Celeste A. Ramirez
Celeste A. Ramirez is President & CEO of the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA), where she leads one of the nation's largest public capital programs, overseeing the planning, design, and construction of safe, sustainable, and innovative public schools for New York City's students.
A seasoned construction executive with decades of experience in public infrastructure, real estate, and project management, Ramirez returned to the SCA in 2026 after previously serving in multiple roles at the Authority. During her earlier tenure, she helped advance major school construction initiatives while building strong partnerships with government agencies, elected officials, and local communities. She later founded and led her own successful construction management firm, bringing together public- and private-sector expertise to deliver complex capital projects.
Born in the Dominican Republic after her family moved from Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, Ramirez credits New York City's public schools with helping shape her own path. As the first Latina New Yorker to lead the School Construction Authority, she is committed to expanding educational opportunity by delivering modern, welcoming, and resilient learning environments for students in every borough.
Throughout her career, Ramirez has championed collaboration, innovation, and equitable economic opportunity within the construction industry, with a strong focus on supporting Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) and building diverse partnerships across the public and private sectors.
As President & CEO, Ramirez will focus on accelerating the delivery of new classrooms to meet class size requirements, modernizing school infrastructure, expanding sustainable building practices, and ensuring that every school project reflects the needs of the communities it serves. She is dedicated to advancing the SCA's mission of creating exceptional learning environments that support student success for generations to come.