Ryan draws on decades of experience as a writer, editor, and team leader to help Conlon Public Strategies’ clients sharpen their messages, tell their stories, and build the editorial and communications capacity they need to advance their missions. A skilled collaborator, he brings a rare combination of storytelling craft, editorial rigor, and hands-on team leadership to client projects ranging from strategic communications to content development and profile-raising.

Ryan’s writing career spans the world. He has authored over 170 books and countless articles about people, places, and topics across six continents, but he has always been grounded in Chicago, where he has written for the Tribune, the Sun-Times, and most other publications with Chicago in the name, as well as making appearances across Windy City media. Early in his career, he worked as an investigative journalist, researching the stories of the wrongfully convicted on Illinois’ death row — work that sharpened the research and fact-finding instincts he brings to client engagements today.

Ryan thrives in collaborative settings. As a publisher at the legendary travel media company Lonely Planet, he led teams of skilled authors, editors, designers, and other creative colleagues, organizing complex projects and transforming how people experience the world. At Google, he led a team monitoring global events to identify and eliminate misinformation during crisis situations, giving him firsthand expertise in managing fast-moving content and protecting credibility under pressure.Ryan’s compelling feature stories earned him multiple Lisagor Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Chicago Headline Club, among other honors. Interviewed for his world travel savvy, The New York Times described Ryan as “extraordinarily knowledgeable.”

Community

• • Led a project that organized relief after the devastating 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Southeast Asia, showcasing grassroots recovery efforts for others to follow and earning recognition from the United Nations.
  • Mentored countless writers and journalists, both through formal programs and individually.
  • Active member of Logan Square Preservation, the group dedicated to this historic neighborhood’s culture, heritage, and future.

Education

Ryan has a degree in communications and theater from the University of Notre Dame, where he was responsible for all editorial content at the daily newspape