Susan Ryan, PhD

Dr. Susan Ryan serves as chairperson of the Department of Business, Economics and Communication at PennWest, one of the university's largest and most diverse academic departments. Since assuming academic leadership roles in 2022, she has worked collaboratively with faculty, staff, students and university administrators to support academic excellence, student success, strategic planning, accreditation, assessment, curriculum innovation and faculty development across multiple disciplines and campuses.

Dr. Ryan provides leadership for programs spanning business, economics, communication, tourism, hospitality and related fields. She is committed to fostering a collaborative culture that supports high-quality teaching, experiential learning, career readiness and meaningful engagement with alumni, employers and community partners. Her leadership focuses on strengthening academic programs, expanding student opportunities and advancing initiatives that connect classroom learning with professional practice.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Ryan served as chairperson of the Department of Management and Marketing, assistant chairperson of the Department of Business, Economics and Communication, and director of the California University Tourism Research Center. She has more than 23 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member, administrator, researcher and mentor.

A professor of tourism, hospitality and event management, Dr. Ryan's scholarly work has focused on sustainable tourism, agritourism, rural tourism development, heritage tourism and tourism as a mechanism for community and economic development. Her research, grant and publication activities have supported organizations, communities and policymakers seeking to leverage tourism for economic growth and community vitality.