By Michele Mitchum
Veloria to contribute strategic expertise to support workforce opportunities for women transitioning out of Arizona’s correctional system
University of Phoenix is proud to announce that Chief Strategy and Customer Officer Ruth Veloria has been appointed to the Arouet Foundation’s inaugural Career Assessment Skills Enhancement (CASE) Workforce Advisory Panel. Veloria will contribute her extensive professional experience in strategy, customer experience, and workforce development to support the foundation’s mission of empowering women transitioning out of Arizona’s correctional system.
The CASE Workforce Advisory Panel, which convened on October 30, 2024, and will continue through spring 2025, aims to create workforce opportunities for Arizona employers and women completing Arouet’s programs. The panel will focus on understanding future workforce trends, advising on training models, and engaging with the program as mentors and speakers.
“I am honored to join the Arouet Foundation’s CASE Workforce Advisory Panel,” Veloria shares. “The foundation’s commitment to supporting second chances and promoting career success for women affected by the justice system is truly inspiring. I look forward to contributing to their mission and working with my fellow panel members to empower women in building stable, self-sufficient lives.”
Founded in 2011, the Arouet Foundation is dedicated to preparing women for reentry, successful community integration, and career and life success. The foundation supports over 2,500 women annually, providing comprehensive social support to help them avoid recidivism and build new futures.
“We are excited to have Ruth Veloria join our CASE Workforce Advisory Panel,” states CEO of Arouet Foundation Alison Rapping. “Her expertise in strategy and workforce development will be a tremendous asset as we work to create opportunities for women transitioning out of the correctional system. At Arouet, we believe in second chances and are dedicated to helping these women build stable, self-sufficient lives. Ruth’s involvement will greatly enhance our efforts.”
In her role as Chief Strategy and Customer Officer for University of Phoenix, Veloria leads consensus-building on university objectives. Her areas of responsibility include aligning investment options to financial plans, assessing competitive intelligence, creating visions for the customer experience, and developing road maps to achieve those visions. Her role also includes utilizing customer data to help students progress, graduate, and secure new careers. Veloria served as the thought leader spokesperson for the inaugural University of Phoenix Mothers Overcome More (M.O.M) report, which illuminated findings from a nationwide survey comprised of 1,000 lower-income and 500 middle- and higher-income mothers in partnership with Motherly, a mother-focused parenting platform.
Veloria joined University of Phoenix in 2009 as chief of staff to the former chief operating officer of Apollo Education Group. She has led the Business School and served as chief customer officer at the University, implementing critical customer listening capabilities. She is passionate about fostering student success at a transformational level, and in 2022 was named one of the most influential women in Arizona Business by AzBigMedia.
Prior to 2009, she had 12 years of strategy experience at Booz Allen and BCG, and corporate experience at Charles Schwab, where she also managed brokerage contact centers for two years.
Veloria earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from New College at the University of Oxford. She also holds a master’s in management (Beta Gamma Sigma) from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.
University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit liashapiro.com/blog.html.
