Maria Ruiz

Maria Ruiz uses her background in communication to connect San Joaquin Valley residents to resources supporting a transition to clean vehicles. As an asthmatic, she knows how significant the impact of air pollution can be and she is dedicated to including underserved populations in California’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from California State University, Fresno.

Ruiz works on the Climate Equity and Environmental Justice team at the nonprofit Central California Asthma Collaborative in the San Joaquin Valley. She helped develop, and now leads, the EV Equity Program which connects residents with EV education and incentive application assistance. She also works with members of the Clean Vehicle Empowerment Collaborative to educate communities about EVs and incentives, preparing bilingual educational workshops and materials to ensure that information is accessible.