Adela Ruiz

Adela is a grantmaker, strategist, professor, and lifelong New Yorker with proud Dominican/Afro-Caribbean roots. Her experiences as a member of historically excluded communities drive her commitment to actualizing equity and expanding opportunities for disabled, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC), women, and immigrant families. Adela is a values-driven leader who has worked in philanthropy, nonprofits, and higher education for over a decade, leading sector-wide initiatives that uplift disability justice, racial equity, and inclusive approaches to grantmaking and programming. Adela is a Hispanics in Philanthropy Líderes Fellow, a Rockwood Institute Equity in Philanthropy Fellow, and a proud collaborator of Nonprofit Quarterly, the Disability Inclusion Fund at Borealis Philanthropy, and PEAK Grantmaking. Adela earned her BA and MA in Sociology from St. John’s University and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Sociology.