Ricardo A. Garay

Ricardo A. Garay serves as a program manager for the community engagement and health equity team under the Department of Population Health. He also serves as a facilitator for Dell Medical School’s Community Strategy Team and serves as an advocate for community health workers in Central Texas.

Garay was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and became interested in health disparities and community organizing at a young age. His lived-in experience as an immigrant has informed his approach toward health equity and project design. He also continues to participate in community events and social justice initiatives to enhance his perspective on social determinants of health.

Prior to joining Dell Med, he led an international patient navigation program called Health Network at the Migrant Clinicians Network. His team worked to establish continuity of care for patients in more than 110 countries around the world for both acute and chronic health conditions. The program was awarded the Monroe E. Trout prize and the United States-Mexico Border Commission’s Border Models of Excellence award for patient-centered care in mobile populations. Locally, he participated in Community Advancement Network’s Community Council, Central Health’s Community Health Champions, Austin Independent School District’s UpClose Academy and Ending Community Homelessness Coalition’s Point In Time Count planning workgroup.

Garay is certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a community health worker instructor. He serves as a board member at the National Association of Community Health Workers and the Texas Association of Promotores and Community Health Workers. He also serves on the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission for the City of Austin.