Ryan Davis
About Ryan Davis
Ryan is a creative executive with over two decades of experience in advising and executing strategies for brands, agencies, startups, nonprofits, and political campaigns. He specializes in marketing, digital strategy, business development, partnerships, influencer marketing, and thought leadership. Currently, Ryan serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of People First, a precision creator marketing agency. He also holds the position of Senior Advisor at Calyx, a cutting-edge sensor technology company, and is a member of the Board of Advisors for Caucus, an innovative platform that monetizes social media engagement. Additionally, Ryan is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for MJ Ventures, an agency dedicated to helping organizations better utilize their data and integrate generative AI into their workflows. Ryan's career highlights include founding the social media department at Blue State Digital, renowned for its work on the Obama campaign. He was part of the acclaimed web team for Governor Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign and co-founded bushwick.digital, a boutique creative shop, where he collaborated with Alicia Keys on her criminal justice reform initiatives. As the Global Business Development Director at Founder.org, Ryan traveled the globe to identify startups worthy of investment on behalf of Silicon Valley's Michael Baum. He currently mentors startups and coaches new businesses at Harvard Business School and New York University. In his leisure time, Ryan co-hosts "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast" and the Columbia Journalism Review's "Red Pen" podcast. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and universities, makes television appearances, and publishes articles on digital strategy. In a past life as a theater director, he was panned twice in the New York Times but maintains a passion for the theater. Connect with him on Twitter and Instagram at @RyanNewYork.