Career conservationist and Georgia native Dan Ryan has been named director of conservation for The Nature Conservancy in Georgia where he will lead the organization’s statewide land and water conservation strategies. The Nature Conservancy is headquartered in Atlanta with offices and preserves across the state.
 
Ryan is a 12-year veteran of The Nature Conservancy. From 2017 to early 2019, as director of land stewardship and planning, he led field teams across the state and oversaw the management of a 45-thousand-acre portfolio of landholdings. He also managed relationships with federal and state agency partners including the U.S. Army at Fort Benning, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and others. Prior to joining the Georgia program, Ryan worked 10 years for The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina where he managed the longleaf pine restoration and coastal plain projects among others.
 
“Dan is a strong leader who understands why conservation is critical for the future of Georgia and is well positioned to collaborate with a wide network of partners to realize greater protection for our state’s natural assets – from the mountains, to the city, to the coast,” said Deron Davis, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia. “I have great confidence in Dan’s counsel and insight and know he will take conservation in Georgia to a new level.”
 
A team of 28 conservation scientists, program managers and community engagement staff report to Ryan. Their work benefits the people and nature of Georgia and supports the Conservancy’s strategic priorities to protect land and water, tackle climate change, provide food and water sustainably and build healthy cities.
 
“I feel fortunate to be in my home state guiding The Nature Conservancy’s science-driven land and water conservation work and further strengthening our partnerships,” said Ryan. “I’m also eager to work with my colleagues to make Georgians more aware that conservation is a key tactic in building a thriving future for Georgia and the southeast.”
 
A native Georgian, Ryan grew up in Chamblee and has explored the state as an avid backpacker. He earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a Bachelor of Science in environmental studies from University of North Carolina Asheville. Ryan also volunteered with the United States Peace Corps, in Sak’ani, Bolivia, where he worked with indigenous farmers on improving land use through agroforestry. Ryan lives in Chamblee with his wife and child.