For Rafael Ramirez, data has never been just numbers on a spreadsheet. As a Senior Data Analyst with the Primary Care Coalition’s (PCC) Population Health team, Rafael helps support the Care for Kids Program and Nexus Montgomery Regional Partnership, a collaboration of Montgomery County’s six hospitals for which PCC provides infrastructure and operations support. His work helps teams ask better questions, understand community needs more clearly, and improve the way care is delivered. Rafael’s story is a reminder that behind every data point is a person, a family, and a community. And for Rafael, that human connection is what makes the work meaningful.
That connection between numbers and people has been part of Rafael’s life for as long as he can remember. “As a child growing up in Mexico, I was always intrigued by data and statistics,” Rafael says. “But not just for the math reasons. I wanted to see how they connected to people and their lives.”
Before joining PCC 12 years ago, Rafael worked as a data analyst in the healthcare group at the World Bank, where his understanding of data’s human impact continued to grow. Over time, he began to see the numbers not just as information, but as a way to better understand people’s experiences and improve their lives. “During my time at the World Bank, I began to understand the links between the numbers and statistics I was looking at and their real-world impact,” Rafael says. “That desire to do work that had an impact on people is what led me to PCC.”
His introduction to PCC felt different from the start. Rafael interviewed with Dr. Tom Lewis, Fareed Anjum, and Charity Dorazio, who at the time made up much of PCC’s IT department. “It was more of a conversation than a traditional interview, which I found very appealing,” he recalls.
Once he joined the organization, Rafael quickly understood why that conversation had felt so natural. “We at PCC are very collaborative,” he says. “Given that we all come from different backgrounds and skill sets, this seemed to me like the right place to do the type of work I like to do.”
That collaborative spirit—and Rafael’s thoughtful, almost visionary approach to data analysis—has made a lasting difference. In 2017, he was named an Employee of the Year by the Healthcare Council of the National Capital Area, an honor given annually to employees of member organizations who have made extraordinary and sustainable contributions in the prior year. “Rafael has been instrumental in supporting the data and analytical needs of Nexus,” says Mindy Pierce, PCC Senior Director, Population Health, “Nexus is a unique partnership focused on coordinating community resources to improve overall health of the community while reducing hospital and total health care costs. And Rafael’s work makes it possible for us, as a program, to have the impact we are having.”
But there is much more to Rafael than data. Away from work, one of his great passions is soccer, especially Mexico’s national team, El Tri.
“I played myself and love the game, but I knew that my career path wasn’t with the ball on my foot,” Rafael says with a laugh. Even as a fan, though, his analytical side comes through. “Soccer is a beautiful, fluid game, but there are numbers there that can tell you a lot about a team. I love digging into them so I can better appreciate what I’m seeing.”
With the World Cup underway, Rafael is hoping El Tri will continue to succeed. Still, even though he is a “people person” and loves celebrating with friends and fellow fans, he admits he prefers to watch the games on his own. “I get so into it,” he laughs. “I think it is better for everyone if I watch on my own.”
Rafael also finds steady support in his family. He lives in Kensington, MD with his wife of 20 years, their daughter, and two guinea pigs, Spots and Moon. Family is woven through the things he cares about most, offering both comfort and perspective. “It’s easy to get caught up in what I do,” Rafael says. “They help keep me grounded and connected to what matters most: people. And in many ways, that is at the heart of what PCC and I are trying to do every day.”
That connection between numbers and people has been part of Rafael’s life for as long as he can remember. “As a child growing up in Mexico, I was always intrigued by data and statistics,” Rafael says. “But not just for the math reasons. I wanted to see how they connected to people and their lives.”
Before joining PCC 12 years ago, Rafael worked as a data analyst in the healthcare group at the World Bank, where his understanding of data’s human impact continued to grow. Over time, he began to see the numbers not just as information, but as a way to better understand people’s experiences and improve their lives. “During my time at the World Bank, I began to understand the links between the numbers and statistics I was looking at and their real-world impact,” Rafael says. “That desire to do work that had an impact on people is what led me to PCC.”
His introduction to PCC felt different from the start. Rafael interviewed with Dr. Tom Lewis, Fareed Anjum, and Charity Dorazio, who at the time made up much of PCC’s IT department. “It was more of a conversation than a traditional interview, which I found very appealing,” he recalls.
Once he joined the organization, Rafael quickly understood why that conversation had felt so natural. “We at PCC are very collaborative,” he says. “Given that we all come from different backgrounds and skill sets, this seemed to me like the right place to do the type of work I like to do.”
That collaborative spirit—and Rafael’s thoughtful, almost visionary approach to data analysis—has made a lasting difference. In 2017, he was named an Employee of the Year by the Healthcare Council of the National Capital Area, an honor given annually to employees of member organizations who have made extraordinary and sustainable contributions in the prior year. “Rafael has been instrumental in supporting the data and analytical needs of Nexus,” says Mindy Pierce, PCC Senior Director, Population Health, “Nexus is a unique partnership focused on coordinating community resources to improve overall health of the community while reducing hospital and total health care costs. And Rafael’s work makes it possible for us, as a program, to have the impact we are having.”
But there is much more to Rafael than data. Away from work, one of his great passions is soccer, especially Mexico’s national team, El Tri.
“I played myself and love the game, but I knew that my career path wasn’t with the ball on my foot,” Rafael says with a laugh. Even as a fan, though, his analytical side comes through. “Soccer is a beautiful, fluid game, but there are numbers there that can tell you a lot about a team. I love digging into them so I can better appreciate what I’m seeing.”
With the World Cup underway, Rafael is hoping El Tri will continue to succeed. Still, even though he is a “people person” and loves celebrating with friends and fellow fans, he admits he prefers to watch the games on his own. “I get so into it,” he laughs. “I think it is better for everyone if I watch on my own.”
Rafael also finds steady support in his family. He lives in Kensington, MD with his wife of 20 years, their daughter, and two guinea pigs, Spots and Moon. Family is woven through the things he cares about most, offering both comfort and perspective. “It’s easy to get caught up in what I do,” Rafael says. “They help keep me grounded and connected to what matters most: people. And in many ways, that is at the heart of what PCC and I are trying to do every day.”
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