Looking Back on 13 Years of LinkedIn
I joined LinkedIn 13 years ago today.
Like most people, I used it occasionally at first, but when the Musk takeover of Twitter shifted much of the digital strategy and agency business conversation here, I started engaging regularly. This past year, I've enjoyed connecting with thousands of new folks and being more active on the platform.
I figured this would be a good opportunity to reintroduce myself and share a bit about my career journey, both before and after joining LinkedIn. Over the past 20 years, I’ve had a dynamic professional path that’s taken me across different industries, roles, and impactful projects, all driven by a passion for strategic growth, digital innovation, and storytelling.
🎭 Political Campaigns & Theater Direction
Before LinkedIn, during my first decade in New York, I worked on a number of political campaigns and directed a lot of theater.
My first campaign was Howard Dean’s 2004 run, where I was part of the traveling web team, working alongside an amazing group including Joe Trippi , Zephyr Teachout , and Joe Rospars. I later joined Obama’s 2008 campaign as a field organizer and GOTV coordinator and ran digital for New York City campaigns for people like Mark Green and Norman Siegel.
During that time, I directed over thirty theater productions, with some favorites being White Noise, Veritas, and The Broadway Beauty Pageant.
🌐 Blue State Digital
My formal career (and LinkedIn journey!) kicked off with Blue State Digital, where I started as a Client Manager in 2010, went on to create the first Social Media Department in 2012, and eventually became the Executive Director of Social Innovation by 2013. I had the privilege of working with major clients like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, It Gets Better, and Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, which set the stage for my career in strategic communications and community engagement.
I also got to collaborate with some incredible colleagues, including Joe Rospars, Thomas Gensemer , Shana McMahon , Kiernan Schmitt, Dan Thain , Andrew Paryzer , Alison R. , Mark Skidmore , Phillip Holmes , Adam Shapiro , Lauren Miller , Colin Stewart , and many others who became leaders in the space.
🗳 The Four 2012
In 2012, I dove deeper into the LGBTQ+ equality movement by co-founding The Four 2012, a nonprofit digital campaign supporting marriage equality in four states: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington. We were able to win in all of them, and this experience fueled my passion for advocacy, digital content, influencer outreach, and leveraging social media to mobilize for meaningful causes. It was during this campaign that I won my first Pollie Award for Outstanding Use of Social Media.
We had an awesome small team for this project, including Brian Ellner , Richard Socarides , Jett H. , Evan Moody , & C. W. .
🌈 Ali Forney Center Board
I also joined the Board of Directors of The Ali Forney Center , which provides housing and support to homeless LGBTQ+ youth in New York. Having produced fundraisers for them for years, it was an honor to join the board and support Carl Siciliano and Alexander Roque ’s lifesaving work.
📈 Vocativ
In 2013, I helped launch Vocativ, a data-driven media company targeting millennial audiences. I shaped the community strategy and led social media initiatives, even appearing on platforms like NPR and Al Jazeera America to amplify our reach. Here, I worked with great folks like Elena Haliczer , Versha Sharma , Ross Schneiderman , & more.
🏙️ bushwick.digital
My entrepreneurial spirit took me to co-found bushwick.digital in 2014, a boutique creative agency in Brooklyn, with Chase Whiteside. We took on projects like Alicia Keys' We Are Here Movement (with Leigh Blake ) and Bradley Tusk ’s Mobile Voting Project. I still serve as a Senior Advisor of bushwick.digital, which continues to create beautiful brands and websites for agency partners, nonprofits, and government.
🌱 FOUNDER.org
Next, I moved into investing as Global Director at FOUNDER.org, a venture capital firm led by Michael Baum . I built partnerships with top universities, mentored emerging startup founders, and vetted companies for our portfolio. The connections I made there continue to shape the tech ecosystem, and I still regularly mentor student entrepreneurs and judge startup competitions at universities like NYU (led by the amazing Cynthia Franklin ), MIT, and Harvard.
🎓 50CAN
By 2016, I was back in advocacy with 50CAN, managing digital strategy for educational campaigns across multiple states. This role involved not just digital tactics but also political advising and collaborating closely with schools and community partners. Here I got to work with the illustrious Amber J. Adams and my friend Thomas Blake .
🙋 People First
In 2019, I co-founded People First with Curtis Hougland , combining data analysis, relational organizing, and influencer marketing to create a pioneering company. As Chief Digital Officer and then Chief Operating Officer, I lead strategies that leverage first-party data for peer-to-peer content distribution. Our work was recognized by Higher Ground Labs , which helped us scale our approach. Over the past five years, we’ve found success in areas like Democratic politics, public health, and B2B.
Here, I've gotten to work with amazing folks like Valerie Cheney , Nicole Dunger , Amy Wisniewski , David Merkel , Teah Alexis Medellin , Walter Deleon , & more.
🎙️ Podcasting
Alongside these ventures, I’ve become quite a podcaster. Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast , which I co-host and co-produce with Kiernan Schmitt , has been running since 2018 and recently celebrated its 185th episode. More recently, I launched RED PEN: A Grammar Podcast with Columbia Journalism Review , bringing humor and insights to the world of grammar with our amazing producer Amanda Darrach .
🏛️ Current Roles
Today, my days are busy running People First, while also finding time to work with other startups.
I'm the Chairperson of the Board at MJV , an AI agency dedicated to helping other agencies and nonprofits integrate AI into their workflows. At MJV, I collaborate with People First alumni Marley Rosario, MPP , Forrest Alonso Haydon , & Jacob Salazar .
I'm also an Advisory Board Member for Caucus (led by Max Borowitz ), a Senior Advisor at Calyx (led by Po-Jui (Ray) Chiu ), and Co-Chair and Executive Team member of Founders for Kamala , alongside a group of cool people including Samantha Katz and Allison Byers .
The roles I’ve taken on and the projects I’ve led are driven by a commitment to being digital-first, continuous learning, creativity, and making a positive impact.
Here’s to the next 13 years on LinkedIn! Thank you for being part of the ride, and feel free to reach out if I can help with anything.
Mission-focused marketing and communications leader
2moAhem
This is like Spotify Wrapped for LI.
Healthcare Marketing & Communications Leader
2moGood to know the origin story!
Career & Leadership Coach | Speaker & Workshop Facilitator | I help mid-career millennials overcome stagnation, clarify their vision, and develop the strategy and confidence to build the next phase of their careers.
3moNice! I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I hope you're doing well!
Retired C-Level Communications Executive and Professor Open to Teaching and Consulting Engagements
3moCongratulations, Ryan, on your career thus far and here's to many more chapters yet to come!