Ruth C. White, PhD, MPH, MSW is a diversity trainer, stress management expert, and mental health activist who is committed to creating healthier and happier workplaces, workforces, classrooms, and communities. She is Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Carbon Five – a small software development firm based in San Francisco. Prior to Carbon Five, she spent 7 years as a Clinical Associate Professor in social work at the University of Southern California, and was a professor of social work for more than 20 years, gaining tenure at Seattle University. She has also taught at UC Berkeley, Fordham, and San Francisco State.
Dr. White’s keynotes and workshops focus on stress management, preventing burnout and compassion fatigue, mental health stigma, workforce mental health, and diversity/equity/inclusion. Her approach is holistic, science-based, prevention-focused, and grounded in her past experience as an elite athlete, a lifetime of fitness, and her mental health journey as someone who lives with bipolar disorder.
During the COVID19 pandemic, Dr. White is a mental health contributor on KRON4 News Bay Area Morning Buzz. She has also published related articles in Fast Company and on the Thrive Global and Psychology Today platforms.
Past clients include: Los Angeles Dept of Mental Health, JPMorganChase, NAACP, Gainsight, Montreal Police Force, Uganda Ministry of Health, University of Belize, and the Network for Social Work Management.
Dr. White is author of The Stress Management Workbook: De-stress in 10 minutes or less (Althea Press, 2018), Everyday Stress Relief: Essential techniques to build emotional resiliency and improve your health (Rockridge Press, 2020), and writes a popular blog for Psychology Today that explores the intersection of culture and mental health. Other books include the popular Bipolar 101: A practical guide to identifying triggers, managing medications, coping with symptoms and more ((with John D. Preston, New Harbinger, 2009) and Preventing Bipolar Relapse: A lifestyle program to help you maintain a balanced mood and live well (New Harbinger, 2014).
Her expertise on topics related to diversity, health and mental health has been featured in a wide range of media including The Today Show, KRON4 Bay Area, CBSNews LA, BBC World Service, Women’s Health, Marie Claire, Seattle Times, New York Times, The Economist, Black Enterprise, Vanguardia, el Columbiano, and Woman’s Day, among others.
Professional Profile: LinkedIn