#TuesdayTopic: Inspiring Women Featuring Ruth Hughs

Reprinted from an IG post

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Today we’re featuring Ruth Hughs, the Secretary of State of the state of Texas who is also an amazing mom, wife, and a woman I am lucky to call friend!

Ruth is an attorney whose path to her current role as SOS was not entirely linear.  She started her career as an assistant DA in New Jersey, and then moved on to private practice for a large firm, shifting gears to a different area of law (full disclosure- I was the head of recruiting and professional development at the firm and fell in love with her immediately!).  From there, she moved back to her home state of Texas, went back into public sector work for the Attorney General’s office for a time, but after having kids, made the decision to step away for a bit.  During her hiatus from the law, she helped to run her husband’s independent film company.  But when the governor came calling, she couldn’t say no, and went back to work as the Commissioner on the Texas Workforce Commission before being appointed to SOS at the age of 49.  In her role as SOS, she is also the Chief Elections Officer of the state, and took on that responsibility just a year before the 2020 presidential election (no pressure there!), shepherding the process skillfully and successfully.  She has also been very impactful throughout the pandemic in her role as Chief International Protocol Officer, helping her state address supply chain issues with Mexico.

Speaking from my personal experience, I think one of the keys to Ruth’s success is her authenticity and her genuine interest in people.  She puts heart and energy into nurturing relationships, and as a result has cultivated a far-reaching, diverse network.  On aging, Ruth says “it’s better than the alternative, and it’s great to grow in confidence as you get older.”  Born in Argentina, she has much exposure to other cultures, and feels lucky to live in a country that “doesn’t box you in based on age.”  She loves the quote about age that speaks to mind over matter— if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!   She is #brainsandbeauty, and a wellspring of midlife inspiration!