Welcoming our new CEO

Today we welcome Ruth Marvel to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as our new CEO, where she will guide colleagues, volunteers and supporters in building on the charity’s strong foundations and supporting more young people to make a positive difference to their own lives and society.

Ruth has a wealth of experience in the youth sector, advocacy, research and public policy, including her roles as Deputy CEO and Acting CEO at Girlguiding and Director of Strategy and Innovation at the disability charity Scope, and is passionate about empowering young people.

During her first few months here, she will be travelling throughout the UK to introduce herself to colleagues, visit DofE centres, attend events and meet supporters, to gain a rich understanding of the charity and the personal experiences of young people doing their DofE.

Reflecting on joining the DofE, Ruth comments:
“Giving young people a good start in life and providing access to valuable experiences will help them to build a prosperous future for themselves and working for the DofE is the perfect next step for me to make a difference in this area. I am a strong believer in the value of non-formal education and the benefits it brings, and I look forward to championing the contributions young people are making to our world and the valuable support my colleagues, volunteers and supporters provide to them.”

Ruth’s appointment follows the retirement of Peter Westgarth, who retired as CEO of the DofE in June, following a tenure of 14 years.