Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani named Celeste Ramirez President of the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA).
Ramirez returns to the SCA after previously serving in multiple leadership roles at the agency before founding and leading her own construction management firm. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the Bronx, Ramirez will become the first Latina New Yorker to lead the organization.
The School Construction Authority is responsible for designing and building safe, welcoming and sustainable public schools for New York City's students.
"Every child deserves a school that inspires them to learn, supports them to succeed and reflects the value we place on their future. School buildings are more than bricks and mortar. They are places where young New Yorkers learn, grow, eat healthy meals, build community and forge their futures," said Mayor Mamdani. "Celeste Ramirez brings decades of experience, a deep commitment to public service and firsthand knowledge of the work ahead. Under her leadership, we will accelerate the construction of the classrooms we need to meet class size requirements, modernize our school infrastructure and ensure every student has access to a world-class learning environment."
"Throughout my life, I've seen the impact public schools have on our communities - first as a child, newly immigrated to this country, welcomed with open arms by my local public school, and then in my professional career, where I saw the ways physical infrastructure that inspires and innovates turns schools into true community centers," said SCA President Celeste Ramirez. "As I step into this role, I'm deeply honored to have the opportunity to serve the schoolchildren, educators and staff that make up our school communities, and eager to support the contractors that make this work possible."
About Celeste Ramirez
Celeste Ramirez most recently served as the President and CEO of CARA Construction Management, Inc., the construction consulting firm she founded in 2004. Under her leadership, the firm completed more than 150 projects and developed innovative tools to evaluate project performance and contractor capacity.
Prior to founding CARA, Ramirez spent 15 years with the SCA, serving in several leadership roles, including Manager of Operations for the SCA's legal and real estate divisions. She also led community relations efforts, helping strengthen partnerships between the agency and the communities it served.
Following her tenure at SCA, Ramirez continued supporting the agency's mission by mentoring contractors and subcontractors participating in SCA projects. In partnership with Baruch College (CUNY), she helped administer an intensive 10-month training program designed to support emerging SCA contractors and expand opportunities for small firms.
Ramirez began her public service career in the Office of the Bronx Borough President, where she served as the director of housing services before becoming a budget analyst and community relations liaison.
Ramirez' family moved from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic, where Ramirez was born, before moving to the Bronx where she was raised. Ramirez has dedicated her career to expanding opportunity through public investment, community engagement and infrastructure development.
