As a biologist with a background in park services, Ryan is always excited to see how his work benefits the broader community – whether wildlife, people, or both. Having lived in Texas, Oklahoma, and now New Mexico, he sees the importance of being a steward of the land and environment we are so fortunate to occupy.
At PLJV, Ryan is focused on helping landowners restore and conserve wetlands, primarily playas, throughout eastern New Mexico. He also works to build and maintain partnerships that ensure local, state and federal funding is available to support this effort into the future.
Ryan’s prior experience includes a park program specialist at Martin Park Nature Center in Oklahoma, where he worked with several local conservation groups on seed swaps and native grassland prairie restoration, and a zookeeper at Hillcrest Park and Zoo in Clovis, New Mexico. He also helped identify and evaluate a plan for an ephemeral wetland restoration project at Tinker Air Force Base.
In his free time, Ryan enjoys creating art and watching anime. He is also involved in bird conservation research and supports non-profit organizations that positively impact the environment.