Senior Vice President, Chief Advocacy and Programs Officer

Commissioner to the U.S. President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics

Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz is a first-generation college student who has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of students and the community for over 30 years. As a first-generation Latina college student from South Phoenix, Dr. Ruiz has a deep understanding of the needs of a diverse student population who are learning to navigate higher education.  She currently serves as a Senior Vice President for Education Forward Arizona, a nonpartisan nonprofit whose mission is to advocate for education improvements that advance the quality of life for all Arizonans. Education Forward Arizona believes that in order to move Arizona forward, we must move education forward, this is a value and belief that Dr. Ruiz seeks to elevate every day. 

Dr Ruiz retired as the President of Glendale Community College in January 2023 after serving for 27 years in the Maricopa County Community College District as a tenured Mathematics Faculty and executive leader. She is honored to serve as a Commissioner for President Biden’s Advisory Commission for Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. In this role, she is able to lend her voice to a national imperative of increasing opportunities for Hispanics and using her vast experience as a community college leader to highlight the value and important role of community colleges to ensure economic prosperity.

Education Forward Arizona uses data and research, including the Education Progress Meter, for highlighting the need to support students, families, and educators as illustrated by seven education metrics. By focusing on the equity gaps that exist in each of the education metrics, and the evolving technology enhanced workplace, she uses this as a call to action to ensure that all students have opportunities to participate in the future workforce. The north star goal is to increase the attainment rate, known as Achieve60AZ, and the positive impact on our economic growth and prosperity that will affect the entire state.