Irma Ruiz: Putting Dreams into Orbit

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Most lawyers want to fight against injustice, and Irma Ruiz is no different. Poverty and economic disparity were all around her as she grew up up in East LA’s Bell Gardens in the 1990s when the poverty rate was a staggering 26 percent, compared to the state’s 12.5 percent, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the National Center for Education Statistics.

Through hard work and an unwavering commitment to see things through, Ruiz escaped the cycle of poverty. Today, she’s a director at Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, where she serves as senior counsel.

So, how did Ruiz do it? “I’m not easily discouraged,” the first-generation immigrant says. It’s a bit of an understatement. Those who know Ruiz best describe her as bold, daring, and fearless.

While Ruiz didn’t originally set out to become a lawyer, she did see school as her ticket out. “Education is the great equalizer,” she says. “So, I dedicated myself to learning as much as I could.”

“Education is the great equalizer.”

Irma Ruiz

She earned her bachelor’s at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), before getting married and raising the first of her three children. Then, she returned to UCLA for law school, earning a Juris Doctor degree in business law. Post-graduation, Ruiz took a job with Boeing, drafting terms and conditions for parties as an advisor for the supply chain department.

That was twenty-three years ago. Now, Ruiz is responsible for supporting Boeing’s entire Space Mission Systems business. She focuses on contractual matters and the legal issues that arise when corporations and governments use the company’s satellites.

In her day-to-day she emphasizes the value of continuous learning—something important for a space lawyer, as the proliferation of new international laws, rules, and regulations continue to emerge in the ever-evolving industry. Her work covers communications satellites, connecting the world and protecting our nation and its allies through several entities, including the International Space Station, Intuitive Machines, and SpaceX.  

“I grew up very poor and worked my way through college and law school, so space law wasn’t something that was really on my radar,” she says. “But this has become a passion for me, and it motivates me every day to come to work and do the best I can.”

Working in a novel area of the law is something that keeps Ruiz both energized and engaged. “As we move into the future and there are more private participants going to space, there will be a new area of law—and we need a better legal and regulatory framework as these changes take place,” Ruiz says.

It’s the proximity to opportunity and innovation that has kept Ruiz at Boeing for her entire career. After more than two decades, the company has become her professional home, making the switch from supply chain to law in 2007, joining the company’s executive ranks two years later.

“As we move into the future and there are more private participants going to space, there will be a new area of law—and we need a better legal and regulatory framework as these changes take place.”

Irma Ruiz

Although it was once rare for Ruiz to encounter another woman or person of color in leadership, that’s changing thanks to a renewed company-wide focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. “I’ve witnessed a massive transformation in both the company and our industry over the last decade,” Ruiz says. She is now the El Segundo office’s site executive champion for Latino employee resource group Boeing Familia.

In that role, Ruiz helps plan events and looks to increase meaningful opportunities for Boeing’s Latino workforce. Back when she started at Boeing, it was nearly impossible for her to find role models that looked like her. Today, 33 percent of Boeing’s executives are women and nearly 22 percent are racial or ethnic minorities.

Looking ahead, Ruiz aims to find new ways to grow Boeing Familia, taking the time to mentor younger, more diverse colleagues in both formal and informal settings. Many of those early career professionals ask if they should go to law school, and her answer is always the same: “A law degree is an amazing tool because there is so much you can do with it,” Ruiz says. “Even if you don’t practice as an attorney, that degree can get you in the door for so many other things.”

Twenty-three years ago, that degree—combined with a lot of skill and a penchant for fearlessness—got Ruiz through Boeing’s front door. Her advice to the next generation of Latino leaders? Seize your opportunity and never look back.

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