Josh Ruxin

Alissa and Josh Ruxin met on a blind date in Manhattan in 2003. Several months later, they were given an unusual honeymoon offer: move to Rwanda to help address poverty and improve public health! They accepted but all did not go as expected.

While Josh built health facilities, Alissa was busy in Kigali building Heaven Restaurant and Boutique Hotel – to provide vocational training to genocide survivors. The business and work of helping to rebuild the country permanently delayed their return to New York. The Ruxins have 3 children of their own and 3 adopted Rwandan children.

Today Josh is co-founder and former CEO of GoodLife Pharmacy, the largest retail pharmacy in East Africa.

In 2018, Alissa and Josh opened The Retreat, Kigali’s most luxurious and eco-friendly hotel which hosted King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla in 2022.