Natalie Ruiz

Empowering Coaches to Meet Student Needs

Title: Director of College Coaching

Organization: Rivet School

Age: 32

Natalie Ruiz leads the Coaching team at Rivet School, where she is dedicated to supporting individual coaches and developing program strategies that meet the evolving needs of students. In her role, she is committed to creating an environment where both coaches and students can thrive. 

One of the highlights of her job is working closely with Rivet School’s passionate and dynamic team of Coaches, collaborating to provide the best possible support for students. Additionally, Natalie finds immense satisfaction in encouraging students who are also parents, as she was a student-parent herself during college, which gives her a unique perspective and empathy in her work.

Before joining Rivet School, Natalie worked as a College Coach at Beyond 12, where she supported over 100 first-generation students navigating their first two years of college at universities across the country. Natalie graduated with dual degrees in sociology and social welfare, and during her time in college, she led advocacy efforts for student-parents on campus, pushing for greater support and resources. 

She is also an ALLF fellow with Latinos for Education Bay Area, furthering her commitment to supporting underrepresented communities in education.