Daniel Ramirez
The Downtown Organization of Santa Barbara has hired Daniel Ramirez as its full-time director of strategic initiatives.
“Daniel has a significant depth of experience in our community that will lend well to the position,” Executive Director Robin Elander said in a news release.
Mr. Ramirez will focus his efforts on downtown economic development as well as new programming and initiatives to support downtown vitality and business engagement.
Mr. Ramirez is a Santa Barbara native who attended San Marcos High School and Santa Barbara City College. He has several degrees including a bachelor’s in cinema, television and arts; a master’s in public administration, and a second master’s degree in music business administration.
Mr. Ramirez has work in industries such as live entertainment and broadcasting, business, event production and education. Most recently, Mr. Ramirez served as the emergency preparedness administrator for the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture for the past two years (2020-2022) and the house manager for the Lobero Theatre Foundation for nearly eight years (2013-2020).
He has also held positions as the radio station producer with Rincon Broadcasting Corp. and the radio station manager for KZAA at La Casa de la Raza.
And Mr. Ramirez has worked in food and beverage sales as a business development consultant for Pacific Coast Produce and has relationships with many downtown restaurants, according to the news release.
Mr. Ramirez also has an extensive history working with youth and youth at risk as a teacher assistant for Community Day School, La Questa, and El Puente Community School, and as a program leader for the A-OK elementary after school program, in all spanning nearly a decade in education.
Mr. Ramirez has also served as a board member for local organizations, which includes his work as the Youth Oriented Services chair with the Community Development and Human Services Committee, Youth and Family Services of the YMCA.
He has also been a football coach with the Santa Barbara Youth Football League.
Mr. Ramirez will be working from the Downtown Organization office at 27 E. De La Guerra St., Suite B and can be reached by appointment at daniel@downtownsb.org.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
