Meet Ruby Malamed | Board of Director & Marketing Coordinator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ruby Malamed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ruby, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I believe that the most important factor behind the success of The GirlNow Foundation is our team’s dedication and genuine passion for the work that we are doing. We are fervently working everyday towards building an equitable future for girls in Uganda, so that they can thrive both economically and in their personal lives. For me, the reason I began working for GirlNow and what keeps me motivated as a team member, is knowing that my contributions are resulting in effective change in the lives of women in Uganda.

Although GirlNow is a fairly new non-profit, it has been inspiring and eye-opening to see how much progress we have made over the past few months. Without the love and commitment that each individual team member and leader has given to this organization, I firmly believe that we would not be where we are today.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am currently working as a Marketing Project Manager for a relationship and life coaching company. I’m really enjoying this job, but getting to where I am wasn’t the most straight-forward trajectory. I came out of college with a degree in Strategic Communication and a resume filled with many marketing and advertising internships. From there, I decided to pivot and move to Thailand to teach English for 6 months.

Living there was an amazing experience, but in March of 2020, everything quickly came to halt. Over the last year, I wasn’t very lucky in finding a job that was in my field of interest. Landing this new job has been a gratifying experience.

I was fortunate to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa in 2018, and during my time there I was able to volunteer at a Non Profit Organization called the Amy Biehl Foundation, which has a similar mission and education program as GirlNow. My time working there gave me invaluable experience and ultimately allowed me to realize the importance of working towards empowering children and women in underdeveloped countries.

I love working with others and consider myself to be creative, strategic, and a natural leader. Graphic design, strategy, marketing, innovation, and connecting with people are some of the things that inspire me and excite me in my work. Being able to hone in on these skills and apply them to projects within GirlNow has been fulfilling for me and working with the team that I do makes it that much sweeter.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
LA is filled with many exciting things and I could easily write a long list of things to do. But for the sake of time, I will share a few of my favorite spots.

A perfect weekend would consist of going on a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains, grabbing a coffee (or Matcha) at Bardonna Cafe on Montana Ave., walking on the bluffs in the Palisades, grabbing a delicious sandwich at Bay Cities Deli, catching the sunset at a beach in Malibu, and going for a scenic night drive on Mullholland. There is so much to do, but those are definitely some places and activities I like to do as much as possible when I’m here.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I definitely want to dedicate my shoutout to Kloey and Joan, the CEO’s of The GirlNow Foundation. Since the beginning of my time working at GirlNow, not only have I been encouraged by them to share my thoughts, ideas, and creativity, but I feel like I have actually been heard, appreciated and valued throughout. More so, because of them, I have been able to dedicate my time to an imperative cause and learn so many new things along the way.

It is always difficult starting a new organization or initiative- but working with experienced and thoughtful leaders who truly value collaboration and inclusivity, has made it a fulfilling and exciting experience. Kloey and Joan are true leaders, who deserve many shoutouts for their hard work and dedication to creating a more equitable future for girls.

Website: www.girlnowfoundation.org

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruby-malamed-81255a131/

Image Credits
Henry Hume Joan Nabatanzi