Dr. Ivette Ruiz is the founder of Healing by Growing Farms, a brand that focuses on healing trauma through agriculture. Dr.

Ruiz's inspiration for this venture came from her personal experience of suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury during a disaster relief deployment. Through her healing journey, Dr. Ruiz realized the power of working in the gardens and tending to the chickens, which led her to create a trauma-based farm.

Healing by Growing Farms offers a wide range of services and resources to help individuals who have experienced similar hardships. Dr. Ruiz's extensive background in healthcare, humanitarian relief, public service, and education enables her to provide comprehensive support for those in need.

The brand aims to address issues such as discrimination, unemployment, and a lack of proper medical care by promoting healing and empowerment through agriculture. As part of their commitment to the community, Healing by Growing Farms is organizing the first-ever Northeast Disability and Agriculture Conference. This regional event is designed to educate and empower the agricultural community.

The conference offers workshops, presentations, and breakout sessions that teach attendees how to advocate for themselves and identify potential distress risks. The ultimate goal is to build a network that promotes accessibility and reduces incidents of suicide within the industry. Attendees of the conference will have the opportunity to hear from keynote speaker Chris Laughton, the Director of Knowledge Exchange at Farm Credit East.

They will also participate in breakout sessions led by industry experts such as David Ingalls, a retired therapist and farmer, and Dr. Ivette Ruiz herself. The conference will conclude with a closing healing ceremony, led by Crystal Jeter-Prince and Rev.

Ariel Aaronson-Eves, providing a space for attendees to reflect and meditate on their conference experience. Overall, Dr. Ivette Ruiz and Healing by Growing Farms are dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals in the agricultural community through healing, education, and empowerment