She is joined the University of San Diego from Harvey Mudd College where she was a teaching and research postdoctoral fellow in the Mathematics Department. She received her PhD in mathematics from Binghamton University under the advisement of Laura Anderson. While at Binghamton University, she started the Graduate Women's Organization to help women support each other in the academic environment. She also served as president of the Binghamton University Parent's Collective, an organization aimed at creating a community of graduate students who are juggling school and children. Ruiz received a Masters degree in Mathematics from San Francisco State University, where she started the student group Mathematistas, which created a network of female graduate students in mathematics.