Garcia named Port of Long Beach Human Resources Director

The Port of Long Beach has named Ramon Garcia to lead the Harbor Department’s Human Resources Division.

The Human Resources Division, part of the Port’s newly created Organizational Effectiveness Bureau, administers employment for the Harbor Department, serving a diverse skilled workforce of 600 employees.

Garcia brings more than a decade of experience in human resources. Before joining the Port in July 2024 as the Assistant Director of Human Resources, Garcia worked for the City of Long Beach Department of Human Resources, where he oversaw Equal Employment Opportunity operations, workplace investigations, ADA-related matters, harassment prevention efforts and compliance with federal and state requirements.

Prior to his public sector career, Garcia worked in the private sector supporting training and leadership development initiatives, including management training, onboarding, workforce readiness and employee development programs.

In the Port’s assistant director role, Garcia provided strategic and operational leadership for talent acquisition, employee relations and employee experience and development, oversaw 17 HR professionals and supported day-to-day operations across a 32-member division.

He also managed a $9.3 million operating budget, established division priorities and worked closely with leadership to strengthen workforce planning, improve service delivery and advance organizational effectiveness.

Garcia succeeds Khristina Jason, who was promoted in March to lead the Port’s Organizational Effectiveness Bureau, overseeing the Port’s human capital strategies and providing services for about 600 employees in the City of Long Beach Harbor Department.

Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University, Los Angeles, and certifications with the Association of Workplace Investigators, the Public Sector Human Resources Association and the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives. He is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Garcia’s appointment was effective May 16.

The Port of Long Beach is building the Port of the Future, guided by its bold new 2050 vision and a plan to double current container volumes to 20 million annually by 2050. By strategically modernizing the Port’s infrastructure with $3.3 billion in capital investments over the next decade and developing digital systems to dramatically enhance efficiency and visibility, the Port is also becoming the world’s first zero-emissions port. Today the Port moves cargo valued at $300 billion a year and generates 2.7 million jobs across the U.S., as it continues to lead the world on sustainability programs and plans to double those benefits by doubling volume. As one of only 18 commercial strategic seaports in the U.S. with a duty to support force deployment during national defense emergencies, a community partner that offers $3 million per year in sponsorships for local nonprofits and a major catalyst for workforce development creating opportunities for students far and wide, the Port is well-positioned for even higher achievements. After all, industry leaders named Long Beach “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for a seventh consecutive year and “The Best Green Seaport” in 2025. The Port of Long Beach. Always open. Always moving.