Debra Ruh

Debra Ruh is the visionary CEO of Ruh Global IMPACT, a leading global disability inclusion think tank and advisory firm, and Founder of Billion Strong, a pioneering identity, convening, and community platform for persons with disabilities.

For decades, Debra has been a trusted leader in disability inclusion, accessibility, and human-centered innovation, working with governments, corporations, NGOs, and global institutions to advance policies and practices that create more inclusive, equitable societies. Under her leadership, Ruh Global IMPACT has become a catalyst for systemic change—helping organizations translate inclusion commitments into measurable action.

Through Billion Strong, Debra is building a global movement that centers disability identity, amplifies lived experience, and brings people with disabilities together across borders, cultures, and disability types. Billion Strong focuses on visibility, voice, and belonging—supporting community-led dialogue, leadership, education, and innovation while helping employers, educators, and institutions better understand and engage the disability community.

Debra’s work is grounded not only in professional expertise but in lived experience. She identifies as neurodivergent and as a member of the broader disability community. She is the mother of a daughter with Down syndrome and the wife of a late husband who lived with traumatic brain injury and dementia. These experiences deeply inform her leadership, reinforcing her belief that people with disabilities are the experts in their own lives—and must be included meaningfully in decisions that affect them.

Debra is widely recognized for her ability to bridge communities, challenge assumptions, and lead with both courage and compassion. Her work continues to shape how disability inclusion is understood, practiced, and scaled globally.