• When a community commits itself to fairness,justice and equal representation for all its citizens, it has taken the first step toward what we all want for ourselves, our families and our children.

    One Columbus' programs and activities that support bridge building and education begin to make these possible. Our city and our world can benefit from learning about each other and we can do this from the relentless pursuit of democratic dialogue which you offer to our community.


  • Vivian Creighton-Bishop
    Municipal Court Clerk
    Columbus, Georgia

Ruby Payne- 2007 Keynote Speaker

Ruby Payne

Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D. is at the forefront of understanding and action in the field of diversity and poverty. Her decades-long study of the “Hidden Rules” of class has brought eye-opening insight and practical solutions to thousands of people who, like her, desire to raise the level of understanding, communication, and cooperation between people of all cultures and classes.

Her educational background includes a B.A. from Goshen College, an M.S. in English Literature from Western Michigan University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University.

Dynamic and accessible, Dr. Payne speaks at more than 180 engagements per year. Business and community leaders, educators, and social service workers all benefit from her practical and creative solutions to the challenges posed by socioeconomic and cultural differences among individuals and groups.

A prolific author, Dr. Payne has written or co-authored more than a dozen books, including her seminal A Framework for Understanding Poverty, which has sold more than 800,000 copies since its release in 1996.

As founder and CEO of Aha!Process, Inc., a highly successful publishing and training company, Dr. Payne has training programs that include a dozen seminars on the subject of poverty and class differences, while her publishing credits include more than 25 books and video products.

Dr. Payne’s career-long mission is to positively impact the lives of people in poverty throughout the world. Since 1972, when she first took up the role of professional educator, success has followed her efforts. Initially a teacher and central office administrator, later an educational consultant, she is now also a trainer, speaker, author, business owner, and publisher. In short, she has become the go-to expert on the affects of class differences on relationships, whether at home, at work, in organizations, or in educational settings.

To find out more about Dr. Payne, her published works, and her training programs, please visit www.ahaprocess.com, or call 800-424-9484.