Sean Ryan

Dr. Sean Ryan is the Director of Irregular Warfare and Program Manager in the Global Security Initiative, and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Arizona State University. He manages the Irregular Warfare Center Research Support Services contract and  teaches courses in Project Management and Organizational Leadership and researching national security issues. Previously he taught Special Warfare, Unconventional Warfare, and Interagency planning, Strategy and Policy, Management, Organizational Behavior and Public and Non-profit Management. After graduating from West Point with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and Chinese studies, Dr. Ryan spent 30 years in the military retiring in 2012 as a Colonel. 

His career in Infantry, Special Forces, Psychological Operations, and strategic planning was characterized by diverse assignments in Asia, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and the Americas. He commanded two Special Forces operational detachments, a Special Forces Company, a Psychological Operations Company, and a Psychological Operations Battalion. Immediately after 9/11, then LTC Ryan served on the Army and Joint Staffs in the Pentagon. Later he served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of the Joint Center for International Security Forces Assistance, Deputy Director of the US Central Command Interagency Action Group, and Director of Operations/DoD Lead of the Afghanistan Threat Finance Cell. 

He subsequently taught Unconventional Warfare and Joint Strategic Planning at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare and School. He received his Ph.D. in Management, a Masters in Strategy Studies, and a Masters in Business Administration. Over the course of his career, COL Ryan earned the Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Combat Divers Badge, Military Freefall Badge, and Royal Thai Counterinsurgency Badge. He was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Superior Unit Award and 5 Joint Meritorious Unit Awards. Dr. Ryan is published in hybrid warfare, grey zone, strategy, decision making, information and influence operations.