Having had the privilege of working closely with Dr. Ruth A. Johnston during her tenure (2018 to 2023) as the System Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer at New Mexico State University (NMSU), I can attest to her unparalleled caliber of leadership, depth of expertise, and unwavering dedication to excellence.

Ruth is a consummate professional whose strategic foresight is matched only by her ability to bring people together. She possesses an uncanny ability to identify challenges, streamline processes, and drive actionable solutions. As a collaborator, she is adept at fostering a culture of mutual respect and trust, ensuring all voices are heard and valued.

Under her stewardship, NMSU witnessed transformative changes in various operational areas, each of which was executed with precision, creativity, and a deep sense of responsibility. Ruth's work went beyond day-to-day administrative duties; she was a torchbearer for a culture of service, accountability, and excellence, qualities that will resonate with NMSU's legacy for years to come.

Her passion for higher education and organizational development is evident in every initiative she leads. Beyond NMSU, her pioneering work at the University of Washington in sustainability and organizational excellence has set benchmarks for institutions globally. Her contributions to higher education are vast, innovative, and have left an indelible mark on every institution she has graced.

To institutions, associations, or governmental agencies considering consulting services: I cannot recommend Dr. Ruth A. Johnston highly enough. Whether it's strategic planning, leadership enhancement, or team empowerment, Ruth brings a unique blend of knowledge, experience, and genuine passion to the table. Engaging with her will not only be a game-changer for your organization but also an invaluable learning experience for every individual involved.

In conclusion, Ruth is an asset to any team, institution, or initiative she chooses to be a part of. Her unwavering commitment to excellence, deep-rooted understanding of higher education, and holistic approach to problem-solving make her an exemplary leader and consultant.

You’re reading these testimonials of Ruth Johnston, doing your due diligence on a recommendation to seek advice and assistance from RAJ Consulting, LLC for your project. I think you came to the right place. Dr. Johnston was my vice chancellor for planning and administration at the University of Washington, Bothell for three years. During her tenure as vice chancellor, she worked with me on a wide range of projects, initiatives, and plans of strategic and tactical in scope. It sure was great having her as a teammate in my organization. Of so many to choose from, the ones that stand out include:

• Co-leading strategic planning
• Facilitating the campus-engaged move to a new budget model and engaging the campus
• Doing the organizational assessment

She is engaging, thoughtful, and deliberative in her work. You won’t find a better partner in problem solving and synthesizing pathways forward. She’s one of the best I’ve seen in my thirteen plus years as chancellor and president of two public universities.

I have had the pleasure of working with Ruth Johnston for over 15 years, during our time together at the University of Washington and through various board engagements.  Ruth is a strategy leader with a rare combination of business acumen and deep emotional intelligence.  Across all strategic projects and engagements I have worked with her, she ensures that all voices are given equal time and really focuses on a recommendation that is not only the right approach for the organization, but for the team that will deliver and nurture the recommendation.

The University of Washington School of Nursing is consistently viewed as one of the best nursing programs in the country.  In late 2014, it become clear that while still strong academically, the school had overtime amassed a collection of specialty fields of studies that in total were not aligned with the collective direction the faculty and school leadership were pursing for their undergraduate and graduate degree programs.  The UW provost charged Ruth to work with the school to review the totality of offering and develop a more coordinated and ultimately a small number of offerings.  In working with the faculty and university leadership Ruth developed a strategic framework that clearly articulated academic outcomes, and the deployment of resources (financial, human capital, space, etc.). Based on this framework the faculty developed and presented a new consolidated approach to focus on two primary degree offerings:  Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Ruth was remarkable in navigating the complexities of various faculty voices; voices that are often skeptical of efforts directed by “central administration”. Her ability to truly allow thoughtful engagement, conversation and analysis allowed for honest debate and outcome.  Without Ruth’s involvement, the school would likely still be dealing with a collection of a well-intended but not strategic academic portfolio.

Ruth is an enterprise-wide thinker who brings trust and insight into any project she tackles. When I was the Dean of College of Education at University of Washington, Ruth was the go-to fix it person for senior administrators. She builds trust and gets stuff done.

Dr. Ruth A. Johnston is not just a respected leader and consultant. She is a catalyst for change. She has the vision, the experience, and the skills to transform and improve any organization. She inspires others just by being her authentic self.  She will challenge you as she leads you to own your strengths and really grow and thrive. She is an expert in organizational development, interpersonal skills, leadership development, and more. She has helped countless professionals and universities achieve their goals, overcome their obstacles, and maximize their resources.  She consistently brings her very best in the most authentic way.  She will tell you the truth, push you beyond your comfort zone and improve your team in the process.  Dr. Ruth A. Johnston is a consultant who will assist you and your team with meaningful, sustainable change and growth.

I have known Ruth Johnson over many years, during which we have worked together in many different capacities in support of higher education. Our collaborative efforts have extended to teaching together at WACUBO, featuring her as a guest on our podcast series, and sharing insights and ideas when confronted with complex university challenges.

Ruth's commitment to shared governance, proficiency in change leadership, and process enhancement is exceptional. Her approachability and capacity for facilitating productive conversations is at the highest level.  I highly recommend Ruth to partner with institutions of higher education on critical strategic issues.

