Debra Ruh
{{Short description|American businesswoman (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Debra Ruh
| image = Debra Ruh - 2.png
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958}}
| birth_place = Pensacola, Florida
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| occupation = Businesswoman, advocate, writer, speaker, Digital Accessibility Technologist
| years_active = 1994–present
| known_for =
| organization = TecAccess, LLC, Ruh Global Communications, AXSChat
| notable_works =
}}
Debra Ruh (born 1958) is an American business woman and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities. {{Cite web |last=IMPACT |first=Ruh Global |date=2013-11-26 |title=Debra Ruh |url=https://www.ruhglobal.com/debra-ruh-bio/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=Ruh Global Impact |language=en-US}}She founded TecAccess, which provides software and services for information technology accessibility for people with disabilities and for Section 508 compliance.
Ruh is Chair of the United Nations's G3ict EmployAbility Task Force that supports information and communication assistive technologies and has assessed 104 countries regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/cosp9_side-events.html|title=9th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)|date=June 2016|website=United Nations|access-date=December 3, 2016}}
Career
=Early career=
In 1994, Ruh was hired by SunTrust Mortgage, now Crestar Bank, and worked into 1998 as vice president of training, development and quality control.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53233748.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220044403/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53233748.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | title=Lenders Scramble for Talent to Handle Refi Rush | magazine=American Banker | date=November 2, 1998|access-date=December 3, 2016 }} Beginning in 1998, she worked as a banking consultant until 2001, and was at Market Street Mortgage in Tampa, Florida as vice president and distance-learning dean until 2000. She started Strategic Performance Solutions and was its chief executive officer (CEO) from 1999 to 2001.{{Cite web |access-date=November 29, 2016 |url=https://money.cnn.com/2008/09/11/smallbusiness/disabled_techies_rock.fsb/index.htm|title=Why disabled techies rock |date=September 15, 2008 |first= Phaedra |last=Hise|work = CNN Money}}
=TecAccess=
{{main|TecAccess}}
In 2001, Ruh founded TecAccess,{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-77567374.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220043210/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-77567374.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 20, 2016|title=Virginia Web Firm Plans to Help Make Sites Accessible to the Disabled|date=August 27, 2001|newspaper=Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News|access-date=December 3, 2016}} a firm that designs online learning tools and websites for people with disabilities.{{cite news |last=Rayasam |first=Ranuka |title=How Hiring the Disabled Means Good Business |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/061106/6tecaccess.htm |access-date=July 20, 2010 |newspaper=U.S. News & World Report |date=November 6, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113192532/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/061106/6tecaccess.htm |archive-date=January 13, 2010 }}{{cite news|title=Company Overview of TecAccess LLC|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=8750192|website=Bloomberg | access-date=December 2, 2016 }} It received a United States Department of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award.{{cite web | url=http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/odep20052078.htm | title=Secretary of Labor Announces Seven Recipients Of the Secretary's New Freedom Initiative Awards|date= October 2005 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116192301/https://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/odep20052078.htm|archive-date=January 16, 2009 | website=Department of Labor | access-date=December 3, 2016}}{{efn|In 2005, she was on a "Disability News and Views" radio program with Roy Grizzard, the assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. They discussed employment issues for the disabled and adaptive technology.{{cite news | url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22801895.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220040943/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22801895.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | title=Events for the Disabled | newspaper=The Buffalo News | location=Buffalo, NY | date=July 10, 2005 }}}} That year, Ruh received the "Rising Star" award from the National Association of Women Business Owners.{{efn|She also received an award for Social Responsibility from the American-China Foundation in 2005.}}
=Other activities=
In 2013, Ruh started Ruh Global Communications,{{cite web | url=http://www.viscardicenter.org/nbdc-georgetown-conf/ | title=NBDC Co-Sponsors Georgetown's Conference | date=December 31, 2013 | website=Viscardi Center | access-date=December 3, 2016 }} which focuses on strategic communications and digital marketing. The firm develops solutions for people with disabilities and helps governments implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).{{cite web | url=https://www.realeconomicimpact.org/news/?id=1623 | title=October Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month | date=October 3, 2016 | website=National Disability Institute | access-date=December 3, 2016 }}{{cite web | url=http://ruhglobal.com/corporate-capabilities/ | website=Ruh Global Communications |title=Corporate Capabilities | access-date=December 3, 2016 }}
