Meet the 'Survivor 44' Cast! Yogi Jaime Lynn Ruiz Already Has a Final Four Alliance Planned Out

The 35-year-old from Mesa, Arizona is leaning on ten years of corporate work that she just left behind.

When asked about her job, Jaime Lynn Ruiz replies she does “a little bit of everything.” But the yogi is banking the most on her decade in corporate America, hoping her quick relationship building will get her the million-dollar promotion. Despite her physical flexibility, the 35-year-old already has a set gameplan coming in, finding a “ride or die” that builds into an alliance of four who cover all aspects of the game.

Read on for my interview with Jaime, and make sure to check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this season’s contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 44 premieres on March 1 with a special two-hour premiere on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 44

Interview with Jaime from Survivor 44

To start, tell us about yourself.
My name is Jaime Ruiz. I am 34 years old. I’m from Mesa, Arizona. And I am a marketing consultant. I’m also a yogi, a gardener, an artist. I do a little bit of everything.

Why are you here on Survivor?
I am here to A. Win the million dollars, B. Have an adventure of a lifetime, and C. To build lifelong relationships with all of my friends. I’m so excited. They’re all going to be my best friends. They don’t know it yet. (Laughs.)

What’s your history with watching Survivor?
I am a day one Survivor fan. We watched episode one, season one, and we never missed it. Back in the day before DVR, before Paramount+, we had to record it on VHS if we had like a school recital. So we still have VHS tapes that say “Survivor: Do Not Record Over.” (Laughs.) So I’m a day one fan. And then, during the pandemic, my brother and I watched every single season again together. We were separately quarantined, so we would FaceTime and then start Paramount+ and watch just to refresh our memories. And every time you watch it, it hits differently.

Give me one Survivor winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most.
This is a great question. I know it’s kind of soon to say this. But I identify so much with Maryanne. I loved the way that she played the game. She built relationships very quickly, very easily. And I loved the way that she played the game. I think that everyone underestimated her. But she was brilliantly moving her chess pieces exactly how she needed to. She made the big moves when she needed to. It’s the most recent winner, but I definitely identify with Maryanne. And I just love how joyful she was! Watching her interact with everybody, I see myself in her in that way. And I hope that I can interact and have that same charisma that she brought to the game.

And the non-winner that I identify with is Shan. Shan was the best. I loved watching her do her little plans. (Laughs.) And I identify with her because she is super strategic, and she was very bold and brilliant in all of her moves. She would go face to face and ask the questions that she needed to to find out. She was always gathering information. So I loved the way that she played the game. I think that if she comes back, she can totally win it. I mean, she’s a great player to watch. I loved that. So she’s the non-winner that I would identify with.

What’s your favorite moment in Survivor history?
Really, it’s anything with Sandra. I love Sandra. The queen stays queen with all my heart. So all her little one-liners, “as long as it ain’t me.” (Laughs.) That’s literally what I’m bringing with me to the island. I’m harnessing that Sandra energy. As long as it ain’t me, I’m happy to vote for whoever. (Laughs.) I love every moment with Sandra in all the seasons. She’s my favorite.

What’s one life experience you feel has prepared you most for the game?
I would say my time in corporate America has prepared me to win this game because it is all about relationship building. I had ten years in corporate America where I was building relationships to get to the next promotion. That is how I’m going to enter the game of Survivor, building relationships right off the bat. People care about how you make them feel, and they remember that. So I want to make sure that I keep that top of mind that, yes, it’s a game. But that is the key to getting the votes at final Tribal Council, making sure that everyone that I have a personal emotional connection with every single player will look different.

What excites you the most about the new era of Survivor?
You never know what you’re gonna get. I love this new era of Survivor because you have to stay on your toes the entire time. You have to have your plan A, B, C, and D because you never know how the cards are going to fall. You can’t really anticipate anything like we have been able to in the past, and that’s what makes it so fun. You have to be creative and on your toes at all times.

What do you think people will perceive you as?
I think people will perceive me as bubbly, outgoing, and energetic. And I’m hoping that works in my favor because, as bubbly and energetic as I am, I will be strategizing and playing chess in my mind with all of the moving parts throughout the game. Sit’ll be kind of like a show I put on. I have to distract them with my bubbly energy so that they don’t know what I’m really strategizing. (Laughs.)

What type of player are you looking for in an alliance?
So I have this all planned out. I want a ride or die that is kind of the opposite of me to reel in the opposite type of castaways on his side. The way that I see it is somebody opposite of me but very strategic, super smart, competitive. So we have the ride or die, the two. And then the next two, I have to have somebody that is a beast at challenges and then somebody that is sneaky, bringing all the information. So I have all four corners built in an alliance we can take to the end.

How eager will you be to look for advantages in the game?
Oh, I’m really eager. I am playing hardball. This is Survivor; I came to play. I’m looking for idols. I’m looking for advantages. And if it’s a Beware Advantage, I’m going for it. Because it’s all or nothing. We are swinging for the fences.

What is the one thing you told yourself you wouldn’t do in this game?
Oh, I told myself that I was not going to take anything personally. It’s not personal. This is gameplay. We are coming to play this game that we all love. And I’m not going to take anything personally, whether it’s a rumor that’s started about me or I’m voted out by one of my best friends. It’s nothing personal. This is all game. That is the promise I made to myself.

What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play?
Never give up. Those were kind of the last words when I spoke to my family. And that’s what I move through life with, is that mantra: “Never give up.” Because it’s never the end until it’s the end. Anything is possible. Never give up, and anything’s possible.

Can you come up with your own weird phrase that could be said at a challenge to unlock an idol?
“The pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow.”

What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
This is a great question. A celebrity I would love to have come out for a Loved Ones visit is Johnny Depp. He’s used to the island life. And I think it would be so fun. I mean, he’s got to catch me up on everything that’s going on in his life. And I think that it would be so fun to hang out with him on the island. (Laughs.)

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 44 contestant Brandon Cottom.