Ryan T Johnson

Helping companies put their data to work

Panel discussion about data science hosted by Snack Nation. Photo by Rob Lynn.

Panel discussion about data science hosted by Snack Nation. Photo by Rob Lynn.

Presentation for DataCon LA 2020

About Me

My data work began in the field of neuroanatomy studying how androgens alter glial cell arborization. This led to a fellowship finding patterns in large sets of MRI data from children with Autism. I then began building and leading teams of analysts, scientists, and researchers for businesses interested in developing highly effective data capabilities. During this time I’ve found logical, quantitative, and scientific thinking universally valuable and have helped consumer-electronics, digital advertising, and software firms turn their data into impactful insights and products.

Experience

GoGuardian Software

Senior Director of Data and AI
July 2022 to present

Director of Science and Analytics
August 2019 to present

Head of Data Science
April 2018 to August 2019

Centerfield Media

Vice President of Data Science
February 2017 to February 2018

Big Ass Solutions

Head of Data Science and Analytics
May 2015 to Nov 2016

Data Scientist
Jan 2015 to May 2015

The MIND Institute at the UC Davis Medical Center

Ruth L. Kirschstein Research Fellow
Aug 2011 to Dec 2014

Education

Ph.D. Neuroscience
Michigan State University
Breedlove-Jordan Laboratory

M.A. Psychology
The College of William and Mary
Burk Laboratory

B.S. Experimental Psychology
University of Tennessee
Cum Laude

Skills & Additional Information

Data visualization

Data warehousing

Data modeling

Statistical analysis

Machine learning

Data privacy and ethics

Data infrastructure

Team building

Public speaking

Artificial Intelligence

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Testimonials

Ryan is a rare combination of exceptional technical brilliance, astute business acumen, and genuine empathy. Under his leadership, our team consistently exceeded expectations, delivering high-quality solutions that had a positive impact on the company’s bottom line.

But Ryan’s impact goes far beyond his technical prowess. He is a true leader who cares deeply about his team members. He is always willing to go the extra mile to help them develop their skills and achieve their goals. He is a role model for us all, demonstrating what it means to be a successful and compassionate leader. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Ryan. He is a mentor and friend who has profoundly impacted my career.
— Manoj Rawat, Director of Data Engineering
Ryan somehow manages to promote teamwork and foster independence at the same time, and has created a team environment in which all of us can thrive individually and still have fun together. He regularly reminds us that his job is to support us and help us succeed, and I genuinely believe he cares about helping us reach the next level—in our projects, in our careers, and beyond. He has improved my (and the company’s) entire outlook and approach to data science, and I am thrilled to be learning so much from such a great manager.
— Katrina Torng, Data Scientist
Ryan possesses an acute understanding of the intrinsic value of data for business. He has a talent for identifying critical gaps and addressing them with actionable business strategies leading to robust and useful data products whether it’s a dashboard or a production ML model.

As a communicator, Ryan excels in both written and verbal forms. He has an innate ability to distill complex topics into understandable narratives in an inclusive way that truly makes data a team sport.

Should you have the opportunity to work with Ryan, I highly recommend seizing it. His leadership and expertise are invaluable assets in any organization.
— Mike Frantz, Lead Data Scientist

Contact

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Honors, Awards, and Funding

Certification in College Teaching - Psychology

NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32)

The M.I.N.D. Institute Autism Research Training Fellowship

NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31)

MSU Neuroscience Program Research Excellence Award

MSU Neuroscience Program Research Enhancement Fellowship

Invited Presentation - NIH graduate research symposium

The College of William and Mary - Minor Research Grant

Google Scholar Index

 
Glial cell arbors (green) and nuclei (blue) with Androgen receptor (red) visualized using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy

Glial cell arbors (green) and nuclei (blue) with Androgen receptor (red) visualized using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy

Autism Phenome Project

The goal of the Autism Phenome Project is to characterize heterogeneity within Autism spectrum disorder. In 2011 I was tasked with using a large imaging and behavioral dataset to begin identifying potential subgroups within autism. White matter abnormalities were identified with several distinct group profiles along with sex-differences in the neuroanatomy of typically developing children. The work is continued by Drs. Christine Wu-Nordahl and David Amaral.

Males and females with ASD were determined to exhibit different patterns of white matter alterations compared to their typically developing same-sex counterparts.  Brain alterations in children with ASD may be different in males and females.&nb…

Males and females with ASD were determined to exhibit different patterns of white matter alterations compared to their typically developing same-sex counterparts. Brain alterations in children with ASD may be different in males and females.

Models predicting autism severity based on white matter alterations in females with autism exhibited high accuracy and low complexity based upon adjusted R-squared and Akaike information criteria.

Models predicting autism severity based on white matter alterations in females with autism exhibited high accuracy and low complexity based upon adjusted R-squared and Akaike information criteria.