Lori Ryan

Lori Ryan, Ph.D. is Senior Instructor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver, with a focus on early education, educational leadership, and diversity and equity. Formerly as Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Engagement, she worked at Clayton School District’s Family Center, a public school early education program in Missouri.  In that role she led applied research and innovative practice and the development of inclusive, project-based curriculum for young children and families.  Lori’s teaching, research, coaching, and consulting focus on building the capacity of teachers and leaders. She collaborates often with teachers and graduate students in inquiry projects focused on learning in the natural world, school gardens and healthy eating. Lori promotes within communities of practice a strong image of children, teachers and families as co-constructors of their own learning stories within their unique cultural contexts. In addition to teaching in the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program, she works in partnership with schools to nurture the growth of teacher candidates at the undergraduate level, helping to build a strong and competent early childhood workforce in Colorado.  Lori received her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education, Research and Evaluation from the Departments of Education and Psychology at the University of Buffalo.