FAVORITE quote
“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ‘Certainly, I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” — T. Roosevelt
Incessantly inquisitive, and an optimizer by nature, Ryan thrives on the “why?” From best practices in a given vertical, to the perfect message craft to tell a brand’s story, Ryan wants to know how everything works, and how to make that thing the best it can be.
A bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from East Tennessee State University led Ryan to hang out his shingle as an independent copywriter, developing award-winning creative work for national, regional and local brands. A deep desire to know more about the broader advertising ecosystem led Ryan back to ETSU for a master’s degree in brand and media strategy. In graduate school, he received an Outstanding Graduate Research Award for his master’s thesis, a qualitative content analysis analyzing thematic framing and message craft in presidential speeches.
When he isn’t working to optimize brands at DS, Ryan is probably listening to a podcast (likely Stuff You Should Know), looking for the best budget bourbon or exploring South Knoxville with his wife, Hannah, and his dog, Winston.