Ramsey County names Patience Ferguson as new Chief Human Resources Officer
Ramsey County names Patience Ferguson as Chief Human Resources Officer after a competitive search that began in early April.
“We’re excited to welcome Patience to our team,” said County Manager Ling Becker. “Her extensive experience, strong leadership, and deep commitment to people will be key to strengthening our organization — ensuring we have the right support, systems and tools in place to empower our employees and uphold a standard of excellence in serving our community.”
Ramsey County is Minnesota’s second-most populous county, home to approximately 10% of the state’s residents, and is recognized as one of its most diverse. The county has a workforce of approximately 4,000 employees. The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is responsible for leading all aspects of the county’s human resources strategy, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, labor relations, compensation, benefits and organizational development.
The CHRO is a key member of the county’s leadership team, driving initiatives that foster a high-performing, inclusive workplace culture. The CHRO manages a team of 60 employees and an annual department budget of $11 million.
Ferguson brings more than 30 years of human resources experience to the county, having held leadership roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the City of Minneapolis, YWCA of Minneapolis, United Way of the Saint Paul Area, and MAP for Nonprofits. Most recently, as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Inclusion at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, she led human capital standards, strategies and policies for the bank. In this role, she transformed the HR function from a regulatory role to a service-driven, consultative partner model that better supports organizational strategy and leadership efforts.
Ferguson has a commitment and proven track record of embedding equity into policies and practices to help organizations move from performative actions to sustainable change, while strengthening connections between HR teams and the broader organizational systems. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Education in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota. She also holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resource Certification Institute.
Ferguson has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work including “Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: 200 Black Leaders You Should Know in the Twin Cities,” “2020 Women in Business Award” and “2020 African American Leadership Forum: Community Leadership Award.”
“I am honored to serve as the next Chief Human Resources Officer of Ramsey County,” said Ferguson. “I am who I am because of the love, strength and values instilled in me by my family and community. They taught me to lead with authenticity, meaning and purpose. It is my desire to use this foundation as I work with others to help build workplaces where people feel seen, valued and can thrive — which produces a positive and trusting outcome for the people we serve."
Active in community, Ferguson is a board member of Nexus Community Partners, co-chair of Evanta CHRO Leadership Summit, and board member and Executive Committee member of YMCA of the North.
In her free time, Ferguson enjoys singing, traveling, interior design and spending time with friends and family.
Her first official day with the county will be Monday, Aug. 4, 2025.