Desiree K. Ramirez

Desiree Ramirez, CCEP, CHC, is Senior Vice President and Chief Integrity Officer for The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Ramirez oversees HSC’s integrity-based compliance program, which emphasizes responsibility for ethical behavior and commitment to HSC’s Code of Culture. Since she joined HSC in 2017, Ramirez has been responsible for the oversight and management of HSC’s Compliance Program, and leading governance, risk and compliance efforts. In addition to her role, Ramirez chairs the HSC diversity, equity and inclusion team – Reinventing Inclusive Solutions for Equity (RISE). The RISE team brings forth solutions that create strategies to address and promote inclusive growth, equity in race, and both health and gender on the HSC campus, along with supporting community engagement that provides for long-term health equality. Under her leadership, the team articulates diversity, equity and inclusion fueled by the commitment to HSC values and Code of Conduct. In less than a year, the RISE Team has defined a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Framework, making the Framework values part of the Strategic Roadmap of the school. Additionally under Ramirez’s leadership, HSC created a diversity, equity and inclusion repository containing research and education resources. Finally, her team was responsible for launching the first campus-wide cultural assessment. Ramirez is a sought-after speaker on compliance issues, and is known for her innovative leadership and for emphasizing education, awareness and inclusivity in her approach to compliance. Prior to joining HSC, she served as the Chief Compliance and Corporate Integrity Officer for Morehouse School of Medicine. Ramirez also served for 10 years as a Regulatory Compliance Manager for Mayo Clinic and in various compliance, finance and revenue cycle roles at George Washington University Medical Center and Mount Sinai Beth Israel. Ramirez was born and raised in New York City. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree from Teacher’s College, Columbia University in New York City. She holds an Executive Certificate in Health Policy, Finance and Law from the American University’s Washington College of Law and a Leadership Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relation.