Ryan is the Director of National Partnerships for CareerWise. Born and raised in Castle Rock, CO, Ryan received his bachelor’s in entrepreneurial management and marketing from Creighton University and was the first recipient of the Creighton Entrepreneurial Student Leader of the Year Award. He later became Marketing Manager and Director of Community Engagement for Intertech Plastics. Ryan was then contracted by the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Alliance to build workforce development programs across Colorado. This led Ryan to manage the startup of CareerWise Colorado, a systemic approach to youth apprenticeships, akin to the Swiss VET System. Additionally, he helped build Governor Hickenlooper’s Business Experiential Learning (BEL) Commission and organized the Governor’s apprenticeship delegation to Switzerland. After running a gubernatorial campaign, Ryan went on to consult with various nonprofit and government organizations on workforce development initiatives, including raising over $4M for the State of Colorado and developing a 20-state network focused on skills in the digital economy, before returning to CareerWise to lead national growth efforts. Ryan has been on the Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado Young Professionals Board since 2013 and is an appointed member of the American Swiss Foundation’s Young Leaders Conference. He enjoys traveling with friends and family, skiing, cooking, and camping.