The Seventh Annual Tom Tom Founders Festival is a week-long celebration of innovators, visionaries, and artists who are shaping small cities. The Festival occurs at dozens of venues throughout downtown Charlottesville.
As the Project Manager for Strategic Initiatives, Ryan works at the intersection of economic/community development, public policy, process improvement and innovation to help City of Hartford departments design initiatives and secure grant funds for implementation. Previously, Ryan spent nearly a decade advocating for startups, non-profits, and a research university to structure and fund programs and projects – in roles that interfaced directly with U.S. Senators and Members of Congress, their staff, and other state and federal leaders. He has also worked as a consultant, most notably to one of the largest metropolitan chambers of commerce in the country. He believes our future lies in vibrant, healthy, tech-savvy cities.