California’s first Latina and second-ever Surgeon General, a position that greatly impacts the health of communities throughout California. For the Latinx community, the appointment of Dr. Ramos is a moment of collective celebration as she will serve as a role model for so many young Latinas and Latinos who aspire to positively impact the health of their communities. LCHC commends Governor Gavin Newsom on the diligent work he and his team undertook in the selection for this important position.
LCHC partnered with Latinx civic organizations across the state and the CA Latino Legislative Caucus to vet and elevate highly qualified Latina candidates for consideration of this role. We are humbled by the enormous responsibility to uplift eminently qualified Latinx professionals who are ready to serve the people of California. Dr. Ramos currently serves as Deputy Assistant Director at the CA Department of Public Health’s Center for Healthy Communities; she is an OB-GYN by training with extensive experience in academia, research, and government. As she steps into her new role, she will be a key voice in addressing some of the most pressing public health challenges we face from the continued COVID-19 pandemic, the current Monkeypox outbreak, to reproductive justice, and ongoing racial health inequities, among other issues.
LCHC’s Executive Director, Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso stated: “I applaud the selection of Dr. Diana Ramos who has been appointed as California’s first Latina and second-ever Surgeon General. She brings a breadth of qualifications and lived experience that will benefit all Californians. Dr. Ramos will serve an orgullo to our community and be a role model for countless Latinas who aspire for careers in public health and government,” Dr. Reynoso further went on to say, “Thank you to Governor Newsom for listening to our community as we collectively raised our support for the highest qualified Latina candidates, including Dr. Diana Ramos. We remain committed in our partnership to reduce Latinx health disparities and advance health equity to build a healthy California for All.”
LCHC’s Board Policy Committee Chair, Berenice Nuñez Constant stated: “It is truly an honor to witness this historic nomination for one of the most critical health leadership positions in CA State government. Dr. Diana Ramos is an extraordinary physician-leader with the innate ability to communicate science and public health topics clearly to the diverse cultural and linguistic communities across California. It is her lived experience as a bilingual, first-generation Latina from Southern California that informs her ability to connect and cultivate powerful partnerships to advance the health and wellbeing of communities. Bravo y adelante!”
We look forward to partnering with Dr. Ramos and the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) on critical policy and programmatic initiatives to improve the health for Latinx kids, families, and the most marginalized communities across our great State.
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About LCHC:
Founded in 1992, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) is the only Latinx-led statewide policy and advocacy organization protecting and advancing Latinx health equity. We are a cross-sector coalition of community leaders, advocates, policy advisors, administrators and providers united by our common belief in protecting Latinx health and advancing health equity for all. Our work consists of community-centered programming, policy and advocacy development, and strategic communications.
