Faculty Profile for Dr. Rachel S Ruiz

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Dr. Rachel Ruiz, Ph.D. has recently (01/31/2022) retired as the Dean of Student Affairs at Austin Community College. A native of Austin, Dr. Ruiz has held administrative positions at national and statewide levels. For 10 years, she served in several leadership capacities such as the Texas Assistant State Director and Regional Director for Communities in Schools. For the next 25 years, she served in various administrative capacities such as the Dean of Instruction at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, MA and San Diego Mesa Community College, as Vice President of Student Affairs at Clark College in Vancouver, WA and at UTSA, where she served as Assistant Vice President of the Office of P-20 Initiatives; and later she decided to return home to Austin as Dean of Student Affairs at Austin Community College.

She has been a participant in the local Leadership Programs in Austin, San Antonio, Boston and Leander. She has also served on various boards in cities in which she was employed such as Communities in Schools, Community Connections, and as a member in several Chambers of Commerce and most recently as a board member of the Austin History Center Association.

Dr. Ruiz began her academic studies at ACC. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration/Higher Education from Harvard University, a Bachelor’s degree in Speech, and a Doctoral degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Her broad experience working at culturally diverse colleges on the East Coast, West Coast, Pacific Northwest and in Texas, have provided her with a wealth of leadership, administration, and civic experiences.

She has taught communication and equity and diversity courses in the community college system and in the last four years, has taught various courses as adjunct professor in the O.W.L.S. program at Texas State University.

Her professional goal has been to assist and support students in achieving their academic and career goals and believes that when students have a clear vision and action plan, they can be successful in achieving their aspirations. In her personal life, she has traveled extensively to Europe, and in summer, 2022 she spent one month in France and Switzerland and in summer, 2023 she spent a month touring Italy, Sicily and Malta. Dr. Ruiz has two grown sons and six granddaughters, four of which have graduated from college; one from Texas State University, GO BOBCATS!

Ph.D., Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin, 1999
Educational Administration

MPA, Public Administration Harvard University,
J.F.K. School of Government, 1995

B.S. Speech University of Texas at Austin, 1994

Teaching Interests

Developing Leadership and Administration skills.

Research Interests

Evaluating student learning outcomes and how to improve learning for all students.