Ryan began his journey with Lindsey Wilson College in fall of 1996 as a freshman on the main campus. At this time he was fortunate to have received a track and cross country scholarship that paid my tuition as he worked toward his Human Services Degree. During his four year undergraduate program experience, he had the opportunity to travel across North America as part of Lindsey Wilson's Track/Cross Country Program.

After graduation with his Bachelor degree in spring 2000, Ryan married his high school sweetheart, and fellow Lindsey Wilson alumna, Fran Napier. They began their life together in a small apartment on Lindsey Wilson's campus as Ryan worked as an apartment manager for the Residence Life Department, while pursuing his Master's in Mental Health Counseling and Human Development. During those two years he and his wife welcomed their baby girl, Abby, into the world. During that time Ryan worked as a graduate assistant to the Human Services Department, an Apartment Manager for Residence Life, a Mental Health Associate for a local Mental Health Agency, went to school full-time, and began his new role as a father.

After completing my Master Degree in 2002, Ryan's family returned home to Harlan County, and Ryan began his stint with the Extended Campus Programs as coordinator of the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. Ryan pioneered the first Bachelor's and Master's program at SKCTC, seeing the first undergraduate class graduate in December 2003.

Ryan is pleased to serve Lindsey Wilson now as the Director of Enrollment for the School of Professional Counseling, supervising all of our twenty one current extension sites. Ryan's passion continues to be teaching in the undergraduate program, but finds rewards in playing a part in the enrollment of nearly nine hundred students across our sites. He finds much fulfillment taking part in the Mental Health Movement that Dr. John Rigney and Dr. Angelia Bryant have initiated across Southeastern Kentucky, and beyond.