About Dr. Ryan

I am an educator, entrepreneur, and executive leader dedicated to improving lives through innovation, literacy, and compassionate service. My career spans nearly two decades in education and business leadership, guided by one consistent mission: to build systems that empower people to thrive.

Educational Leadership & Literacy Expertise

My professional foundation is rooted in education. I have served as a classroom teacher, mentor, literacy specialist, and instructional leader across multiple elementary grade levels. Throughout my career, I have led high-performing classrooms, mentored new educators, contributed to accreditation and curriculum initiatives, and consistently exceeded district and state academic benchmarks.

As a Literacy Clinician and Specialist, I work privately with students in grades K–12 to diagnose and remediate challenges in reading, writing, and language development. My approach is data-driven, individualized, and grounded in research-based best practices.

I earned my Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. My academic work reflects my commitment to instructional excellence, literacy development, and educational equity.

Additional credentials include:

  • Reading Specialist Credential – California Lutheran University

  • Multiple Subject Credential with BCLAD certification – California State University Channel Islands

  • MBA with an emphasis in international relations – University of South Australia

  • B.A. in Spanish – University of California, Irvine

My academic background reflects both instructional depth and global business perspective.

Innovation in Care & Communication

In 2017, I founded Simple Day, a cross-platform mobile application designed to improve coordination between caregivers, educators, and medical personnel serving exceptional students and individuals with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The platform was created to close communication gaps and ensure continuity of care across environments.

This venture reflects my passion for building practical tools that solve real-world problems for families and professionals alike.

Executive Leadership & Business Operations

I also served as CEO of my family’s 50-year-old orthotic and prosthetic clinic, stepping into full executive leadership during a period of profound transition. In this role, I oversaw operations, financial management, marketing, fabrication, contracts, and human resources.

My leadership ensured stability, growth, and continuity during a challenging chapter for the organization. With a background in accounting and finance oversight dating back to 2003, I brought both strategic vision and operational discipline to the role.

Community & Service

Service has always been central to my work. I actively contribute to professional and community organizations, including educational leadership boards, international honor societies, alumni advisory roles, NICU support services, and county civic initiatives.

My Philosophy

Whether in the classroom, the boardroom, or the community, my work is guided by three principles:

  • Excellence through preparation

  • Leadership through service

  • Innovation with purpose

I believe meaningful impact happens at the intersection of compassion, expertise, and courageous leadership.