Accomplishments

By Ryan Coonerty

Ryan has also worked to protect and preserve the environment by voting to forever preserve six acres of the city's greenbelt from development, authoring the Clean Oceans, Rivers and Beaches Fund, and spearheading the effort to implement green practices in city facilities and local businesses. Prior to his election to the City Council, Ryan served as Legislative Counsel to two national commissions, including President Carter and Ford's National Commission on Federal Election Reform. He managed a school bond campaign for Santa Cruz City Schools that raised $86 million to repair and remodel school facilities and served as an outreach coordinator for Assemblymember Fred Keeley.

Ryan graduated from Santa Cruz's public schools and the University of Oregon. He then earned a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Currently, he teaches more than eight courses a year on law and government at UC Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College. He is also the author of Etched in Stone + Celebrating America's Enduring Word from National Geographic.