A love of art, architecture and design led Ruth to complete her degree in Fine Art History at the University of Toronto's Trinity College.

Her interest in art and language took her abroad to visit and live in London and Siena, Italy where she continued her studies in art and Italian language while working part-time as an English language teacher. 

In 1996 she began working as manager and CEO for the late Lord Anthony Lambton's vast estate, Villa Cetinale, at Ancaiano, Siena.  There she worked promoting and organising the letting of his rental cottage, La Cerbaia - a retreat much favoured by the English, including the Prince of Wales and Jools Holland.  She co-ordinated the bi-weekly bus-tour viewings of the Villa's extensive, and internationally renowned, gardens and park.

In 2002 she began personally designing the architectural and structural renovations for the ground floor and gardens of a 16th century palazzo in Tuscany, where she created her own business - a bed and breakfast, Il Giardino della Torre, which she has run, full-time, since 2005.

In 2007 she began working, part-time, in the state’s education system as an English language teacher and consultant.  She moved back to Canada in the spring of 2012.