Meet
Ryan
Growing up in Orange County
Ryan was born and raised in South Orange County to a working-class family. His Canadian-American father worked as a package delivery driver, while his Mexican-American mother was a grocery store clerk. Education played a transformative role in his family’s journey as a child; his father pursued a new career by attending law school at night and became an attorney shortly after Ryan’s second sibling was born. His mother continued her education and is now an attendance clerk for Capistrano Unified.
Ryan attended public schools in San Clemente before transferring to JSerra Catholic High School in his sophomore year. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from San Francisco State University, where he joined the Political Science Honor Society, and later completed a Master of Arts in Teaching and a History-Social Science teaching credential at UC Irvine in 2018.
Ryan with his parents and sister
Ryan teaching in an Irvine classroom, 2018
Education in Orange County
Upon receiving his teaching credential, Ryan began teaching History in classrooms across South Orange County, including Irvine Unified, Laguna Beach Unified, Newport-Mesa Unified, and Ocean View School Districts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryan served as the lead teacher of the Distance Learner Intervention Program at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach. In 2021, Ryan attained an English Language Arts teaching authorization from the University of California, Los Angeles.
In 2022, Ryan became the youngest member of the South Orange County Community College District’s Board of Trustees. In 2024, Ryan became the youngest member in SOCCCD history to be elected and serve as Board Vice President. As the Board's only renter, he has been a strong advocate for students navigating housing and cost-of-living challenges. Ryan collaborates with fellow trustees across ideological lines to uphold the nationally recognized excellence of Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College.
Residing in Irvine, Ryan enjoys walking his Corgi, Pippin, along Jeffrey Trail and hiking to Top of the World in Laguna Beach.
Ryan and Pippin
Ryan Graduating from UCI’s School of Education, 2018