Dr. Rita Dean-Ramirez

Dr. Rita Ramirez-Dean was a Professor of Reading and English as a Second Language in Developmental Education, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, California. Rita's work included teaching and writing to students who desired to learn English, attain a high school diploma, and become American citizens.

Dr. Rita Ramirez-Dean is a third-generation native Californian. Her family has resided in California for 108 years; she has lived in San Bernardino County for 36 years and has two sons who are also educators. Born in Orange County, she attended public schools where she graduated with High Honors from Santa Ana Senior High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Mathematics, Chapman University; a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction and Political Science, Chapman University; Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction and Reading, Louisiana State University; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction and Reading, Louisiana State University. She has academic minors in Spanish, sociology, educational administration, and business.

As a dedicated educator for 38 years, she taught in public school, community college, and state university. She taught at Garden Grove Unified School District for 6 years and at the community college level, Copper Mountain College (Joshua Tree) and College of the Desert (Palm Desert) for 32 years. During her sabbatical years, she taught at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. As an educator, Dr. Rita Ramirez-Dean is deeply committed to improving education, to providing equal opportunities for all students, and to providing above-adequate funding for all of education: public, community, and higher education.

Dr. Rita Ramirez-Dean was elected to the first Board of Trustees of Copper Mountain College. As a community college trustee, she was elected Secretary of the Latino Trustees of California Community Colleges and Program Agenda Chair of the Inland Valleys' Community College Trustee and CEO Association. She was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Educational Services of the Community College League and was selected as a Facilitator for the January 2001 Legislative Conference. In addition, as a member of ACES, Dr. Rita co-revised and reviewed the 2001 Trustee Handbook for the California Community College League. In 2006, she was awarded the Latina of the Year Award by the San Gorgonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Formerly, she was the Education Chair of the California Democratic Council and is the Vice-President of the Democratic Women of the Inland Empire.

She was a member of California Teachers' Association (CTA) and is a member of the California Retired Teachers' Association (CRTA), a total of 42 years. She was a Governor-At-Large for the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC), Regional Chair for Latina Leadership Network of California Community Colleges (LLN), and Faculty Senator for College of the Desert Academic Senate, Curriculum Committee, and Curriculum Technical Committee. Furthermore, she is a member of various chambers of commerce: San Gorgonio Hispanic, Hi-Desert Hispanic, Moreno Valley Hispanic, Banning, Needles, and Moreno Valley Black, including Democratic clubs of the 41st Congressional District, the Rainbow Coalition, Democracy For America, Progressive Women of Orange County, and Veterans for Peace.