Ryan was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Greater Grace Christian Academy in 2000 and from Maryland Bible College and Seminary in 2012. He spent five years as a missionary in Budapest, Hungary, where he served as manager for Greater Grace International School and the A Bibla Szol church cafe. He returned to the U.S. in 2013 and has managed the Book Cafe at Greater Grace ever since. He and his wife, Krista, live in Baltimore.