Ryan is a white, cisgender man with roots in Oregon. He was inspired early in his graphic design career by initiatives that showed not only how design could be used to amplify positive things being done in the world, but could drive change. Fueled by the idea that everything is open to being rethought, and the potential for design as a tool to lead change efforts, Ryan has focused on initiatives for sustainability and especially on those that build more equitable and responsible environments. Ryan applies agency experience as well as deep knowledge working with large and small organizations to create and develop brands and communication strategies. He strives to avoid being “precious” about design, but instead fosters an open and co-creative relationship with partners and clients. He brings curiosity and joy to projects through a design practice coupled with a love of science that has taught him to embrace experimentation, user testing, and challenging assumptions. By bringing in other illustrators, designers, writers, and programmers with expertise and backgrounds that supplement his own, he consciously pushes design to foster better understanding, equity, accessibility, and relevance to a broader range of people. Ryan regularly leads workshops teaching visual thinking techniques to mixed teams of creatives, college students, and business professionals.