Athena Ramos

Alumni Update

I completed by MS in Urban Studies at UNO in 2004. Since then, I have gone on to complete a PhD in International Family and Community Studies. I am now an Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health at UNMC. The foundational knowledge and skills in community development that I learned in the MSUS program are things that I use consistently in my current work to improve community health and well-being. These have given me a unique perspective on public health that recognizes the importance of neighborhood organizing, asset based approaches, and understanding of the community context, history, and systems. I have had the opportunity to spend many years working with community and neighborhood organizations throughout the Omaha-metro area. I was recently awarded the “Familia y Comunidad” Award by the Latino Center of the Midlands.

Alumni Fun Fact

I was a speaker at the inaugural TEDx UNO event in 2015. My talk focused on the importance of words and how what we say can contribute to creating community. It was entitled, “Speaking to Make a Difference.”  https://youtu.be/YoEdQ0qZam0