Design Matters with Debbie Millman Ruth Ann Harnisch
Feb 2, 2026
Ruth Ann Harnisch, investor, philanthropist and media producer who founded the Harnisch Foundation. She traces her rise from teen broadcaster to pioneering anchor. She discusses founding a foundation to break barriers, shifting from many small gifts to bigger systemic investments, and how money, scarcity, integrity, and improv-shaped leadership inform her work.
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Early Radio Obsession
- Ruth Ann Harnisch began broadcasting at 15 as a teen DJ and high-school correspondent, using the name Karen Kelly.
- She hid a transistor radio under her pillow and fell in love with voices and pictures "flying through the air."
First Anchor And Food-Stamp Salary
- Ruth Ann volunteered producing TV programming while working as a secretary and later became the first female anchor at WTVF.
- Her first on-air salary was so low she qualified for food stamps until a $1 raise pushed her above the threshold.
Harassment In Newsrooms
- Ruth Ann experienced sexual harassment frequently, once chased by a boss around a sofa.
- She describes the newsroom era as one where women were treated like "a piece of meat."