Full Name
Pearlette Ramos
Job Title
Vice Chair, Board
Company
OneAZ Credut Union
Speaker Bio
Pearlette J. Ramos, Ph.D., J.D. is a transformative attorney, filmmaker, and consultant with
more than 25 years of experience advancing equity, systems change, and human dignity across
law, government, finance, and community institutions. As an entrepreneur and social justice
leader, she advises organizations and executives on systems transformation, inclusive strategy,
and trauma-informed leadership—bridging policy, psychology, and storytelling to drive
sustainable impact.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, and raised in the Brier Hill housing projects, Pearlette’s journey was
shaped by poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse, and untreated mental illness. After
leaving home at 15 and becoming a teenage mother, she worked multiple jobs while pursuing her
education—ultimately earning both a Juris Doctor and a Ph.D. in Psychology. These lived
experiences continue to inform her work, grounding her approach to justice in both personal
insight and professional expertise, anchored in resilience and purpose.
Pearlette is a seasoned executive who has led complex organizations, civil rights compliance
programs, and enterprise-wide initiatives across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Her
leadership includes senior roles in government, where she oversaw large-scale civil rights
compliance, investigations, and change management strategies impacting thousands. Today,
through her consulting and entrepreneurial work, she partners with institutions to reimagine
systems that more equitably serve women, children, and communities of color. She also brings a
governance lens to her work, having served six years on the Board of Directors for OneAZ Credit
Union.
A compelling storyteller and filmmaker, Pearlette uses narrative as a catalyst for healing and
transformation. She is the producer of Three (Extra)Ordinary Women and director of Breaking
the Cycle, films that explore resilience, economic justice, and the lived realities of marginalized
communities.
As a speaker and panelist, Pearlette is known for her authenticity, depth, and ability to connect
across disciplines. She challenges audiences to rethink leadership, justice, and change—inviting
them to move beyond policy and toward possibility.
more than 25 years of experience advancing equity, systems change, and human dignity across
law, government, finance, and community institutions. As an entrepreneur and social justice
leader, she advises organizations and executives on systems transformation, inclusive strategy,
and trauma-informed leadership—bridging policy, psychology, and storytelling to drive
sustainable impact.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, and raised in the Brier Hill housing projects, Pearlette’s journey was
shaped by poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse, and untreated mental illness. After
leaving home at 15 and becoming a teenage mother, she worked multiple jobs while pursuing her
education—ultimately earning both a Juris Doctor and a Ph.D. in Psychology. These lived
experiences continue to inform her work, grounding her approach to justice in both personal
insight and professional expertise, anchored in resilience and purpose.
Pearlette is a seasoned executive who has led complex organizations, civil rights compliance
programs, and enterprise-wide initiatives across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Her
leadership includes senior roles in government, where she oversaw large-scale civil rights
compliance, investigations, and change management strategies impacting thousands. Today,
through her consulting and entrepreneurial work, she partners with institutions to reimagine
systems that more equitably serve women, children, and communities of color. She also brings a
governance lens to her work, having served six years on the Board of Directors for OneAZ Credit
Union.
A compelling storyteller and filmmaker, Pearlette uses narrative as a catalyst for healing and
transformation. She is the producer of Three (Extra)Ordinary Women and director of Breaking
the Cycle, films that explore resilience, economic justice, and the lived realities of marginalized
communities.
As a speaker and panelist, Pearlette is known for her authenticity, depth, and ability to connect
across disciplines. She challenges audiences to rethink leadership, justice, and change—inviting
them to move beyond policy and toward possibility.
Speaking At
