Clinic Director Ruth Norwood, BSN, M.M. grew up in Bellevue, WA. Early on in life Ruth knew that she wanted to become a nurse. Both her mother and grandmother were in the profession and she wanted to follow in their footsteps. Ruth attended Seattle University for her nursing degree and years later went on to receive her masters degree in management from the University of Phoenix. Ruth has been an integral part of ESHC since the start. Her husband, and audiologist, Thomas Norwood, had the idea of starting ESHC in 1979. When the clinic opened Ruth not only worked her “9-5” as a nurse, but also managed the day-to-day operations and the billing for the clinic. As the clinic continued to grow, Ruth left her position as a nurse and took on the management of ESHC full-time.
One thing she loves about working at ESHC is running into patients while out in the community and hearing positive feedback from them about their experience. Ruth also mentioned how rewarding it is to have a small business that allows others to make a living and also helps people communicate, especially in the current economy.
In her spare time, Ruth enjoys walking 2.2 miles each morning with her cousin on Finn Hill, doing the “Bar Method” exercise classes, as well as spending time at her church and taking care of her 81 year old mother.