Ruth Hayden is a nationally recognized financial consultant, educator and author based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1982 she founded Ruth L. Hayden and Associates, Inc., a consulting and educational company. As an educator, she is known in the industry for her financial innovation beginning in the early 1980s in establishing the relationship between emotions and money. Today we know that as Behavioral Finance.

She is the author of four books. Your Money Life: The "Make-It-Work" Workbook is her most recent  book.  This workbook is a hands-on approach to learning about money.  She also published Start Where You Are: Retirement Planning in a Changing World, a pragmatic and holistic guide to planning the retirement you want.  In 2003 it won the MIPA book achievement award.

For 24 years, Hayden has taught classes that challenge women to take charge of their lives as knowledgeable, strong and focused women. Her "Women and Money" course inspired the book entitled How To Turn Your Money Life Around: The Money Book for Women, which was nominated for the 1993 Minnesota Book Award. In 2002, Hayden received the Award for Support and Encouragement of Girls and Women by an Individual from the Ann Bancroft Foundation.

Hayden also teaches a popular series of classes called "Couples and Money" which is the basis for her book, For Richer, Not Poorer: The Money Book for Couples. The book and these classes teach a workable partnership model of managing money.

She has been quoted in numerous national publications, including Washington Post, Washington Times, Money, Newsweek, Reader's Digest, Mademoiselle, Working Woman, Money Sense, New York Newsday, Ladies' Home Journal, Parents Magazine, Utne, Woman's World, Time, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Minneapolis Star and Tribune, Business Week, Forbes.com and Bankrate.com. She is a 2006 winner of the Upsize Lifeline Award–an acknowledgement of her work in developing small businesses. She is a frequent guest and commentator on Public Radio.