Agatha Ruiz earned her Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) certification from Porterville College in 2005. Agatha’s career has included a wide range of healthcare settings—from rural health clinics to convalescent care, medical-surgical, emergency room, outpatient surgery, sub-acute care, and labor & delivery. She cherished the years working in the Labor & Delivery unit as a postpartum nurse and lactation counselor. She is especially passionate about lactation education, believing that encouraging new mothers to breastfeed should always be approached with empathy, understanding, and nonjudgmental support. She recognizes that every mother’s journey is unique and values offering encouragement that honors individual needs and circumstances. She spent over 13 years as a postpartum nurse and lactation counselor before transitioning to elementary school nursing. 

Agatha loves being a school nurse because it allows her to combine a deep passion for healthcare with a strong commitment to supporting children's well-being in meaningful ways. As a school nurse, she serves as a steady, compassionate presence for students, offering not only medical care but also health education and comfort when it’s needed most. She values the unique and vital role school nurses play in creating a safe and healthy learning environment, partnering closely with families and staff to help every student thrive both academically and physically. 

For Agatha, making a difference in a child's life—even through something as small as a kind word or a bandage—is profoundly rewarding and purpose-driven work. She brings a compassionate, holistic approach to her work and values building trusting relationships with students and their families.

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Born in Los Angeles and raised in Porterville, Agatha Ruiz is the daughter of immigrant parents from Nayarit, Mexico. She spent many family vacations in the Riviera Nayarit, and still cherishes visits to her parents' hometown and time with relatives. Fluent in Spanish, Agatha values building trusting relationships with students and families of all backgrounds.

 

Family plays a central role in her life. She is the proud mother of three children: Nadia, who completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2025; Natalya, who will complete her Registered Nursing program in 2027; and son Aaron, who keeps the family busy with year-round basketball, soccer, and baseball in the city of Porterville. Their family enjoys road trips, theme parks, cooking, movies, and spending time outdoors—camping, swimming, biking, canoeing, paddle boarding, and exploring new places together.