September 15, 2025
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Ruth Goba as Executive Director. Ms. Goba brings extensive experience in intersectional feminism, human rights, and anti-discrimination work.
“Forty years in, the need for LEAF’s work is as great as it has ever been. I am excited to work with our staff and communities to advance gender equality throughout Canada. While there is much to do, we have strength in our relationships, community power, and movement solidarity to push back against misogyny, transphobia, and racism.”
Ruth Goba, incoming LEAF Executive Director
Prior to joining LEAF, Ms. Goba worked independently as a consultant and was regularly called on by government ministries, law schools, public school boards and schools, independent schools, law firms, and legal clinics to conduct investigations, provide trainings, and/or speak about human rights, equity and anti-Black racism.
Ms. Goba was the Founding Executive Director of the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), worked as an adjudicator and mediator at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and served as Commissioner and Interim Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. She led the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation as their Executive Director and worked in private practice focusing on human rights, racism, gender inequity, and disability discrimination. She has served on LEAF’s National Legal Committee, the board of the National Association of Women and the Law, and the board of the Human Rights Legal Support Centre.
“In a momentous year for LEAF and a critical time for the rights of women, trans people, and migrants, I am thrilled that Ruth Goba will be joining LEAF as Executive Director. I am confident that she and the LEAF team will accomplish great things in this exciting next chapter in LEAF’s journey.”
Hadiya Roderique, LEAF Board Chair
About the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national not-for-profit and charity that works to advance the equality rights of women, girls, trans, and non-binary people in Canada through litigation, law reform, and public legal education. Since 1985, LEAF has intervened in more than 140 cases that have helped shape the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. To find out more, visit www.leaf.ca.