Dan Ryan
Vice President of Conservation and Government Relations
Dan Ryan leads the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s conservation strategy and policy across the 14-state Appalachian Trail landscape. He oversees teams advancing land protection, stewardship, partnerships, and government relations, working to integrate conservation goals across ATC’s Protect, Experience, and Belong pillars.
With more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Dan has directed multimillion-dollar conservation programs with The Nature Conservancy in Georgia and North Carolina, built large-scale partnerships to conserve critical habitats, and guided cross-sector collaborations to secure lasting conservation outcomes. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia, he brings a lifelong commitment to protecting biodiversity, fostering resilient landscapes, and ensuring the A.T. experience endures for generations to come.