UNMC names Athena Ramos to lead health disparities center

OMAHA — Athena Ramos, PhD, whose public health work has centered on rural communities, Latino families and farm, ranch and meatpacking workers, now directs the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the UNMC College of Public Health said in a Nov. 9 announcement. Her appointment took effect Nov. 1.

As director, Ramos will lead the center's research and community partnerships, help train future public health leaders and oversee its work on gaps in health across Nebraska, according to the announcement. Brandon Grimm, PhD, the college's vice dean, said she has spent nearly two decades advancing the center's mission.

Ramos said the center's greatest strength lies in "the relationships we build and the trust we cultivate with communities."

Source: UNMC Newsroom, "Dr. Ramos to lead Center for Reducing Health Disparities".

How we checked this: Reported from the UNMC Newsroom announcement of the center director appointment, opened Nov. 9, 2026, at 5:27 a.m. CT, and checked against the record by our copy desk before publishing.