Charles “Chas” Ryan

Chas Ryan ‘84 is a leader and mentor with a 28-year United States Air Force Reserve career balanced with more than two decades as a national security consultant in the private sector. He has led teams of 5 to 70 military and security professionals, managed programs, budgets, and supported government contracts for various companies. Throughout his career, his professional and personal international travel has given him an appreciation for the depth it has added to his overall education beyond the classroom. The cultural and personal growth experiences from working, living, and traveling abroad are irreplaceable credits from the school of life.

Chas is a child of two educators with his father being a former UMaine Associate Dean for the College of Education. This experience imbued him with the core values of education and to help others learn more about themselves and what opportunities are available. He started the Global Exploration and Language Opportunities Fund (UMaine Foundation) to further his goals of helping other students gain some of the perspective he has from international travel. Earning an opportunity to serve on the Advisory Board for the Office of International Programs is the ideal next step in his career of helping others and supporting the university.