57 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com /CharlestonWomen City, then moved to Spain to get her master’s in human resources. From there she lived in France to learn French and eventually settled in the southeastern United States. She’s lived in Charleston since 2014. “Today my family lives everywhere,” she added. “I have a sister in China and another in France. My father still lives in Mexico City, as does my brother. I visit them a lot.” Her favorite places in the world include Australia and South Africa, and she belives wholeheartedly that you’ll learn more from stepping out of your comfort zone than you ever will staying at home. Ruiz’s career has been a keystone of her life. Her experiences have focused on human resources, both with agencies and as an in-house recruiter. Her United States-based resumé includes Spectrum Brands, Walmart, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Adobe. She recently accepted a position as a corporate recruiter with Kohler. “I’ve had a varied career so far,” she said. “I’m always open to learning new things. Like, I thought I was missing tech experience, so I went to Adobe. And I love using my background and languages to connect with people internationally.” A successful career plus a full travel schedule may not have left a lot of time for building a family in her twenties, but it would change as she entered her late thirties. “I’ve always focused on my career, but I really wanted to be a mom as well,” she said. “Motherhood has been in me since I was born. So, I decided to build a family while still balancing my career.” She had her first child Eva when she was 35and her son Nico a year later. Today, the kids are six and five respectively. Ruiz and her exhusband divorced a year ago, so Ruiz added co-parenting to her balancing act. The children split time equally between their parents, and Ruiz tries to make sure that when the children are home, she’s fully present. How does she do it? “I’ve had the opportunity to work remotely,” she said, noting how much it helps. During her weeks with her kids, she works during school hours and at night, relying on beloved girlfriends and a trusted babysitter to fill in any gaps. “I believe my children have a better mom when I feel like I’m productive and achieving my career goals,” she added. “When you’re a mom and you’re bringing the best of you to your kids, they’ll notice. I always try to give the best to them.” Ruiz has kept up her busy travel schedule with her children, carrying on her family’s tradition. With frequent trips to Mexico, she’s ensuring her children know their family’s roots, culture and food. The kids especially love Tulum, with its beautiful beaches and cave pools. At home she speaks only Spanish. The trio has traveled the world together already, with future adventures in the works. “My role as a mom has always been to empower my kids,” Ruiz said. “They can achieve anything if they want to. I try to set the example for them. I’m a mom that made hard decisions. I’m not from here, but I’ve achieved a lot due to my persistence and perseverance. I show my children we don’t have to follow the norms. We can do our own thing.” In her “spare” time, Ruiz loves landscape photography, cooking, going to the beach, cycling, and drinking wine. She admits having her family spread across the world is a challenge but relies on her robust local network to stay grounded and happy. And in looking back on her journey, she said, “All the decisions I’ve made have made me who I am. I wouldn’t change a thing.” Charleston Women in Business Two Cumberland formal in Mount Pleasant King Street | Mt. Pleasant | Spartanburg TWOCUMBERLAND.COM
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