Jim Ryan Senior Trainer & Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant

I enjoy engaging with employees when I am delivering employee education or training supervisors. So many times an employee has approached me to share that they reduced their drinking after learning about low-risk drinking guidelines or began having regular conversations with their kids about substances because of what they learned in one of our education sessions. That acknowledgment of individual but cumulative change reinforces the value of drug-free workplace on both the workplace and individual employees’ and their families’ lives.

What are your personal passions?

I love playing softball and volleyball and the benefits of playing sports. I also love to read, write, travel, and meet other people. I am passionate about my family and friends, my work and volunteer activities, and civil rights.

Share a fun fact about yourself – a quirky tidbit.

I am an avid reader of comic books and have been collecting them for over 30 years. My favorite characters are Black Canary, Nightwing, and the Legion of Super-Heroes!

What is your professional background?

I am an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant with 35 years of experience in substance use prevention and other behavioral health work. My career began as a teenager involved in Youth to Youth and Teen Institute, Ohio-based youth-led prevention programs, and I’ve had the opportunity to engage in prevention work all over Ohio, the United States, and in other countries. I also have a background in writing and was once the co-publisher and editor of a biweekly newspaper targeting the LGBT community.