Profile for Ruth Schumacher-Martinez

Brief biography

I have been a school psychologist for nearly a decade. I did field work as a psychologist in the schools in therapeutic day settings as well as at a high school and middle school in Chicagoland and St. Louis.  I have considerable experience partnering with neurodivergent kids and adolescents in therapeutic work to build skills, autonomy, independence, and self confidence.  I believe in neurodiversity affirming practice and embrace the brain wiring of those I serve, using a strengths-based approach always. As a scholar and professor, all of what I do centers on disability and racial justice.   My biggest aim is to train future school psychologists who are interested in innovative approaches to serving kids with complex needs.  

I grew up in Colorado. I love nature, adventure, exploration, and animals.  I live in La Crosse with my husband, our two awesome kids, a dog, a cat, and our skink.  We are into team Martinez family dance party nights and getting our telescope out to look at the stars as a crew.  Family is my world.  

I would love to connect with undergraduate and graduate students interested in intersectionality.  It's important to me to collectively unite and create powerful spaces that affirm the BIPOC disability community at UWL and beyond.  Please reach out to me if you're interested in these topics. I value collaboration, advocacy, and pushing for actionable systems change.  We can do big things when we work in solidarity! 

Alternate photo caption:
Photo of Ruth as a 6-year-old child.  The picture shows Ruth, a white child with long dark blonde hair.  She is wearing a black outfit and in casts on both legs. She is standing with her arms outstretched.  She is attempting to balance on a long 2x4 piece of wood about two inches off the ground. In the foreground is an orange cone on a gymnasium floor.