15 Years of Transformative Leadership: A Conversation with Esperanza Inc's Victor Ruiz

After 15 years of leading Esperanza Inc. during its first 40 years of service, Victor Ruiz announced earlier this year he will be stepping down. Together with the board, he stated, \"Now is the time to introduce a fresh perspective and new ideas to lead the way toward Esperanza's next chapter.\" Located on Cleveland\'s West Side, Esperanza aims to improve the lives of Latino youth and their families through education. Northeast Ohio also has one of the fastest growing Hispanic and Latino populations, and with that, increased needs for services and opportunities.\r\n\r\nRuiz came to Cleveland 42 years ago from Puerto Rico, and during his tenure at Esperanza, he helped transform the lives of thousands of Northeast Ohio families. Ruiz is also a champion of Latino and Hispanic representation and held numerous leadership roles in the community. He served as chairman of the board of trustees for Cuyahoga Community College; sits on the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com; and was a member of Cuyahoga County Executive-elect Chris Ronayne's transition team.