University of West Florida

Ruby Payne

Dr. Ruby Payne's mission is to positively impact the education and lives of individuals in poverty throughout the world. From high school teacher, to principal to central office administrator, Dr. Payne's passion is to find creative and practical solutions to the challenges of working across socioeconomic lines. As founder and CEO of aha! Process, Inc., she provides training in how to work effectively with individuals from poverty. Her seminal work, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, teaches the hidden rules of economic class and specific strategies for overcoming poverty's obstacles. Her latest work, Bridges Out of Poverty, is written for community learders and social workers. It helps us understand the motivation and mindset of individuals from poverty and helps agencies to improve outcomes.