Over the past four decades, my work as a teacher has evolved, but the heart of it has remained the same: helping students think more deeply, connect more honestly, and move closer to the work they are meant to do in the world. I strive to create learning experiences grounded in mutual respect, human connection, and practical application, so what we learn together can be carried into real life.

In addition to my work as an adjunct faculty member in Mind-Body Medicine at Saybrook University and Public Health at Kean University, I provide community-based acupuncture and wellness services at a clinic that makes integrative health accessible and affordable.  

My research focuses on equitably advancing health and wellbeing, and my team and I were recently published in the International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society.I had the privilege of serving as co-principal investigator for the New Jersey Black Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Project from 2022 to 2025, as well as the creator of SOHL, a self-care skills training program, and author of the Self-Care Solutions newsletter, both available to the public. I designed and implemented the Senior Healthcare Executive Self-Care study, which served as the basis for self-care initiatives sponsored by several health systems for their communities. In 2018 I delivered a TEDx talk entitled Your Vital Role in Re-imagining Healthcare and have designed employee-driven wellness programs for Fortune 100 Companies.

I earned a PhD in Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University, PhD in Healthcare Management from Touro University, JD in Healthcare Law from American University, Doctorate in Acupuncture from Pacific College of Health Sciences and Masters in Public Health from Rutgers University. As a former attorney and founder of several health technology startups, I was inspired to change my career path when our teenage daughter's neurologist at NYU medical center recommended adding integrative practices to the treatment plan that helped control her epileptic seizures.

My husband Joe is a public defender. We met in high school and live in Asbury Park, NJ, with Gio and Essie, the dogs who rescued us.

You can learn more about me at www.ruthannrusso.com and read the Self-Care Solutions newsletter at: https://ruthannrusso.com/articles/