Ruth Ibegbuna is a bold and pioneering CEO, with a relentless focus on working side by side with young people to build a fairer future. She is an expert in encouraging young people to believe in their inherent abilities and to demand the best for themselves and their lives. She is an inspiring leader.

Ruth has founded three organisations, RECLAIM, The Roots Programme and the Rekindle School out of her frustration at seeing so much wasted potential in young people; often written off due to their postcodes or through appallingly low expectations of their outcomes. She has built on her successful teaching career to develop innovative, strengths-based work which enables young people to achieve their potential.

Ruth was a member of the Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour and is now a Clore Social Fellow and an Ashoka UK Fellow, and wrote ‘On Youth’ to showcase the stories of five RECLAIM Alumni.

Ruth was listed in The Sunday Times as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK, in The Debrett’s 500 in 2016. She was also listed by Virgin and Ashoka as one of the top six female change makers internationally.