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Meet the Director

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, is principal investigator (PI) of the Avanzando Equidad de Salud: Latino Cancer Health Equity Research Center (Avanzando Center) and is a health equity pioneer who has achieved local, state, national, presidential, and international recognition for her successes in reducing Latino cancer health disparities and championing system and policy changes that promote health equity.

As Chair and Full Professor of the Department of Population Health Sciences and Director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, a Hispanic-Serving Institute, Dr. Ramirez leads a multidisciplinary team of public health researchers, data scientists, and communication specialists in addressing the cancer experience of Latinos, from prevention to early detection and treatment to survivorship.

As leader of the Cancer Outreach and Engagement (COE) team at the NCI-designated Mays Cancer Center (MCC), Dr. Ramirez has implemented system changes that have enhanced surveillance of the South Texas cancer burden, improved equity and diversity in cancer clinical trial recruitment, and engaged the community directly in outreach, clinical research, and preventive cancer care. She also led the development of the MCC’s South Texas Health Status Review, which collected and analyzed data from the catchment area, identified region-specific SDoH and health disparities, and has guided MCC in equitable research, training, and action for many years. The MCC and Dr. Ramirez have a rich history of strong partnerships and collaborations with the American Cancer Society (ACS), such as advancing the ACS mission through medical and research achievements, event planning and participation, and engagement in cancer control priorities. Dr. Ramirez served on the ACS South Texas Colorectal Cancer Taskforce and has participated as an invited speaker on several ACS sessions on health disparities and diversity in clinical trials. The ACS is part of the MCC’s Community Advisory Board of the Community Outreach and Engagement team, led by Dr. Ramirez.

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Ramirez has directed over 100 research programs focused on human and organizational communication to reduce cancer health disparities affecting Latinos and other minority and underserved populations, including cancer risk factors, clinical trial recruitment, patient navigation, tobacco prevention, obesity prevention, promotion of health equity system changes, and more. In patient navigation, Dr. Ramirez has led multiple national, regional, and local studies that proved the efficacy of navigation in removing patient barriers to cancer screening, promoting timely diagnosis and treatment, and improving outcomes for racial/ethnic patients. She founded a national Latino health equity communication and advocacy network, Salud America!, in 2007. Salud America! is advancing health equity for Latinos by communicating culturally relevant educational content and advocacy opportunities to its national digital network of 400,000 community leaders in South Texas and across the United States. Salud America! also has a Health Equity Report Card data tool that generates location-specific, Latino-focused maps and data visualizations on SDoH issues, with easy capacity for sharing with local leaders and colleagues to speak up about local health equity concerns.

Across her career, Dr. Ramirez has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles, is an editorial board member on several prestigious journals, including Health Education Research, and is frequently invited to speak at scientific meetings. She has been recognized for her work to improve Latino health and advance Latinos in medicine, public health, and behavioral sciences across the U.S., including: 2023 induction into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame; 2023 Cancer Health Equity Award from the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI); 2020 Change Maker by Cancer Health Magazine; 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine; 2014 Everett M. Rogers Public Health Communication Award from APHA; 2014 Making a Difference Award from Latinas Contra Cancer; 2011 Obama White House “Champion of Change”; 2007 election to the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine); and 2007 Professor of Survivorship from Susan G. Komen For the Cure. In 2022, TV personality Oprah Winfrey selected Dr. Ramirez as a “Cycle Breaker” for her groundbreaking work to build health equity in the Latino community.
Dr. Ramirez is a Susan G. Komen Scholar and a member of the CDC Foundation. In Texas, she is on the San Antonio Mayor’s Fitness Council and is Past Board President of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas. Dr. Ramirez is a native of Laredo, Texas. She received a B.S. from The University of Houston and M.P.H. and Dr.P.H. degrees from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.

Dr. Ramirez is a Susan G. Komen Scholar and a member of the CDC Foundation. In Texas, she is on the San Antonio Mayor’s Fitness Council and is Past Board President of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas. Dr. Ramirez is a native of Laredo, Texas. She received a B.S. from The University of Houston and M.P.H. and Dr.P.H. degrees from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.