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Person

Ruth Shaber

Education:

BA from Yale University
MD from University of Pennsylvania
Occupation:

Impact investor, women’s health

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Ruth Shaber is the founder of Tara Health Foundation and Reproductive Health Investors Alliance (Rhia Ventures), which are both impact investment firms focused on women’s health and related issues, including abortion and contraception access. She is president of Tara Health Foundation, board chair of Rhia Ventures, and on the boards of Women of the World Endowment and Toniic Institute.

Shaber started her career as an obstetrician and gynecologist.

Education

Shaber graduated from Yale University with a BA in Chemistry in 1982 and from the University of Pennsylvania a medical degree in 1986. 1 She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco. 2

Career

In 1990, Shaber began her career as an obstetrician and gynecologist with Permanente Medical Group for 22 years, then moved into leadership positions with Kaiser Permanente for 12 years. At Kaiser she was director of women’s health, founder and director of Women’s Health Research Institute, and medical director of the Care Management Institute. 1

After leaving Kaiser in 2012 she held several overlapping roles in the medical arena, including patient care fellow at the Gordon E. and Betty I. Moore Foundation, board chair of Jacaranda Health, and member of the National Medical Committee of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). 1

In 2014, Shaber founded Tara Health Foundation. As of 2023, Shaber continued to serve in her role as president. 1 Tara Health Foundation is an impact investment organization that focuses on the health and wellbeing of women. Its 2022 grants include Black Women’s Blueprint, Abortion Care Network, Color of Change, and Trans Justice Funding Project. 3

In 2018, Shaber and Tara Health’s COO Lisa (Hamman) Bowers founded Reproductive Health Investors Alliance (Rhia Ventures) within the foundation. 4 Shaber was the board chair as of 2023. 1 Reproductive Health Investors Alliance is an impact investment and advocacy firm focused on left-leaning reproductive-health priorities such as abortion and contraception access. 5

In 2020, Shaber joined the board of Women of the World Endowment, 1 an organization that invests in environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) opportunities that include women in leadership positions. 6

In 2021, Shaber joined the board of Toniic Institute, 1 a left-of-center impact investment organization that developed its investment goals to “end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.” 7

In 2023, Shaber partnered with United Nations Foundation gender-equity advocate Robyn Russell 8 to create a movement, Gender Diverse Investing Collective, as a Tara Health Foundation initiative. The movement is based on Shaber’s book, The XX Edge, which encourages companies to have more women involved in finance and investments in their organizations. The movement is working toward a goal of 33 percent of assets under management to be managed by gender-diverse teams by 2033. 9

Public Profile

Shaber was listed in Forbes’ “2020 Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit – and Pushing for Change” for her work with impact investing. 10  Forbes compiled this list by identifying and ranking individuals in the United States who invest in ventures that have a “positive social or environmental impact.” Shaber was listed in the impact areas of Equality and Health Care. She shares the list with Democratic political donor and investor Bill Ackman, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who has donated to left-leaning causes such as Black Lives Matter and Bail Project, left-of-center philanthropists Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, and left-of-center billionaire philanthropist George Soros. 11

In 2022, Shaber co-authored The XX Edge with Patience Marime-Bell, founder and CEO of Women of the World Endowment. The book encourages companies to include women in financial leadership roles, indicating that organizations that do so are more successful. 12

Politics

Shaber has donated to Democratic campaigns and politicians over the years, including former President Barack Obama (D), Vice President Kamala Harris (D), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and U.S. Representative Josh Harder (D-CA). 13

In 2020, she contributed to Lincoln Project, a Super PAC that opposed the reelection campaign of former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, and Flip the West (now Activate America), which works to get Democrats elected. 13

References

  1. LinkedIn – Ruth Shaber. Accessed May 21, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-shaber-md-b012b527/details/experience/
  2. “Dr. Ruth Shaber.” Women of the World Endowment – Team. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://wowendowment.org/team-members/dr-ruth-shaber/
  3. “2022 Grants.” Tara Health Foundation. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://tarahealthfoundation.org/grantees-2022
  4. LinkedIn – Lisa Hammonn Bowers. Accessed May 21, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisavbowers/
  5. “Rhia Ventures Advancing Reproductive & Maternal Health Equity (2023-2026).” Rhia Ventures – About.” Accessed May 19, 2023. https://rhiaventures.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Webinar-SP-Fact-Sheet-March-2023-2026.pdf
  6. “About.” Women of the World Endowment. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://wowendowment.org/about/
  7. “Impact Investing – the Toniic Approach.” Toniic. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://toniic.com/impact-investing/
  8. “Robyn Russell.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/robyn-russell
  9. “Who Controls Capital: Why Women Making Decisions in Finance Matters.” YouTube – Worth. May 5, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1_Nxhy0RU8
  10. “Ruth Shaber – About The Author.” Simon & Schuster. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Ruth-Shaber/193687215
  11. “Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit – And Pushing for Change.” Forbes. September 8, 2020. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeswealthteam/2020/09/08/impact-50-investors-seeking-profit-and-pushing-for-change-equality-and-healthcare/?sh=7fa095f95dde
  12. “The XX Edge – About The Book.” Simon & Schuster. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-XX-Edge/Patience-Marime-Ball/9781637630938
  13. Donor Lookup – Ruth Shaber. OpenSecrets. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=ruth+shaber&order=desc&page=1&sort=D
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