Ruth is chief executive of the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award. DofE is the UK’s leading personal development framework for young people. Since joining DofE in 2019, Ruth has led the development of a new organisational strategy. The strategy aims to reach one million plus young people by 2026, especially the most marginalised.
Ruth successfully steered the charity through the covid-19 pandemic. She has developed strategic partnerships with government and funders to help expand the Award’s reach. She has also set up new funds to ensure young people on low incomes can access a life-changing DofE experience.
Before joining DofE Ruth held senior leadership roles at Girlguiding and Scope. She is a Fellow of the Clore Social Leadership Programme and the Windsor Society of Leadership Fellows.
Ruth is passionate about social justice. She is interested in leadership in the social sector, social innovation and the power of design thinking to solve social problems. Ruth was awarded an OBE for services to young people in 2024.