BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Former Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez is in the running to become the new city manager of Waco, Texas.
Waco-based Fox 44 says Ramirez is one of four finalists for the job. Waco city leader partnered with Strategic Government Resources to conduct a nationwide executive search, the television station reports.
Ramirez’s final day as city manager of Brownsville was December 18. City leaders hosted a reception in her honor at Brownsville Events Center. The Rio Grande Guardian was there to film her last public speech as city manager. Here it is:
According to Fox 44, the City of Waco received applications from 70 candidates representing 24 states and two countries through a comprehensive process. The station says this results in “a strong and diverse pool of highly-qualified applicants.”
The four Waco City Manager finalists are:
Deidra Emerson has served the City of Waco in several senior leadership roles, including Deputy City Manager since August 2020 and Assistant City Manager from 2015 to 2020. She has also served as Interim Director of the McLennan County Public Health District and Interim Director of the Waco Convention Center & Visitors Bureau. Prior to joining the City of Waco, she held leadership positions with the City of Fort Worth, Texas, including Municipal Court Services Director and Assistant Director of the Housing Department. She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Organizational Behavior and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Deidra has completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Senior Executive State and Local program.
Ryan Holt currently serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Waco, a position he has held since 2020. Prior to that role, he served as Waco’s Chief of Police from 2017 to 2020 and as Assistant Chief of Police in various capacities from 2008 to 2017. His career with the Waco Police Department began in 1996 and includes numerous leadership and operational roles. He holds a Master’s Degree and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (FBINA), the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), and holds a Six Sigma certification.
Jared Miller currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Texas Division of Emergency Management in Austin, Texas. Prior to this role, he served as City Manager for the City of Amarillo, Texas, from 2017 to 2023, and as City Manager for the City of San Marcos, Texas, from 2014 to 2017. His earlier experience includes leadership roles with the Cities of North Richland Hills and Snyder, Texas. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.
Helen Ramirez has served in various leadership roles with the City of Brownsville, Texas, including City Manager since 2023 and Interim City Manager from 2022 to 2023. Previously, she served as Deputy City Manager and concurrently as Executive Director and CEO of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation. Earlier in her career, Ramirez held multiple executive and development leadership positions with the City of Hutto, Texas, and worked internationally as a Senior Urban Planner and Business Development Manager with Prointec (Indra Systems) in Madrid, Spain. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in City and Regional Planning and maintains both the International City/County Management Association Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) designation and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification. She is currently completing her Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification Grow America.
The city says these finalists will participate in an extensive on-site interview process from January 6 – 8, which will include community tours, employee and stakeholder engagement sessions, meetings with elected and appointed officials, and interviews with the Mayor and City Council. Following this process, the Mayor and City Council will select the City of Waco’s next City Manager.
