Gabrielle Ruiz is an American actress, philanthropist, educator, activist and champion for the arts. She is known for the iconic musical comedy, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, where she received rave reviews as Valencia Perez. Her role as “out of control” Vulcan T’Lyn in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks was an immediate fan favorite sensation and continues into current seasons. She starred as the beloved villain Karen and choreographed the film Dance Dads, which won the Audience Award for Comedy Feature at Austin Film Festival. Gabrielle’s latest film, Guns & Moses, recently premiered at the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival where she starred alongside Mark Feurstein, Christopher Lloyd and Neal McDonough.

You can also catch Gabrielle on Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Ridley Jones, Mr. Mayor, Modern Family, Better Things, Alone Together, Orange Is The New Black, Sesame Street, and Law & Order: SVU. She enjoys visiting TV game shows Pictionary and 25 Words or Less playing alongside fellow celebrities like Raven-Symoné, Carson Kressley, and Greg Grunberg. Gabrielle launched her career performing on Broadway in If/Then with Idina Menzel, Evita with Ricky Martin, In The Heights with Lin-Manuel Miranda, and in the 1st National Tour of A Chorus Line, as Diana Morales.

Gabrielle hails from Edinburg, Texas, known locally as the Rio Grande Valley, where she produces and directs many musical theatre projects and workshops for public school educational systems and non-profit organizations. She was the 2023 Master of Ceremonies at the State of The City Address for Pharr, TX to rave reviews. Her vocal training is a product of public school education and studied dance at Melba’s Dance School in McAllen, TX. She is a BFA graduate of Oklahoma City University, majoring in Dance Performance with a focus in pedagogy and choreography. 

Gabrielle has addressed Members of Congress in support of Arts Education Week, has been the keynote speaker for the Human Rights Campaign San Diego Gala, and has hosted many fundraisers for non-profit organizations, most of which focus on arts education and dance. She was presented the Ursa Major Award from Alpha Phi International Women’s Fraternity in 2019.

She continues to mentor, career coach, and choreograph in addition to being the proud mother of two girls, Mercedes and Vivienne and two fur children, Veronica and Leela. Gabrielle is excited to introduce herself to the performing arts scene of NEPA, her husband Philip Pisanchyn’s homeland.