I had the privilege of working closely with Dr. Ruth Johnston from 2019 to 2023, during her tenure as the vice chancellor for the New Mexico State University System, while I served as the vice president for research. With nearly four decades of experience in academia, I have collaborated with numerous accomplished professionals. Among them, Ruth stands out as someone who possesses a deep understanding of how the academy operates. She has a unique ability to approach challenges in academia with a data-driven, systematic perspective, enabling her to navigate complexities and identify practical solutions.

What sets Ruth apart is her diverse background, which spans across community colleges, regional universities, and Carnegie R2 and R1 institutions. Her broad range of experiences equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of higher education. However, what truly distinguishes her is her commitment to servant leadership—a perspective focused on long-term sustainability, a quality that is particularly vital in today's academic landscape.

I have learned from my collaboration with Dr. Ruth Johnston. Her profound understanding of academic complexities, combined with her data-driven problem-solving approach and servant-leadership perspective, makes her a standout professional in the field.

Ruth Johnston is a consummate professional with a broad portfolio of leadership and organizational development capabilities and talents. I am acquainted with her through the Western Association of College and University Business Officers (WACUBO), where I served as director of the Business Management Institute (BMI). She served as faculty for BMI throughout my 11 years of leading BMI for two reasons. First, she received outstanding evaluations from participants and second, she taught high value of the courses in strategy planning, processing improvement and leading change.  I also experienced Dr. Johnston as a highly skilled leader during her volunteer leadership as president of WACUBO during the COVID 19 timeframe.  Her interpersonal skills and ability to engage people was a major factor in keeping the organization strong and vibrant throughout the many challenges and difficulties faced by WACUBO’s institutional members.  My admiration for Dr. Johnston goes beyond her professional capabilities. She is, above all, a communicator, who is always willing to share her knowledge and connections. I learn from her every time we work together, because she has the gift of being a natural teacher.

I worked with Ruth at the University of Washington where she transformed strategic initiatives into policy and programs that continue to thrive today. Her approach to driving change is people-centered where she embraces diverse viewpoints and experiences. Her engaging and collaborative approach promotes high participation, yet she orchestrates conversations that result in actionable steps and management efficiencies. She is equally proficient in training and education, which are inspiring, engaging and participatory.

Ruth draws upon her expertise in organizational development to help organizations perform to their full potential. She creates a learning environment that is inclusive, allowing people to better understand their involvement, fostering sustained engagement and accountability. Ruth is a champion of performance excellence which she delivers with authenticity and transparency.

In short, Ruth’s guidance and support at a time of tremendous need for the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at the University of Washington Tacoma was invaluable and transformative. Our school had grown tremendously over the previous five or six years, and there was a strong desire among the faculty and staff to reorganize and restructure, but we did not have the expertise to do it on our own. Ruth brought those tools and her vast experience to our group, but she did so much more than that. She was my trusted council and sounding board, and I learned so much working with her. What was perhaps most significant is that she allowed the decisions to be our own. She did not tell us what to do. The fact that she provided support, but allowed the decisions to be our own, made the organizational structure more sustainable moving forward.

I worked for and with Ruth during my time as Interim Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Officer at New Mexico State University (NMSU). Ruth was the System Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer as well as Chief Covid Officer at NMSU.  It was an extraordinary nine months spent in Las Cruces, and working with Ruth gave me a front row seat to witness her thoughtful and successful approach to reopening campus, her use of data to inform decision making and her deft hand at managing a sprawling and challenging group of campuses' work to increase enrollment, retain students, improve financial and organizational management even as Covid protocols wound down. Ruth invested in people and their ability to bring about change. She saw opportunity in high performance staff who responded to her as an open minded strategic thinker able to harness energy, enthusiasm and skills to move NMSU forward. I put Ruth up there in my pantheon of distinguished University leaders I have had the pleasure to work with over my career.

I have known Ruth for over 40 years. She has been a professional colleague, a fellow board member, a respected leader in higher education, a counselor and advisor to me, and a friend.
Ruth and I became acquainted at the annual meeting of the American Association of Universities Bursars where she was not only an active participant, but a leader who conducted incredibly powerful sessions for the representatives from the largest research institutions in America.
Ruth is popular as a conference speaker. At a conference designed to confront the complex issue of student administrative services, we, along with four other colleagues founded the Institute for Student Service Administrative Professionals. Over a period of 12 years we guided thousands of university administrators to streamline how student centered services should be designed.
In the years I have known Ruth, she has become one of the most competent and sought after people in higher education administration.
Her counseling and perspective are exceptional and truly work.
From my personal standpoint, Ruth is a strong, intelligent , people-friendly, and very reliable professional, who I am proud to call my friend.

Ruth starts from a base of broad expertise on the techniques of organizational development, change management, and process improvement in higher education.   But more than that, she has been at the table making the highest-level institutional decisions and has been the leader responsible for implementing those decisions and accountable for the results. This means that she is deeply tuned into the real world of higher education decisions, and in these roles she saw what really works, and in what contexts.  She is in a unique position to work with an institution to define the issues you want to tackle, decide on the approaches best suited to your situation, and then lead you through applying them to reach solutions.

In her work within institutions and as part of capacity building programs in the sector, you can see her thorough commitment to inclusiveness, communication and engagement. This quality and commitment has had a remarkable impact in terms of improving morale and helping institutions build capacity for success.

I worked for Dr. Johnston for several years in higher ed on a team of consultants. She is a practical leader who excels at bringing out the best in teams at all levels and in finding creative ways to collaborate and move forward with pragmatic solutions.