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

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.”
“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. ”
“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.”
Contact

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
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.
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.