Ángel Ramírez (right) represented CVHEC in the Central Valley Community Foundation delegation of area leaders attending the Achieving the Dream Conference in Orlando Feb. 19-22, 2024 (from left): Carlos Castillo; Phong Yang; Estefania Avalos Chavez; Vianey Barraza Chavez; Julie Vue; Ángel.  

Ángel Ramírez named CVHEC associate director

BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications/Media Coordinator

“Ángel Ramírez believes — and is living proof — that access to higher education can transform lives, especially in historically underserved regions like the Central Valley,” said Dr. Benjamín Durán, Central Valley Higher Education Consortium  executive director, in announcing today that Ramírez has been named CVHEC’s associate director.

Ramírez begins his new assignment effective May 5 and Durán said the move reflects the work he has already been doing in his most recent capacity as operations and finance manager: overseeing the organization’s operations, finances, board relations, staffing, event execution and strategic planning efforts.

Ramírez joined CVHEC in 2014 as a social media intern while enrolled at California State University, Fresno, a CVHEC member institution. He has served the consortium in a range of positions including administrative assistant, events coordinator and communications manager.

Durán said this gives Ramírez “a unique, comprehensive understanding of the consortium’s work and mission.

“Since joining CVHEC, Angel has helped elevate the organization’s visibility and impact including our transition from a behind-the-scenes collaborator to a recognized voice in state and national higher education conversations,” Durán said.

He noted that Ramírez has directed the organization’s signature event, the annual CVHEC Summit which will be held this week in Fresno.  (On Friday, Ramírez announced the summit has reached its goal of 175 participants and registration is now closed).

“Under his leadership, the summit has steadily grown in scope and attendance, becoming a valued gathering for higher education leaders, faculty and partners across the Central Valley’s 10-county region,” Durán said. “He has helped build the foundation for the summit objectives of fostering collaboration, highlighting promising practices and advancing strategies that support student success and degree completion in the region.”

Ramírez will also continue supporting the executive director in driving organizational growth, including the expansion of the team, the development of internal systems and the execution of new initiatives. He contributes to grant writing and reporting, helps shape strategic communications and manages the consortium’s annual budget and financial operations to ensure long-term sustainability.

A native of San Joaquin, Ramírez is an alumnus of Tranquility High School and a first-generation college graduate earning a Bachelor of Arts in Media, Communication and Journalism (public relations emphasis) at Fresno State and a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership at National University.

Durán said, “We are delighted to extend this commitment to Angel and his promising career just as he has renewed his commitment to CVHEC and its ideals.”

See Ángel Ramírez bio.

ABOUT CVHEC

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC), a 501(c)3 incorporated non-profit, is a regional consortium of higher education institutions representing a ten-county region from San Joaquin County to Kern County. Composed of accredited public and private colleges, universities and community college district members, the consortium’s mission is to increase the region’s degree attainment rate. CVHEC was founded in 2002 by then Fresno State President John D. Welty along with 18 college and university leaders. Today, it has expanded to 28-member-institutions that jointly serve over 250,000 students in California’s Central Valley.