Raised in poverty and moving dozens of times before adulthood, Ruthe experienced firsthand how fragile stability can be for talented young people without a safety net.

That lived experience became the foundation for a career spent building systems that recognize and support talent wherever it exists — from Girl Scouts headquarters to the White House, from Oxford University to the United Nations.

Today, as founder of the Last Mile Education Fund, she leads the only nationwide safety net closing the graduation gap for aspiring technologists and engineers from low-income communities. Her organization has helped thousands of students cross the finish line, turning sunk educational investments into completed degrees and launched careers.

"I envision a world where the tools and technology used by all are created by all."

— Ruthe Farmer