Ryan grew up in a family that loved to travel, living in Hawaii, Germany and across the mainland U.S. before settling in Colorado in 2001. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in K–12 music education from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master’s degree in Music from Kansas State University, with an emphasis on logistics and leadership.

Before joining Natural Habitat Adventures, Ryan spent a decade as a band director for 5th– through 12th-grade students in Boulder Valley, organizing travel for marching bands, concert ensembles and chamber groups. He later transitioned to the music publishing industry, where he worked for four years as a publications database specialist, developing expertise in FileMaker development, data management and workflow design. Ryan joined Nat Hab’s Systems Team in 2025 as a FileMaker Developer, combining his technical background with his commitment to efficiency and collaboration.

With this shift, Ryan has refocused his energy toward conservation, community involvement and education through interpretation. He and his wife also completed the Denver Audubon Master Birder Program in 2024 and now volunteer with local birding education programs.

Ryan’s adventures have taken him kayaking and camping in the San Juan Islands, cycling across northern Italy and honeymooning in Belize. When not exploring Colorado’s mountains, he enjoys music, trying new foods, reading books, playing tabletop and video games, biking and performing with his video game cover band, Airship Overdrive.