Social Model Recovery Systems is pleased to congratulate Vanessa Ramos on her promotion from Program Director of Royal Palms to Regional Director of Los Angeles.
With more than 18 years of experience in the substance use disorder treatment field, Vanessa Ramos brings extensive program knowledge, leadership experience, and a strong commitment to the individuals, staff, and communities served by Social Model Recovery Systems. Her journey has provided opportunities for both personal and professional growth, helping shape the leader she is today.
Vanessa’s current journey with SMRS began as a Program Coordinator and continued as she advanced into the role of Program Director at Bimini. She later served as Program Director at Rena B before transitioning to Royal Palms, where she has spent the past four years.
Each role has been an important part of Vanessa’s journey. Over the years, she has learned from the people SMRS serves, the teams she has worked with, and the challenges they have faced together.
“Every experience has helped prepare me for this next chapter,” Vanessa shared. “I’m grateful and excited to continue growing with SMRS.”
Vanessa is grateful for how far she has come and excited about what lies ahead. In this new role, she hopes to share what she has learned, support her teams, and help others see their own potential. As she begins leading the Los Angeles region, she is especially excited about building relationships with each team, learning more about the strengths of every program, and identifying opportunities for programs to collaborate and learn from one another.
Vanessa’s vision for the Los Angeles region is to create an environment where programs are connected and collaborative while maintaining the individuality and strengths that make each program unique. She wants staff to know that they are valued, their voices matter, and there are opportunities to continue growing within the organization. Her goal is to strengthen consistency and collaboration across the region while continuing to enhance the quality of services provided to the communities SMRS serves.
For the second year in a row, Vanessa also represented SMRS alongside her team at the Annual Substance Use Disorder Integrated Care Conference in Long Beach. This year, they presented “From Separation to Integration: Inclusive SUD Recovery for LGBTQ+,” highlighting the inclusive treatment approach and the meaningful work underway at Royal Palms.
Vanessa describes her leadership style as supportive, collaborative, transparent, and accountable. She believes in being present and approachable and creating an environment where staff feel comfortable communicating openly. Her teams can expect her to listen, ask questions, provide guidance, and work alongside them to identify solutions while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
One of the most important lessons Vanessa has learned throughout her career is that no one can do this work alone.
“Relationships, teamwork, communication, and trust are incredibly important,” she shared. “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes it’s about listening, being willing to learn, recognizing the strengths of the people around you, and giving them the opportunity to shine.”
During her first year as Regional Director, Vanessa hopes to strengthen collaboration and consistency throughout the Los Angeles region while building meaningful relationships with the teams she supports. Her approach will begin with listening and learning before assuming something needs to change. She hopes to identify opportunities to share resources and successful practices, develop staff, support leaders, and ultimately strengthen services throughout the region.
Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and her four fur babies. And something her coworkers may not know? She’s a little obsessed with sharks! If there’s a shark documentary on, chances are she’s watching it, and Shark Week is a must every year.
As Vanessa begins this new chapter, she brings with her years of experience, a strong commitment to teamwork, and a genuine appreciation for the people behind SMRS’s programs.
We congratulate Vanessa on her promotion and look forward to seeing the positive impact she will continue to make throughout the Los Angeles region.
