Paul Ruiz serves as Senior Director of Policy at SAFE, where he supports the organization’s core policy team and its centers focused on advancing U.S. supply chains for critical minerals, transportation mobility, electrification, and European energy security. A seasoned policy strategist with more than a decade of experience in energy, transportation, and national security, Paul works to develop actionable solutions that enhance U.S. economic and energy resilience.

Before rejoining SAFE, Paul was a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense, where he led energy and environmental policy initiatives for the Department of the Air Force. In this role, he oversaw efforts to enhance installation energy resilience, guided strategic investments in renewable energy and infrastructure, and engaged with key stakeholders across the Pentagon, Congress, and regulatory agencies. His work earned him an Air Force civilian service medal.

Paul previously spent five years at the American Trucking Associations (ATA), where he managed the energy and environmental policy portfolio for the nation’s largest freight and logistics association. He played a key role in shaping federal regulations on vehicle emissions, air quality standards, and electrification incentives while serving as the trucking industry’s primary liaison to agencies like the EPA and DOT. His work also included leading research on infrastructure investments for electric trucks and crafting congressional testimony on sustainability policies. In 2023, he was selected as a Clean Energy Leadership Fellow.

He holds a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware’s Biden School of Public Policy and Administration.