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Ramona Indrebo

Biography

Profile:  Ramona Indrebo, a resident of the Bay Area (and a San Francisco Giants baseball fan), is a non-traditional student that the Foundation has recognized as someone who can make a dramatic contribution to society.  Currently residing in Sonoma County and the proud mother of three daughters who have achieved college degrees, and a son who has just begun his adventure in higher education, Ramona’s pursuits revolve around finding ways to help one particular “marginalized” segment of society, the elderly.  It may have taken her until midlife to find her place in the working world, but she knows where it is, working with the aged.  “In coming years, the United States will see enormous growth in our elderly population as the baby boomers transition into senior citizens. The problems for serving the elderly are many. With this sharp increase in the elderly population, ideas, solutions, and planning will be crucial. I want to be able to impact the quality of life for people. I do not want my lack of a master’s degree to hinder me from doing this very important work.”  Wherever Ramona has lived, worked, and studied, she has made a great circle of friends - “her cheering section” is how she likes to refer to her family, close friends, professors, mentors, and past colleagues. 

Inspiration:  Dr. Gloria Nikolai was the first professor Ramona had at community college in Colorado after a 27-year break from school and she was the teacher who influenced her the most.  “What a stroke of luck! She was a great lecturer, and really good at getting the class involved. She challenged us at every turn, questioning the status quo, probing for new solutions to old problems. She settled for nothing less than my best. Serving as my touchstone, she ignited my passion for learning and stoked the fire all through my first two years at Pikes Peak Community College.”

Aspiration: With a master's degree, Ramona said she will be better able to position herself to advocate for people, especially the elderly.

Making a Difference:  Ramona is most proud that she finished her bachelor's degree and graduated with highest honors. “I am very proud to have attained my degree in business and the certificate in gerontology,” she said, adding that she is the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, and now she will be the first to attend graduate school. “The thought of earning my master's degree is an accomplishment that was beyond my wildest dreams, until just recently. When I was awarded this chance to continue with graduate school, I was awarded the chance to prove to myself there is still some fire inside of me.”

Accolades: Induction into Alpha Gamma Alpha and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies are at the top of Ramona’s list of accomplishments. She also was awarded the Karen D. Vandrick Geriatrics Scholarship as well as the Elinor Smith Zumwalt Gerontology Scholarship.
Interesting Fact: Ramona loves caring for the elderly residents at her part-time job at Sunrise Assisted Living. “Each day that I go to work I learn something new from one of them. One day I rode down on the elevator with 200 years of wisdom in it, and there were only two residents, one was 104 and the other was 96 years old!  All I have to do is listen. The residents constantly amaze me with their compassion, their passions, and their ability and desire to continue to seek knowledge on a daily basis.”

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