At ASU LightWorks, Ryan Klenner serves as a strategic integrator—bridging research, institutional strategy, and external engagement to accelerate energy innovation, workforce alignment, and infrastructure readiness. With more than two decades in the construction and built environment, four years of military service as a U.S. Marine, and a degree in sustainable urban dynamics from ASU, Ryan combines tactical rigor, operational know-how, and systems-level strategy to translate ambition into impact.
He leads the creation of scalable, mission-aligned partnerships and marshals cross-functional execution across high-stakes programs so that promising ideas become enduring institutional outcomes. Ryan’s work expands ASU’s national and regional influence across energy transition, installation modernization, and workforce development.
Professional snapshot
Strategic integrator across core initiatives
A linchpin between internal units, senior leadership, and external stakeholders—Ryan ensures energy, workforce, and infrastructure programs align to strategic goals and move with momentum.
Architect of scalable ecosystem partnerships
Through deliberate stakeholder engagement and network building, he forges collaborations that unlock funding, broaden institutional reach, and accelerate mission-aligned outcomes.
Operational leader with execution discipline
Ryan balances visionary ambition with disciplined management—overseeing budgets, staffing, and program delivery so projects reliably progress from concept to measurable results.
Notable experiences
- Co-developed the Ft. Huachuca IGSA model, establishing a scalable ASU–Army partnership framework for installation energy modernization and long-term infrastructure collaboration.
- Co-designed and moderated the Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) Symposium, convening federal, national lab, industry, and academic leaders to advance systems and workforce readiness.
- Partnered on workforce solutions, collaborating with Central Arizona College and CareerCatalyst to build training modules for LDES careers and aligning registered apprenticeship pathways (MC3, trade councils) with emerging energy needs.
- Applied delivery background, drawing on 20+ years in construction management and mechanical systems—from project estimating and municipal HVAC programs to multi-stakeholder project coordination—to ground university initiatives in operational realities.
Ryan views durable institutional impact as the intersection of purpose, policy, and pragmatism. He operates with a systems lens—designing partnership structures that outlast single projects, aligning incentives across sectors, and ensuring bold energy goals translate into executable realities. He remains committed to bridging research and implementation while mentoring the next generation of practitioners and leaders.