Meet Ryan

Working-class Roots

I grew up in Bemidji in a working class family. My dad, a disabled veteran, built homes. My mom worked as an x-ray technician. When our family went through hard times, neighbors and relatives stepped in to help us get back on our feet. I learned early that no one makes it alone and that communities are strongest when we look out for each other.

With the help of financial aid and student loans, I went from Bemidji public schools to Harvard. I came back to Minnesota for law school and chose to work in public service because I know that so many people are left out of the opportunity I’ve had.

A Minnesota Family

Today, I live in Golden Valley with my wife, Hannah, and our five kids, all students in Hopkins public schools. This is the community we are raising our family in, and the future we are building is here.

Hannah works in children’s mental health, which gives me a daily window into the challenges Minnesota families are navigating, from rising costs to the growing need for support and stability. Seeing that up close shapes how I approach this work. It reinforces my belief that politics should be about helping people live a better life, not make it harder to get by, and that public policy only matters if it improves real lives in real communities.