Ruh co-founded a social media venture – AXSChat{{Cite web |date=2023-09-16 |title=Home – Upcoming Events & Questions - AXSChat |url=https://www.axschat.com/ |access-date=2024-12-24 |language=en-GB}} (access chat) with Neil Milliken and Antonio Santos.{{cite web | url=http://www.axschat.com/the-team/ | title=The Team | website=AXSChat | date=29 July 2015 | access-date=December 3, 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/hub/ct-buffer-14-quotes-that-celebrate-accessible-world-bsi-hub-20160526-story.html|title=14 quotes that celebrate a more accessible world|date=May 26, 2016|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=December 3, 2016}} It is a social media site about providing access and inclusion to those with accessibility needs.{{cite web | url=http://www.symplur.com/healthcare-hashtags/axschat/ | title=Tweet chats | website=Symplur | date=5 October 2015 | access-date=December 3, 2016}} It was an event partner for the Paralympic Games in 2016.{{cite web | url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/nielsen-shares-key-research-power-paralympic-brand | title=Nielsen shares key research on the power of the Paralympic brand | date=September 14, 2016 | website=Paralympic.org | access-date=December 3, 2016}} Ruh was coauthor of the article Helping Veterans with Disabilities Transition to Employment" with Paul Spicer and Kathleen Vaughan in a 2009 issue of [https://www.ahead.org/professional-resources/publications/jped Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability].{{cite journal | title=Better Transitions for Troops: An Application of Schlossberg's Transition Framework to Analyses of Barriers and Institutional Support Structures for Student Veterans | first1=Kimberly A. |last1=Griffin | first2=Claire K. | last2=Gilbert | journal=The Journal of Higher Education |volume=86 | number=1 | date=January 2015 |pages=71–97 | url=http://muse.jhu.edu/article/563684 | access-date=December 2, 2016 }}
= Publications =
2018 – [https://www.ruhglobal.com/inclusion-branding/ Inclusion Branding: Revealing Secrets to Maximize ROI].
2016 – [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0578177536/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Tapping into Hidden Human Capital: How Leading Global Companies Improve their Bottom Line by Employing Persons with Disabilities].{{cite web | url=https://www.realeconomicimpact.org/news/?id=1623 | title=October Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month | date=October 3, 2016 | website=National Disability Institute | access-date=December 3, 2016 }} {{Asof|2016}},
2013 – [https://www.amazon.ca/Find-Voice-using-Social-Media-ebook/dp/B00CIBZWV6 Find Your Voice using Social Media: Learn 101 Social Media Tips for Social Good]
2009 White Paper – "Information Technology Accessibility: Yes We Can!" and her brochure "Making the World of Technology Accessible" are on the White House website. They are two of about fifty posted documents in the Open Government Initiative.{{cite web | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/files/documents/ostp/opengov_inbox/tecaccess_booklet_041309.pdf | title=Making the World of Technology Accessible | year=2009 | via=National Archives | work=Office of Science and Technology Policy | access-date=December 3, 2016 }}{{cite web| url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/open/about/ideas | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205152345/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/open/about/ideas | url-status=live | archive-date=December 5, 2020 | work=whitehouse.gov | title=Open Government Initiative: Your Ideas | via=National Archives | access-date=December 3, 2016 }}
Personal life
Ruh was born December 18, 1958, in Pensacola, Florida. She is married to Edward Ruh and has a son and a daughter.{{cite news | url=http://www.richmond.com/business/article_e6aa2ccc-655c-56fe-be75-71616f912c78.html | title=Debra Ruh of TecAccess | website=Richmond Times-Dispatch | location=Richmond, Virginia | access-date=December 3, 2016}} Edward, who worked in an IT department of a bank, joined TecAccess in 2006 and worked there for one year. He returned to TecAccess in 2008 and managed relationships with clients. Their working relationship featured in The Wall Street Journal article, "Married to the Job (And Each Other)" in 2011.{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703959104576082623914872658 | title=Married to the Job (And Each Other) | website=Wall Street Journal | date=February 14, 2011 | first1=Colleen | last1=Debaise| first2=Sarah E. | last2=Needleman | first3=Emily | last3=Maltby | access-date=December 3, 2016 }}
Notes
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References
{{reflist|2}}
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Category:Businesspeople from Florida
Category:American technology company founders
Category:American technology executives
Category:American disability rights activists
Category:American women company founders
Category:American company founders