Before joining TNG, Ryan spent 8 years as an investigator at Penn State University in both the Office of Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response and the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response. He investigated allegations of sexual and gender-based misconduct, discriminatory harassment, organizational misconduct, hazing, substance use, and physical violence.

Before working as an investigator, Ryan was an admissions counselor for the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and was a classroom teacher in an alternative education for disruptive youth setting. He also served for 5 years in the US Marine Corps during which he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.