Ryan Coonerty, host of “An Honorable Profession” Podcast, is the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. A two-time former Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, he also the cofounder of NextSpace Coworking, a lecturer at UC Santa Cruz, and co-author of The Rise of the Naked Economy – How to Benefit from the Changing Workplace and Etched in Stone – Enduring Words from our National Monuments. He was selected by the Aspen Institute to be a Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership as one of "the nation’s most promising young elected officials.”
On the Board of Supervisors, Ryan has led efforts to create workforce housing, renewable energy, and a Thrive by Three Fund to support families' health and educational outcomes.
Ryan graduated from the University of Oregon, received a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.