Ryan Snyder is a nationally recognized transportation planning executive, urban planning strategist, and sustainability leader whose career spans more than 45 years of transforming how communities move, grow, and connect. Throughout his distinguished career, he has become one of the leading voices in multimodal transportation, active transportation, sustainable infrastructure, and innovative mobility solutions that improve quality of life. His work has consistently focused on creating transportation systems that are safer, more equitable, environmentally responsible, and better aligned with the evolving needs of modern cities. Known for his visionary thinking and practical leadership, Ryan has helped shape transportation policy, infrastructure investment, and mobility planning while advancing innovative concepts such as high speed regional bus transportation on freeway networks as a scalable solution for the future of metropolitan mobility.
Ryan most recently served as Executive Liaison for Special Projects and Feasibility Studies Manager with Caltrans District 7, where he lead planning initiatives for significant transportation projects throughout Southern California. His work included managing complex planning studies, collaborating with local governments, working alongside elected officials and public agencies, engaging community stakeholders, and preparing competitive grant applications that support major infrastructure investments. Among his most significant recent contributions is advancing a visionary framework for California’s freeway system centered on high speed regional bus transportation, an approach designed to dramatically improve regional mobility while maximizing the efficiency of existing infrastructure. He also led the Pacific Coast Highway Master Plan feasibility study in Malibu and has helped advance innovative bikeway planning initiatives that have received national attention.
Earlier, Ryan served in the Caltrans Director’s Office as Executive Liaason, where he provided executive level policy support and organizational coordination for California’s transportation leadership. Working closely with executive leadership, he contributed to statewide transportation priorities, strengthened governance processes, coordinated executive initiatives, and supported long term strategic planning for transportation infrastructure across California. This experience further expanded his expertise in executive leadership, organizational effectiveness, and public sector collaboration.
Prior to these roles, Ryan served as Senior Sustainability and Innovation Manager, leading initiatives that integrated sustainability into transportation planning, electric vehicle infrastructure, solar energy deployment, procurement practices, wildlife crossings, and multimodal mobility improvements. He directed development of the District’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Plan and received a Superior Accomplishment Award for his innovative planning of a bus and bicycle corridor along State Route 1 in Santa Monica. His leadership demonstrated how environmental stewardship, economic growth, and transportation innovation can successfully work together.
Ryan’s entrepreneurial accomplishments are equally impressive. For nearly three decades, he served as President of Ryan Snyder Associates, a nationally respected transportation planning and urban design consulting firm specializing in pedestrian planning, bicycle planning, transit systems, transportation demand management, Complete Streets, and sustainable mobility. Under his leadership, the firm completed hundreds of projects across California and the United States, partnering with municipalities, transportation agencies, counties, and private organizations to create mobility solutions that became national models for integrating transportation planning with public health, economic development, and community engagement.
Ryan later served as Principal of Active Transportation at Transpo Group, where he helped establish one of the industry’s earliest autonomous vehicle policy practices. Recognizing the transformative potential of automated transportation well before it entered mainstream discussion, he organized Autonomous Vehicle Policy Summits, developed policy frameworks for local governments, authored influential research, and advised public agencies preparing for emerging mobility technologies. His expertise led to speaking engagements at professional conferences in China, South Korea, England, and Italy, as well as training programs in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Beyond executive leadership, Ryan has made significant contributions as an educator, author, and public speaker. As a faculty member in UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning, he taught graduate courses in pedestrian and bicycle planning and street design while helping shape the next generation of transportation professionals. He has trained planners, engineers, government officials, and transportation leaders throughout North America through Complete Streets workshops, Safe Routes to School programs, pedestrian safety courses, and sustainability seminars. His publications on autonomous vehicles, public health, living streets, rapid bus systems, and sustainable transportation continue to influence transportation policy and planning practices.
Ryan’s influence extends beyond his professional roles through decades of governance and public service. As Vice President of the Los Angeles Board of Transportation Commissioners, he helped shape policies governing parking, speed limits, taxis, and accessible transportation, including initiating Los Angeles’ wheelchair accessible taxi program. He has also served on neighborhood councils, design review boards, and national transportation committees, helping establish standards that continue to influence transportation planning throughout the United States.
His professional experiences have provided valuable opportunities to collaborate with transportation professionals from around the world while broadening his perspective on mobility innovation and infrastructure planning. Complementing this international exposure are his conversational abilities in Japanese and Spanish, along with continued study of Mandarin, reflecting his lifelong commitment to learning and cross cultural collaboration.
As Ryan plans for the next chapter of his career, he is actively pursuing board service where he can apply decades of executive leadership, transportation expertise, governance experience, and strategic insight. Having advised governments, mentored professionals, taught future planners, and led multidisciplinary teams, he views board service as a natural extension of a career dedicated to improving communities through thoughtful leadership and innovative transportation solutions. His expertise in mobility, sustainability, infrastructure, public policy, community engagement, and strategic planning positions him to help organizations navigate complex challenges while creating lasting public and organizational value.
Character:
Ryan leads with integrity, humility, and a genuine commitment to improving communities through thoughtful planning and public service. His lifelong dedication to sustainability, education, and public engagement reflects a leader who values collaboration, service, and lasting societal impact.
Knowledge:
With more than four decades of experience spanning transportation planning, urban development, sustainability, infrastructure, and autonomous vehicle policy, Ryan brings exceptional technical and strategic expertise. His combination of executive leadership, consulting experience, academic teaching, published research, and international engagement makes him an exceptionally well-rounded advisor.
Strategic:
Ryan consistently sees beyond immediate transportation challenges to envision systems that improve economic development, environmental sustainability, and community well-being for future generations. His ability to integrate policy, technology, infrastructure, and stakeholder collaboration enables organizations to make informed long-term decisions with confidence.
Communication:
An accomplished educator, author, keynote speaker, and executive advisor who translates highly technical transportation concepts into practical strategies that resonate with diverse audiences. His collaborative communication style allows him to build consensus among government leaders, industry professionals, community stakeholders, and executive teams while advancing complex initiatives.
