Jose “Che” Ramirez is the CEO and Founder of Community Homelessness Expertise (CHE), bringing over 15 years of experience in the homelessness services sector, spanning from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Known for his hands-on, servant leadership style, Che has held key executive roles including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Program Officer, Executive Director, and
Chief Executive Officer in the nonprofit sector.

As the former Deputy Mayor of Homelessness under both Mayor Eric Garcetti and Mayor Karen Bass, Che played a pivotal role in shaping housing and homelessness policy during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid a deepening homelessness crisis. He continues to serve as a Senior Advisor for Mayor Bass, while also consulting with nonprofits and municipalities across California and in Portland. His work focuses on program expansion, leadership development, strategic planning, and the design of comprehensive housing and homelessness solutions. In addition, he is currently leading on work with the City of LA and the Office of Immigrant Affairs as well as working on police oversight as part of a monitoring team in Portland.

Che is deeply committed to advancing cross-sector collaboration—partnering with nonprofit, public, and private entities to strengthen capacity, expand humanitarian efforts, and cultivate diverse leadership, particularly among those with lived experience.