About Ryan

At home in melrose

Ryan is the son of two public school teachers, and he lives their legacy of public service through a career as a nonprofit fundraiser, raising and stewarding millions of dollars to solve our most challenging problems. Ryan is the current Ward 7 City Councilor, the chair of the Legal & Legislative committee, and the Vice Chair of the Melrose Pedestrian and Cyclists Advisory Committee. The core values of respect, optimism, and doing what’s best for the greater good of Melrose drive his passion for local volunteerism and advocacy.

Work Experience: A former Merchant Marine Captain (USCG 100 Ton Master, Great Lakes/Inland Waterways), Ryan completed a bachelors degree in journalism with a focus on health, science and the environment at Columbia College Chicago in 2007. He has spent most of his career working in community service and advocacy nonprofit organizations, primarily as a fundraiser. He has raised tens of millions of dollars in grants to support local food pantries, domestic violence shelters, opioid and other substance abuse recovery and prevention programs, senior health and wellness services, and veterans housing and services. Today he works for one of the world’s largest environmental advocacy nonprofits, carefully overseeing millions of dollars in donations annually for local and global campaigns to protect our land, keep our air and water clean, and fight back climate change. His work ensures that every hard-earned dollar of donations is properly spent for the maximum public benefit and in ways that provide the most value and transparency, and he’ll bring that experience and compassion to City Hall.

Local Volunteering: Besides serving on the City Council, Ryan is a member of the Melrose Energy Comission, an occasional soccer coach, and the Vice Chair of the Melrose Pedestrian and Cyclist Advisory Committee, a citizen advisory group that makes recommendations to the City of Melrose on policy and practices to promote safe and accessible neighboorhood streets. He chairs the city’s legal and legislative committee, and is a member of the city’s open space and recreation plan committee, and its water and sewer rate committee.

Family Life: Ryan and his wife Amber and their two children are happy to have chosen Melrose to call home. Like many of us, Ryan and his family love Melrose for its tree-lined streets, access to parks and conservation land, walkable access to a downtown with great shops and dining, plentiful public transit options, and welcoming sense of community. They are proud Hoover Hawks.