About

Ruth Alvarez-DeGolia is the Founder and Executive Director for Mercado Global, and our 2021 SEP Scholar. Having been a pioneer in the field of ethical fashion, she has overseen Mercado Global’s growth from a small nonprofit working with a dozen artisans in Guatemala’s highlands, to its recognition as an innovator in social enterprise, partnering with hundreds of artisans and a number of internationally renowned retailers.

Under Ruth’s leadership, Mercado Global has led efforts to mainstream fair trade sourcing in the international fashion industry and supported Indigenous women across the Americas in gaining income and empowerment through access to the international market.

Ruth has been recognized for her role in founding and supporting a variety of programs and organizations related to international development and poverty alleviation.

She has received honors for her academic work on the impact of globalization on political and economic development in Latin America, including the William H. Orrick prize at Yale University.

She was named among the “World’s Best Emerging Social Entrepreneurs” by Echoing Green in 2004 and selected as one of the “15 People Who Make America Great” by Newsweek.

Ruth has also spoken at the United Nations, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Global Summit for Women, and the U.S. Dept. of Labor.