Ryan’s heart—specifically his aorta—drew him into science.
As a fourth grader facing heart surgery, he was full of questions for his doctors that would soon develop into general interest in biology.
“I feel like that was my first real moment that made we want to go into science,” he says. “I became fascinated by the human body and the interventions that humans are able to do as part of being a patient myself.”
Today, Ryan serves as Carolina’s product manager for biotechnology, genetics, and forensics.
His extensive educational and professional career began on the West Coast with an associate of science in biology from Santiago Canyon College, followed by studies in cellular molecular biology at Humboldt State University.
Despite completing his bachelor’s degree in philosophy, Ryan turned to secondary education to create the science classroom he’d longed for as a student.
“I always enjoyed science education, but the main reason I didn't finish in it is I felt like a lot of it was just memorize and regurgitate,” he says. “Every class I took was a history class. I wasn't investigating the natural world and contemplating how things work or doing experiments to figure out something that we don't know yet like I was hoping to.”
He then earned teaching credentials from Chapman University and a master’s in science education from California State University at Northridge—the latter giving him first-hand experience with the then-emerging Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
“I was fortunate enough to work with the people that wrote the framework for NGSS,” he says. “I got a master’s from them and was able to work alongside them, creating lesson plans that would address those new standards and to offer professional development.”
During his time at Carolina, one of his stand-out projects has been our lab skills series, a growing collection of free, downloadable materials for teaching essential skills.
“When I first joined 2 years ago, what I heard again and again was that students were struggling with fundamental lab skills like how to pipette and how to test pH,” he explains. “With the disruptions that happened with COVID and the changes in funding, unfortunately a lot of students were left out of doing a lot of hands-on science and have a lot of catching up to do now.”
Watching his own students experience hands-on science and realize their ability to impact their environment has remained a teaching highlight.
Recalling a bacterial transformation that produced a glow-in-the-dark gene expression in jellyfish, he says, “Seeing students go through the challenge of each of those molecular steps and seeing their pay-off when their plates glow in the dark, I think, was an incredible moment for them where it really clicked that what they’re learning does have a real impact in the world.”
Education
M.B.A. Business Analytics
UNC Pembroke
Fall 2025
M.A.T. Science Education
Cal State Northridge
June 2018
B.A. Philosophy
Humboldt State University
December 2010
A.S. Biology
Santiago Canyon College
June 2008
Certification
eLearning & Instructional Design
UCI Division of Continuing Ed
September 2021
IDOL Courses
September 2021
Single Subject Teaching Credential
Chapman University
Biological & Geosciences
December 2013
Experience
Product Manager
Carolina Biological Supply
March 2022 - Current
Science Educator
La Cañada High School
AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, Forensics, The Living Earth, Biology, & Life Science
August 2014 - March 2022
LCFEF Summer School Teacher
La Cańada Flintridge
Summer 2014 - Summer 2021
CollegeBoard - Online
June 2021
Leadership
Science Department Chair
La Cañada High School
Fall 2018 - Spring 2021
BTSA Mentor
CTI Induction
Fall 2020 - Spring 2022
Master Teacher
Cal State Northridge
Spring 2020
Mentor Teacher
La Cañada High School
2017 - 2019
Work
Mr. Hainey Science
Cal State Northridge
April 2020
Action Research Project
June 2018
Project Feed 1010
2018
HMH Textbook Reviewer
HMH The Living Earth &
HMH Science Dimensions Biology
2016-2018
Skills
Articulate Storyline
Camtasia
Google Applications for Education
Microsoft Office
Wix
Illuminate Education
Aries
Honors
Summa Cum Laude
Cal State Northridge
Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society
Chapman University
Humboldt State University
Eagle Scout
Boy Scouts of America
Troop 824, Yorba Linda, CA.
Interests
Bouldering
Wildlife
Philosophy
Ecotourism
National Parks