Staff
Dr. Barry Ramo
Medical Director
About Dr. Barry Ramo
Dr Ramo attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado and received his MD degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the honor medical society. He spent a year in London at Guy’s Hospital Medical School studying with Charles Baker, MD, one of the world’s leading cardiologists. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Chicago while his wife Roberta attended the Law School.
Dr. Ramo trained in cardiovascular disease at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. At Duke, he was named Director of the Myocardial Infarction Research Unit, one of seven national research centers focusing specifically on improving therapy for patients with heart attacks.
Following his training at Duke, Dr. Ramo joined the United States Air Force as a major where he was stationed at Welford Hall Hospital, the Cardiology Center for the United States Air Force, where he was the director of the coronary care unit. While in San Antonio, Texas, he was on the faculty at the University of Texas Medical School.
He moved to Albuquerque where he and two other cardiologists started what has become the New Mexico Heart Institute. He holds clinical professorships at University of New Mexico and Duke University. He has been a visiting professor in China and Mexico and has had sabbaticals at the Mayo Clinic, the University of California in San Francisco and at Duke University. He has been a guest lecturer in China, Mexico and England.
For the past 25 years, Dr. Ramo has been the medical editor for KOAT TV, the ABC affiliate serving New Mexico. He writes a newspaper column on health for the Albuquerque Journal and the Roundhouse. He serves as the spokesperson for “Step it up Albuquerque” and hosts periodic health programs for the city called “Spotlight on Health”.
As an electrophysiologist, Dr. Ramo has a profound interest in sudden cardiac death and the role CPR and AEDs can play. Dr. Ramo created Project Heart Start New Mexico which is a program to teach all New Mexicans the new compression only CPR and to use the automated external defibrillator or AED. The program has trained more than 28,000 people since its inception. This life saving program Is sponsored by the New Mexico Heart Institute Foundation and is presented in schools, businesses and social organization including Intel and Sandia Laboratories. The goal is to take this program to a national audience.
Dr. Ramo is married to Roberta Cooper Ramo, an attorney practicing in Albuquerque. She is President of the American Law Institute and the first woman president of the American Bar Association. Their son, Joshua, is the Vice Chair of Kissinger Associates and is married to Nora Abousteit, founder of Kollabora. Jennifer Ramo, their daughter, is an attorney. She is executive director of New Mexico Appleseed, an organization that uses the legal system to help poor people. She is married to Dr. David Kutz, a psychologist, and has two sons, Carlos and Rafael.
In the community, Dr. Ramo has served or serves on the Board of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Albuquerque Museum for Art and History and the Albuquerque Community Foundation where he was President. His interests are his family and friends, music, opera, theater and eating really great usually pretty healthy food.
Dr. Robert Orchard
Cardiologist
Martha Mowry
Foundation Executive Consultant
Larissa Passino
Exercise Specialist
About Desiree Gallegos
- Exercise Therapy for Cancer Survivorship Coordinator
- Lead Exercise Specialist
Credentials
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B.S. in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Northern Colorado
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Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, ACSM
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Certified Clinical Cancer Exercise Specialist, Rocky Mountain Cancer Rehabilitation Institute
What she loves most about her job
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Combining her love of exercise and helping people
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The reward of being part of others journey to feeling better and improved health
Favorite Food
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Breakfast Burritos and any Filipino dishes
Physical Fitness Routine
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Exercising at New Heart!
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Hiking
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Zumba classes with co-workers
Fun Fact
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Desiree enjoys going to concerts and has saved around 50 concert ticket stubs!
Desiree Gallegos
Lead Exercise Specialist
ETC Program Manager
About Omar Negrete
Omar holds a MBA with a specialty in Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an Exercise Science Concentration and a minor in Biology from University of Texas at El Paso. He is Certified in Personal Training from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He has been in the industry for ten years. Omar was formerly a PT/OT Aide at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a PT Tech at El Paso Physical Therapy Services, and a Microbiology Laboratory Tech II at Providence Memorial Hospital.
Omar says, “It is my personal mission to make an impact on individual and community health. My life experiences and education have left a strong desire in me to help others reach their health goals both today, and in the future. Understanding how physical fitness, nutrition and lifestyle impact our health is of vital importance for the health of all of our communities and New Heart is the perfect environment for that understanding to take place. I consider myself lucky to work with the excellent staff and members of our community on a daily basis.”
Whitney Ruben
Medical Assistant
NM Heart Institute Foundation Project Heart Start
About Whitney Ruben
Credentials
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Certified Medical Assistant from Pima Medical Institute
What she loves most about her job
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I love that I can relate to most of the patients having had open heart surgery myself 14 years ago!
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Inspiring people by sharing our stories.
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I was inspired by all the healthcare workers who took care of me and want to make even a small contribution from myself to my community.
Favorite Band
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Dan and Shay
Physical Fitness Routine
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Dance Fit
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Exercising at New Heart
Hobbies
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Playing basketball with my family
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Spending time with family and friends
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Cooking and Baking
Pets
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Yes, my son…just kidding!
Serina Griego
Exercise Specialist
About Serina Griego
- Exercise Specialist
Credentials
- B.S. in Liberal Arts with Focus on Exercise and Nutrition Science from the University of New Mexico
- Certified Personal Trainer
What she loves most about her job
- Putting smiles on people’s faces
- I got into this industry because my joy in life is to help people.
Favorite Movie
- Selena
Hobbies
- Body Building
- Basketball
- Soccer
Fun Fact
- I own 12 pets: 9 chickens and 3 dogs
- I coach college, high school, and club soccer
Jordan Scoby
Exercise Specialist
Pulmonary Rehab Coordinator
About Jordan Scoby
Credentials
· B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of New Mexico
What she loves most about her job
· I love being able to see my patients for a long time period and getting to know them.
Why she got into this industry
· I enjoy helping people and watching the amazing progress someone can make in just a few months.
Hobbies
· Art
· Baking
· Fishing and Hiking
Pets
· Dogs and Chickens!
Joslyn Alvarez
Exercise Specialist
About Joslyn Alvarez
- Exercise Specialist
Credentials
- A.A.S. in Exercise Science from Central New Mexico Community College
What she loves most about her job
- My goal is to help patients feel comfortable getting back into a physical fitness regimen. I love helping people feel good in their own bodies, gaining their strength and confidence back after being hospitalized. So seeing their improvements, physically and mentally, after staying consistent with their rehab exercise program makes me so happy.
Hobbies
- Propagating potho plants and succulents
- Trying new restaurants
Physical Fitness Routine
- Resistance training
- Yoga
Tommy Doan
Exercise Specialist
Itzel Medina
Customer Care Representative
Laura Whitney
Exercise Specialist
Marcus Trujillo
Exercise Specialist
Leslie Paiz
Medical Billing Specialist