Ryan is originally from the Philadelphia, PA area. He moved to Florida in August 2021 to work as a teaching assistant with students at The Learning Center at the Els for Autism campus. After two years in that position, he worked an additional two years at The Learning Academy. He also was part of the afternoon recreation program at Els. In July 2025, Ryan was offered a position as the Physical Education teacher at the Atlantis Academy in West Palm Beach (a private school for students with special needs) and decided to take the challenge.As a young child, Ryan struggled with academic, visual-motor, and social skills and was diagnosed with NVLD (nonverbal learning disability). This diagnosis, which shares similar traits with autism, remained with him through his college years. With support services throughout school, Ryan was able to receive a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Administration from York College in PA.
Recently, at the age of 40, he pursued an updated assessment which revealed a diagnosis of ASD Level 1, bringing clarity to the experiences he has had throughout his life. Ryan has dedicated his career to helping individuals with special needs. Currently, in addition to his full-time job, he teaches tennis to individuals with autism through the Love Serving Autism program and works with private clients in the community. In his free time, Ryan belongs to run clubs and is an avid pickleball player. He recently became an uncle to his nephew, Leo, who lives in Philadelphia.
