REBECCA RUF

Founder & CEO, Center for Responsible Hospitality

Rebecca brings over 25 years of experience in the private sector and non-profits, focusing on sustainability and social change in the hospitality industry and has guided organizations to drive social and environmental progress with a business perspective throughout her career. As the CEO and Founder of the Center for Responsible Hospitality, she leads the organization’s operations, strategy, and programming.

At the Financial Alliance for Women, she led transformative initiatives, including the launch of the Female Economy Analytics platform, which revolutionized the use of gender data to create more inclusive finance. She also led all research and knowledge programming and published extensively around the areas of gender data analytics, customer-centric market research, and product innovation. She has led partnerships with major organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations. Rebecca also  held key roles at Women’s World Banking, the world’s largest microfinance network, where she managed the Gender Performance Initiative and helped establish its first equity fund for gender-lens investing.

Rebecca’s career began in hotel real estate and development with HVS International and Starwood Hotels. She has since worked extensively in sustainable hospitality, investing in and supporting independent, community-focused properties. 

Rebecca currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Aliados, supporting indigenous farmers' in the Amazon transition to regenerative practices. She holds a Master’s in International Development and Economics from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)  and a Bachelor’s with distinction in Hospitality Administration from Cornell University.