Diana Ramos Named CA Surgeon General

She succeeds Nadine Brooks Harris, MD, the state's first surgeon general.

Veteran public health expert Diana Ramos, MD, has been appointed California's new surgeon general by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Ramos, 55, of Laguna Beach, described by the governor's office as "registered without party preference," is director of state public health and prevention programs at the California Department of Public Health's Center for Healthy Communities, a position she has held since 2021. Before that, she spent four years as CDPH's public health medical officer.

She succeeds Nadine Brooks Harris, MD, the state's first surgeon general, a post that pays $216,420 a year.

Ramos says she is "humbled and honored" by the appointment, and thanked Newsom "for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"And while this has certainly been a challenging time for all of us, I view this as an opportunity to do the good work California has become known to do. To do the good work this office has been known to do."

Newsom created the surgeon general's office in 2019 on his first day in office, reasoning that the state needed a leadership voice on public health issues. 

"Dr. Ramos is a distinguished leader in medicine and a trusted public health expert who brings a lifetime of experience protecting and promoting the health of vulnerable communities," Newsom says. "I look forward to her partnership in advancing urgent priorities for the state on women's health, mental health, addressing the gun violence epidemic, and more as we continue our work to lift up the health and well-being of all Californians."

Ramos' resume also includes stints as an adjunct assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine – where she also earned her medical degree -- since 1999, and a per diem physician at Kaiser Permanente since 1998.

Ramos is also the founder and one-time CEO of Gami-Fi Health since 2018, and the former director of reproductive health at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division from 2005 to 2017.

She was CMO at Alpha Medical Center Inc. from 2003 to 2005. She was a Senior Regional Medical Research Specialist at Pfizer Inc. from 2000 to 2003 and a Staff Obstetrician at Clinica Humanitaria from 1999 to 2000.