Ruben Esquivel, M.B.A.

Vice President
Community and Corporate Relations

First UTSW job: My first role at UT Southwestern was “friend-raising.” It involved developing relationships with community organizations, corporations, and civic leaders – this is still my primary assignment.

Best part about my job: What I like best about my job is connecting community needs with UT Southwestern resources, and vice versa. The highlight of my day is when I succeed in this effort.

Best UTSW memory: The most unusual request I ever received was for a medical referral from the Dallas Zoo in 2017 involving a Galápagos tortoise with a leg sore that would not heal. One of our plastic surgeons secured and attached a vacuum-assisted device to seal the wound. I am happy to report that “12” – the tortoise’s name – has fully recovered and is entertaining children of all ages at the zoo.

My proudest UTSW accomplishment: I am most proud of the relationships I have established and nurtured. I am equally proud of the creation and branding of the Southwestern Medical District.

Hobbies: My wife, Alina, and I enjoy vacationing with our children and grandchildren. We also like taking trips by ourselves to Caribbean beaches.

Surprising fact: I have been privileged to serve on many nonprofit and corporate boards. I have chaired the boards of the Parkland Health and Hospital System, the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation, The Dallas Foundation, the North Texas Commission, the DeSoto Independent School District, the YMCA, and the State Fair of Texas, among others.

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