Influential Woman · Education
Sabrina Ruiz, M.Ed
Senior Director, Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County
Tampa, FL 33619
Her Story
About Sabrina
Sabrina Ruiz, M.Ed., brings more than 20 years of experience in education and community-focused leadership. She spent 18 years with Hillsborough County Public Schools, serving in roles including teacher, literacy coach, assistant principal, and principal, before joining the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County in 2023. As Senior Director of Family Services, Ruiz oversees initiatives supporting school readiness and voluntary pre-kindergarten services for approximately 20,000 children each year while helping families navigate subsidized childcare and other essential resources. Her extensive experience has given her a deep understanding of the educational and family-support systems that help children thrive. Ruiz earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration with a focus on K-12 education. Her personal experiences growing up in Title I schools in East New York, Brooklyn, have also shaped her approach to leadership and strengthened her ability to connect with students, educators, and families from diverse communities. But her boundless passion for fostering genuine connection simply couldn't be contained within the traditional nine-to-five. Recognizing that the modern networking scene often felt stiff, overwhelming, and deeply intimidating for young professionals, Ruiz decided to flip the script. She founded the Tampa Social Butterfly networking group on the Clockout App, entirely reimagining how local business owners, creators, and entrepreneurs connect. Gone are the days of awkwardly passing out business cards in a massive, sterile conference room. Instead, Sabrina curates intimate, small-group meetups scattered across Tampa’s best local venues. These gatherings are built entirely around great food, crafted drinks, and a beautifully relaxed, pressure-free atmosphere where people can actually be themselves. As Ruiz perfectly frames it, it is a welcoming space for introverts and eager go-getters alike to step out of their cocoons and finally spread their wings.
Beyond these transformative networking events, Tampa Social Butterfly has evolved into a premier community hub that helps local brands flourish through authentic relationships and unforgettable, in-person experiences. Ruiz and her team even offer bespoke content creation services for local gatherings. By capturing high-quality, social-media-ready clips throughout an event, they allow hosts to put their phones down, mingle freely, and stay entirely present on their special day.
By seamlessly blending her lifelong dedication to public service with her brilliant knack for social curation, Ruiz has created something truly magical in our city. She isn't just an influencer chasing trends; she is a dedicated community architect building a warmer, more connected Tampa, one unforgettable meetup at a time.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sabrina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to literacy and an early love of reading. Additionally, I have always believed in never letting my circumstances define me and treating every experience whether a success or a setback, as a learning and growth opportunity.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice that I've ever received was be smart enough to know that you may not be the smartest one in the room, no matter what your title is. There's always someone that you can learn from. There's always someone who has something to offer and something to bring to the table, and so just being open-minded and collaborating with the people that you're working with really works to your advantage, especially when endeavoring into a new opportunity.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage any young woman entering education to recognize that the field offers far more opportunities than a single job title might suggest. Throughout my 18 years with Hillsborough County Public Schools, I learned that educators are not only teachers, assistant principals, or principals; we are counselors, mentors, advocates, and sometimes even mother or aunt figures to the students we serve. The skills you develop in the classroom, in administration, or within a nonprofit educational setting are highly transferable, so I encourage young women to keep an open mind, explore their passions, and never allow themselves to be placed in a box. Before reaching the point of burnout, take time to recognize the many possibilities your experience and skills can create, and be willing to pursue new paths where you can continue to make a meaningful impact.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is helping families manage the rising cost of childcare. In my role with the Early Learning Coalition, we provide subsidized childcare vouchers and tuition assistance to help make quality care more accessible, but even with these resources, many parents continue to face significant costs and financial barriers. This makes it essential for us to look beyond the resources we currently offer and identify additional programs, partnerships, and solutions that can provide meaningful support to families experiencing economic hardship.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me, both professionally and personally, are perseverance and integrity. In my work, that means going the extra mile to support the families and communities I serve and remaining committed to helping them find meaningful solutions. I carry those same principles into my personal business, Tampa Social Butterfly, where I strive to operate with integrity, dignity, and a genuine commitment to making a positive difference in the community.
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