Ruth A. Hansen, PhD, OT, FAOTA, has acted as occupational therapy’s ethicist. She moved the profession from a medical paternalistic standards perspective of ethics to an understanding of ethics grounded in sound moral reasoning that incorporated feminist perspective on caring. As chair of the AOTA Standards and Ethics Commission, she led the commission's development of a clear and concise statement of the profession’s values and led the revision of ethics standards. She advocated for a professional ethics officer at the national association level, a position created during her tenure as chair of the SEC. In addition to her significant publications, she ensured that everyone in the profession had a voice.