Sonia Ruiz is the Principal of Jane Addams Middle School in Bolingbrook. Sonia is a proud Latina Leader that has dedicated her life to serving others. Schools under her leadership have seen remarkable improvements in student achievement, teacher collective efficacy, and culture and climate due to her unwavering belief in the potential of her staff and students. As a result of her contributions to the profession, she was named Assistant Principal of the 2020-2021 School Year in Lake County. Sonia has served on numerous committees such as the Illinois Principal Association (IPA) Diversity and Equity Committee, IPA’s Legislative Committee, and the State of Illinois’ Inclusive American History Commission. She served as IPA West Cook Region Co-Regional Director and Lake County’s Region IPA Diversity and Equity Co-Chair. Sonia was part of the first AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Latina and Latino Leaders. She currently serves as the IPA Diversity and Equity Co-Chair for Three Rivers Region. In addition, nationally, she is a member of NAESP National Task Force on Race and Equity. Sonia earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. While at the University of Illinois, she founded Gamma Phi Omega, a Latina Sorority to provide a space where women can support each other to accomplish their goals while at the university. She also earned a master’s degree in School Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and another master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. Sonia is currently pursuing her Ph.D. with a focus on Leadership, Equity, and Inquiry from Illinois State University in which she serves as co-captain to her cohort and hopes that she can do more for our underrepresented communities.@MrsSoniaRuiz