Left to right: Club President Dr. Vicki Barber, Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz, and Club Vice-President Jim Sheard (photo by Gillian Driscoll)
Gillian Driscoll
Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz spoke to the PebbleCreek Democratic Club at their May meeting. Dr. Ruiz is a candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Education. She has an impressive background in education having served students, faculty, staff, and the community as an educator in Arizona for 33 years. She recently retired as the President of Glendale Community College. Dr. Ruiz told club members of her commitment to making a difference in the lives of inner-city students from diverse cultures first as a 7th grade mathematics teacher with the Roosevelt Elementary School District, then with high school students with Phoenix Union High School District, and finally as a member of the mathematics faculty at South Mountain Community College.
Then, as an executive leader, she developed partnerships with industry, municipalities, K-12 and university partners, as well as local nonprofits to support students and the community. Dr. Leyba Ruiz serves on several boards and was recently the Chair of the Board for the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. She has received several awards from community organizations. Dr. Ruiz was appointed as a Commissioner on President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.
Dr. Ruiz is a proud Latina and first-generation college student who began her college journey at the age of 16 at Phoenix College while still in high school. As a first-generation Latina college student from South Phoenix, Dr. Leyba Ruiz has a deep understanding of the needs of a diverse student population who are learning to navigate higher education. She is a strong advocate for student success and the power of education to uplift families. Dr. Ruiz emphasized her belief that all students can achieve great things with the right support and hard work.
Dr. Ruiz has a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education from Arizona State University, a Master of Education from Northern Arizona University, and a Doctorate in Higher and Post-Secondary Education from ASU. She is running for the position of Arizona Superintendent of Public Education because she believes that only someone who has been immersed in the public education system, as she has, can truly understand the needs of students, particularly those from diverse and underprivileged school districts.
After her talk, Dr. Ruiz answered several questions from club members who showed a concerned interest in the quality of education in Arizona.