Hello Arizona, 

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I am a proud third-generation Arizonan whose parents come from humble beginnings. My father was born in the mining town of Miami, Arizona, and my mother was born in the farming community of Randolph, Arizona. My parents eventually moved to Tucson, where they both graduated from Pueblo High School. My father went on to complete an apprenticeship with Boeing and eventually opened his own business, Leyba Tool & Die. My mom retired from the City of Phoenix as an administrative assistant.

 

I was raised in South Phoenix and attended public schools in the Roosevelt School District and Phoenix Union High School District. My parents worked hard to make sure their children understood the value of an education and pushed us to keep reaching for our dreams. As a first-generation college student, it was not always an easy path, but the encouragement from my parents never wavered. 

 

I had a dream of becoming a math teacher because I knew I wanted to make a difference in the lives of students in my community of South Phoenix. I earned degrees from Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, which led to a career teaching math in public schools at the middle school, high school, and college levels. I was making a difference in the lives of my students, but I wanted to have a larger impact, so I earned a doctoral degree from ASU, which gave me the credentials to pursue more opportunities. I was honored to complete my career of service in education as the 8th President of Glendale Community College.

 

My entire career has been focused on improving lives and ensuring that our students have the option to either pursue successful careers or further their higher education experience. Much of my work has been focused on developing partnerships with industry leaders, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations with the goal of building programs that benefit students and the community. 

 

Here are several examples: 

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• Summer Bridge Programs for students interested in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM)

• Partnerships with municipalities in the West Valley to provide training for first responders

• Collaborations with manufacturing and tech companies such as Microsoft

• Alliance with the City of Glendale to create a Rental Voucher Program for GCC students

 

Now is the moment to put my experience to use as the next Superintendent of Public Instruction. I believe deeply in the power of education to uplift and change a person’s life. When more people reach for their dreams, families and communities are strengthened. Arizona will be prosperous, safe, and strong when children and adults are supported in having opportunities to continue learning. We must strengthen the pipeline of learning throughout the K-12 system and beyond so Arizona will be a strong and economically vibrant place for everyone.

 

I am the proud mother of two daughters enrolled in our state public universities, representing the second generation of college students in my family. My husband is Bobby Ruiz, retired Chief of the Peoria Fire and Medical Department.