About Ruth

Ruth Lindeck Forman brings a broad spectrum of real-life experiences. She grew up in the Midwest with her immigrant parents who were wealthy, recognized, and respected in Germany, but fled Nazi Germany in 1938. She spent much of her childhood in a blue-collar neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. In her early teens, her family moved to nearby upscale Bexley, Ohio, noted for their outstanding Bexley City School District system. In 1962, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and a Certificate of Speech and Hearing Therapy from The Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus.

Ruth has been active in the field of speech and communication for sixty years. Upon graduation from OSU, she joined the OSU Speech and Hearing Clinic as a speech therapist. When she moved to Southern California, she joined a clinic that served individuals recovering from strokes and head traumas in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and home settings. In 1979, Ruth received a Master of Arts Degree in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). In 1985, she founded and directed Communication Enhancement, a company that specialized in personal and intercultural communication. She consulted with people from more than thirty-five cultures and all walks of life. She teaches, lectures, writes, and has worked with individuals, couples, parents, teachers, students, staff, workers, physicians, nurses, medical administrators, and business men and women. Ruth was sought out by Health Maintenance Organizations, Fortune 500 companies, insurance companies, law and accounting firms, professional organizations, medical malpractice insurance carriers, and those at the highest university level. She presented at annual national conventions including the American Speech and Hearing Association and the Society for Human Resources Management. She has written myriad articles which were published at local, national, and international levels, has been interviewed by newspapers in the United States, and has appeared on television in the United States, and on radio and television in Nevis, West Indies.

In her 80s, Ruth remains active at the California State University, Northridge where she and her husband Lee serve as founding members on the College of Health and Humanities Dean’s Circle Advisory Board. Ruth is a member of the President’s Associates and the Heritage Society. In 2009, she established the Ruth Lindeck Forman and Lee S. Forman Endowment in the Department of Communication Disorders and Science in the College of Health and Human Department with the stipulation that the student is a minority. In 2017, Ruth established The Michael E. Spagna Service Award in the Michael D. Eisner College of Education with the stipulation that the funds are directed to the Education Opportunity Program (EOP) for a student who serves or will serve a minority neighborhood. Ruth supports The OASIS Wellness Center, The Soraya-Valley Performing Arts Center, The Marilyn Magaram Center, and the Food Pantry, Black House, and Hillel 818. CSUN was among, if not the leader, of many of these programs. Ruth mentors colleagues and students, especially individuals of African and Latino heritages. In summer 2021, Ruth’s works and book Soul to Soul Connection and Communication were noted in the CSUN Magazine, FORGING AHEAD in which she was honored as an “Ambassador for CSUN.” Her works, career, and a contributor to the Bexley Education Foundation Legacy Society also were noted in the BEXLEY HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2021.

In the late 1990s, Ruth founded Communication Enhancement Press that published previous editions of differing titles, most noteworthy was Communication Is Connection. Finally, in late 2022, Soul to Soul Connection and Communication, the culmination of her more than twenty-five-year labor of love was published by Page Publishing, INC. Readers who wish to experience this influential work can also  purchase Soul to Soul Connection and Communication in Hardcover, Paperback, e-book, and Kindle on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble and NOOK, on Apple, and Google Play. In early autumn, the audio version narrated by AUDIOBOOK NETWORK will be distributed through Amazon, Amazon Audio, and iTunes. For further enlightening and enjoyment, following are the links to Page Publishing Ruth Forman Trailer and READERHOUSE Author Roundtable.

In her eclectic office along with countless family and friends pictures, there is a photo with First Lady Michelle Obama and Ruth clutching each others arms. Numerous pieces of Indigenous Peoples’ art, memorabilia, and gifts from around the world add to the warmth. She proudly displays The National Museum of African American History and Culture North Star Society and Charter Member Certificate of Appreciation. She also supports the National Museum of the American Indian, and is a Sustaining Fellow of the Smithsonian. Ruth’s name appears on the 2022 Friends of the Smithsonian Honor Roll. THE WASHINGTON, DC MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. NATIONAL MEMORIAL PROJECT FOUNDATION, INC. FOUNDER’S ROLL OF HONOR ACKNOWLEDGES HER AS A FOUNDING SPONSOR. She supports The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Ruth received a Certificate of Appreciation, “In recognition of your deep commitment to advancing the cause or racial justice,” from the LDF/Legal Defense Fund. She is an ACLU Guardian of Liberty and supports the Anti Defamation League (ADL), National Urban League, Dream Corps, Equal Injustice Initiative (EJI), Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Human Rights Campaign (HRC). In addition, Ruth supports national medical centers and international organizations that serve the most critical humanitarian and medical crises.

All of Ruth’s work combines spirituality, connection, communication, and diversity. She declares that each person has the sole right to define who they are, and suggests that it is best if that definition is first guided by what is in the person’s heart and soul as a member of the human race. She encourages each person to live their dream. In this ideal, she also affirms that each person has the right to live their dreams and they matter. She is dedicated to helping people help themselves to discover their passion, purpose, and community, and to gain a greater sense of joy, self-worth, comfort, confidence, self-actualization, fulfillment, gratitude, and serenity. She inspires an understanding, respect, trust, and appreciation among people, especially those of differing socioeconomic and/or cultural backgrounds and groups. Ruth passionately continues to advance seeking comfort, commonality, and connection to further bring more diverse people together.

Ruth and husband, Lee, enjoyed visits to Canada, Mexico, and South Africa, and extensive travel in Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Thirty years ago, they visited a tiny, remote, exotic island Nevis, West Indies in the Caribbean. They immediately fell in love with the friendly, caring, and polite Nevisian folks; the island’s magnificent natural flora, forests, jungle, and beaches; quaint villages, and the historic capital Charlestown. They returned yearly, finally built a home in a local village, and became fully immersed in local life. Prior to the pandemic, since 1999, they mostly divided their time between California and Nevis. Now, as blessed and grateful octogenarians, they most likely will not return to Nevis. However, the collective energy of the Nevisian people and their Nevisian Paradise will always remain their spiritual home.

Ruth enjoys nature, gardening, music, photography, writing, and being amidst children’s innocence, honesty, and frolic. She is blessed by her three adult children, her three children-by-marriage, and her six grandchildren, who each are icing on the cake. She is most blessed that her entire family gets along, enjoys, and supports each other. In Nevis, Ruth and Lee belong to the community. They are family to many and continue to participate virtually in lifetime events. Many of their Island grands, who called them Nana Ruth and Papa Lee are now adults with their own families. A few live in the U.S.A., remain in close touch, and visit them in California. Renown Rabbi Stan Levy and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, may he rest in peace, and 101-year-old beloved Blind Eileen of Zion Village in Nevis, may she rest in peace, continue to eternally enrich her life. As an octogenarian, Ruth now lives in deep gratitude for the blessings of loved ones, her life’s journey, and the Universe.