Dr. Terrance Ruth received his PhD in Public Affairs from the University of Central Florida. He received his Master in Education from Nova Southeastern University and his BA from Oglethorpe University. Dr. Ruth completed a national fellowship through Boston College with a certification in nonprofit leadership. Dr. Ruth is an advocate for public education, once serving as a teacher, principal and the parent of a son who attends public schools in Wake County. As a former Administrator for Wake county Public Schools who now serves as an Education Consultant to numerous nonprofits. Dr. Ruth sits on several state wide boards.
Strong leadership and honest leadership from our elected officials is something we all want as citizens, from the President to the lowest-level county official. Good leaders can captivate us, excite us, and build trust among us, allowing us to feel heard and believe that we are walking with someone who has our best interests, and the best interests of the community at heart. It’s true that many great people have held public office in this country, but because of that, it is all too easy to falsely acknowledge the link between leadership and elected office as leadership coming from the office.
When a person receives the most ballots cast on election night, they are the same person they were the day before, built from their life experience of serving, guiding, and building community, lifting people up together. Power and leadership are not the same. Running for office because it is ‘the next step’ in your career, or because you ‘like the title’, is not the reason we have democratic elections. We chose our officials because we want them to represent us, not interest groups, not partisan PACs, not development interests, but we the people.
My life and career has been based around leadership. As a principal, I have learned that leadership is not about titles but about building relationships, guiding others toward shared goals, and lifting up the community as a whole. I’ve seen the impact of engaged, thoughtful leadership through my work on various advisory groups, where collaboration and active listening lead to more informed decisions. Leadership doesn’t come with a title; it is developed through consistent practice and meaningful engagement. Something honed through experience, empathy, and a commitment to the betterment of others.
In my work with non-profit organizations, I have seen firsthand how the strongest leaders are often those who never sought power but who found themselves driven by a desire to serve. These experiences have shaped my belief that leadership is a skillset and a set of traits, like resilience, compassion, and vision, that are nurtured over time, through action and engagement. Leadership comes from how you respond in moments of challenge, how you inspire those around you, and how you build trust and community, even outside the structures of elected office.
True leadership is demonstrated in how you engage with others, how you advocate for the voiceless, and how you stand up for what is right, regardless of whether or not you hold a formal title. As citizens, we deserve leaders who have built these qualities before ever stepping into public office. Leadership is not granted by a vote, it is earned by a lifetime of service.
Dr. Terrance Ruth
NOTE – Dr. Ruth is a candidate for Raleigh Mayor. We have offered ALL City Council candidates the opportunity to submit commentary on local issues for consideration. To date we have published comments from three candidates. We will NOT include links to campaign social media accounts or include any ask for votes or donations.
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