Athena Ramos, PhD, MBA, MS, CPM
Athena Ramos, PhD, MBA, MS, CPM, is a professor in the Department of Health Promotion of the UNMC College of Public Health.
She is associated with the Center for Reducing Health Disparities, the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH), and the Global Center for Health Security. Her research and community-engaged scholarship focus on occupational health and safety in the agrifood system, integration, and community well-being. Through partnerships with workers, employers, community organizations, and policymakers, Dr. Ramos leads interdisciplinary initiatives that advance health, strengthen community resilience, and translate research into practice. With nearly 25 years of experience in public health, community development, and outreach, she is recognized
for building collaborative solutions that elevate community voices and foster sustainable
change.
Previously, Dr. Ramos also has served as a health educator at the Cardiac Center of Creighton University, as a tobacco control outreach specialist for the Latino Center of the Midlands, and as the Nebraska coordinator of Latino Vote 2000 for the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute.
- 2017, PhD, International Family and Community Studies, Clemson University
- 2015, Appreciative Inquiry Certificate in Positive Business and Society Change, Case Western Reserve University
- 2014, LGBT Health C3 Certificate: Basic & Advanced Skills, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- 2009, Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), University of Nebraska at Omaha
- 2008, Certified Public Manager (CPM), University of Nebraska at Omaha
- 2004, Master’s in Urban Studies (MS), University of Nebraska at Omaha
- 2004, Certificate in Working with Youth, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- 2002, Bachelor’s in Public Administration (BS), University of Nebraska at Omaha
- 1999, Certificate in Fundraising Management, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Agricultural and occupational health and safety
- Immigrant integration
- Community engagement and well-being
- Tobacco control and prevention
- Latino health disparities
- Intercultural communication, cultural competency, and coalition-building
- Ramos, A.K., Dinkel, D., Trinidad, N., Carvajal-Suarez, M., Schmeits, K., Molina, D., & Blaskewicz Boron, J. (2023). Acceptability of intergenerational physical activity programming: A mixed methods study of Hispanic/Latino aging adults in Nebraska. Journal of Aging and Health. DOI: 10.1177/08982643231166167
- Ramos, A.K., Deal, A., Quintero, S., & Wilson, F.A. (2023). Immigrant-focused medical legal partnerships: A practical innovation to improve immigrant health and social well-being. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 17(1), 137-144.
- Ramos, A.K. & Reynaga, D. (2023). The TN visa: The future of foreign workers in livestock production. Journal of Agromedicine, 28(1), 81-85. DOI: 10.1080/1059924X.2022.2140734
- Carlo, G., McGinley, M., Maiya, S., & Ramos, A.K. (2023). Associations of work-related injuries and stress to family and youth wellbeing among U.S. Latino/a immigrant cattle feedyard workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3361. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043361
- Ramos, A.K., Su, D., Correa, A. & Trinidad, N. (2023). A concurrent mixed-methods study of midwestern Latino parents’ participation and preferences for parenting education programs. Journal of Child and Family Studies. DOI: 10.1007/s10826-023-02547-7
- Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA)
- AgriSafe Network
- Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH)
- International Society for Agricultural Safety & Health (ISASH)
- Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice
- Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition (MOTAC)
- National Alliance for Hispanic Health
- University of California-Irvine, Cultural Resiliency and Learning Center
- University of Nebraska-Omaha, Office of Latino/Latin American Studies
- UNMC Global Center for Health Security