April 23, 2025

City Club event description:

Carlos Ramirez-Rosa is the General Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Park District, overseeing the nation’s third-largest park system, which includes more than 8,800 acres of green space, over 600 parks, 230 fieldhouses, and 26 miles of lakefront. He will take on the role of park CEO April 1, 2025. Carlos is dedicated to protecting and advancing Chicago’s public parks for the benefit of all 2.7 million Chicagoans and the city’s 77 communities.

Elected three times to represent Chicago’s 35th Ward, Carlos brings a decade of leadership and a proven track record of building coalitions to deliver significant public policy and community infrastructure wins. As a member of the Chicago City Council, he co-led the successful effort to increase Chicago’s Open Space Impact Fee, securing essential funding for park improvements and parkland acquisition. He spearheaded the $27 million Milwaukee Avenue and Logan Square Redesign project, which expanded green space and created new urban outdoor recreation areas. He also passed legislation strengthening protections for immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, women, and workers—advancing equity and justice throughout Chicago.

City Club video

A proud lifelong Chicagoan and product of the Chicago Public Schools, Carlos holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a ‘20 in Their 20s’ in 2016 and a ‘40 Under 40’ in 2023. He lives in Avondale with his husband, Bryan, and their rescue pit mix, Itztli. Outside of work, Carlos enjoys hiking, kayaking, and exploring Chicago’s rich cultural landscape.