About me

My name is Diane Ruiz, and I’m proud to be running for the ERS Board of Trustees. I’ve spent my career fighting for the rights, dignity, and security of vulnerable Texans in the Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS.) With fourteen years of service, I know firsthand the dedication it takes to serve Texas families and the challenges we face every day. I’m also a proud and dedicated union member and know firsthand the struggles of Texas state agency employees.

I hold a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. I’ve remained active in my community by volunteering through my church and previously with organizations like the Kids Sports Network, which supports youth athletics in the San Antonio area.

My passion for advocacy runs deep. I’ve participated in organizing and mobilization efforts for local school board elections, beginning with my own mother’s campaigns for the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees in the 1990s and again in 2004. I blockwalked, phonebanked, and learned early that people power can move institutions. As an active member of the Texas State Employees Unio (TSEU), I’ve testified at the Capitol, trained new activists, and organized with my coworkers around the CWOP crisis, caseload standards, and more. I helped organize one of the largest DFPS delegations to Lobby Day so that lawmakers could hear directly from frontline workers.

More recently, I’ve lobbied for ERS retirees to receive a long-overdue cost-of-living adjustment. I proudly support House Bill 886, which would provide retirees with a 13th check. While this is a step in the right direction, I know that a true pension increase is what’s needed since the last cost-of-living adjustment for ERS retirees was in 2001. I ask: Could you live today on the income you brought home in 2001? Our retirement benefits must reflect the dignity of the work we’ve done and the realities of today’s economy.

I’m running because I believe our voices matter when it comes to decisions about our retirement, health care, and economic security. I bring a clear sense of mission, strong organizational skills, and a collaborative spirit to everything I do. I know how to assess challenges, build a plan, and bring people together to get results. If elected, I will carry those skills and that commitment to the ERS Board.

I ask for your vote to represent you with the same passion, dedication, and fight that I bring to everything I do.