Maritza Ruano joins College of DuPage as new vice president of human resources
Seasoned human resources professional Maritza Ruano is the new vice president of human resources at College of DuPage.
For the past 20 years, Ruano has provided human resource solutions to organizations in a variety of industries including retail, pharmaceuticals, sales, insurance brokerage, non-profit and manufacturing. She has most recently served as the senior director of talent management at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
College of DuPage President Dr. Brian Caputo said that Ruano's breadth of experience is a welcome addition to the college community. "Maritza's expertise will help the department continue the good work that it already has accomplished, and she will play an integral role in enhancing the college's reputation as an exceptional workplace."
Ruano received her master's degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology's industrial-organizational psychology program.
From the earliest years of her career, Ruano's supervisors gave her various opportunities to stretch outside of her comfort zone, experiences she said gave her the initial motivation to advance in the field of human resources.
"As I pursued my career in human resources, I quickly learned that I was very passionate about work that focused on the development and empowerment of others," she said.
In 2014, she founded Hike 2 Life, a mentoring and development program for Latino women early in their professional careers.
"I see education as a key conduit for learning and development as well as for individual upward mobility and access, which is why I'm so passionate about helping young people reach their full potential," she said.
Working at COD allows Ruano to combine her two passions, human resources and education, while also providing her the opportunity to work for and contribute to an organization that impacts the lives of students, families and the community at large, she said.
"Serving at a higher education institution gives me the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of others," she said.
As she continues to acclimate to the college, Ruano is looking forward to gaining a solid understanding of COD's needs as well as to come up with solutions and initiatives to better support COD with its mission, values, and immediate and strategic long-range plans.
"I look forward to contributing to the work of an organization that strives to help students learn and succeed," she said. "I'm also looking forward to the learning experience that will come from engaging with colleagues across the organization as we work together to come up with potential solutions to current and future challenges."