Laura Ramírez, EdD

Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction
Pasadena Area Community College District

Dr. Laura Ramirez is an academic leader with over 20 years of experience in California’s community colleges. She currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction at Pasadena City College, where she oversees instructional programs, distance education, the Community Education Center, and academic support services. 

Throughout her career—including leadership roles at Rio Hondo College and East Los Angeles College—Ramirez has championed student-centered initiatives focused on access, equity, and academic excellence. She has led major efforts in accreditation, Guided Pathways, workforce partnerships, and enrollment management, while securing and managing multi-million-dollar grants to support student success. 

A proud STEM educator and former chemistry professor, Laura Ramirez is deeply committed to expanding opportunities in science and technology, especially for Latino students and historically underserved populations. She has worked to strengthen pathways that promote upward socioeconomic mobility through inclusive instructional strategies and workforce partnerships. Ramirez holds a doctorate in education with a focus on community college leadership, and a master’s degree in chemistry from California State University, Fullerton.  She completed a bachelor’s in chemistry from UCLA and an associate degree in mathematics from East Los Angeles College.