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Ruth Van Reken

Vice-Chair

Dr. Ruth Van Reken is a US citizen who grew up in Nigeria as a second generation Third Culture Kid (TCK) and raised her three daughters in Liberia. In 1984, Ruth began journaling while seeking to better understand both the benefits received and challenges faced from a globally mobile childhood. That journaling ultimately became her first book, now Letters Never Sent.  As others responded to her story, she realized she was not alone and for over thirty-five years, Ruth has traveled extensively speaking about issues related to global family lifestyles. Currently, she is seeking to understand how lessons learned from the traditional TCK experience can be part of a mutually beneficial conversation with others studying, working with, or living the experience of the larger cohort she calls Cross-Cultural Kids (CCKs)—those raised among many cultural worlds for various reasons. Ruth is also co-author of Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds, 3rd edition, multiple other writings and co-founder and past chairperson of Families in Global Transition. In 2019 she received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree (Litt.D) from Wheaton College for her work in this field. Learn more at: www.crossculturalkid.org.

Ruth Van Reken
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