Ryan Wolfington is an accomplished entrepreneur and dedicated philanthropist, known for founding the Inspiring Children Foundation. Before transitioning to the non-profit sector, Ryan restructured and led businesses in the financial, gaming, and teleservices industries. His expertise led two of these companies to go public on the NASDAQ exchange.
In 1999, Ryan founded the Inspiring Children Foundation, where he has volunteered as President of the Board for 25 years. The foundation’s programs have inspired millions online and thousands in person to achieve high performance in life. Notably, 95% of the foundation’s youth participants earn college scholarships, with 58% securing places in Ivy League-level institutions. Over 300 program alumni are currently enrolled in prestigious universities such as Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, Yale, Georgetown, and many more. The foundation focuses on a holistic approach to high-performance living, encompassing mentoring, sports, project-driven learning, entrepreneurial skills, and “Psychology for Life.” Ryan’s innovative strategies in restructuring companies have been applied to help children restructure their lives, with the program now being replicated in 22 cities. The foundation has been selected as the official charity of Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Cup.
In 2007, Ryan received the President of the United States “Service Award” for his contributions to human development. He has also collaborated with the United States Tennis Association, serving as President of USTA Nevada. As a producer, Ryan contributed to the award-winning film “Bella,” which won the “People’s Choice Award” at the Toronto International Film Festival. Currently, Ryan is President of the Board of JEWEL Inc., working closely with four-time Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and New York Times best-selling author Jewel. Together, they have co-created and produced multiple projects, including Jewel’s Cirque du Soleil show, The Wellness Experience Festival, The Portal by Jewel, and the Scale Global Summit. Ryan also served as America’s first Chief Mental Health Officer for Hudson’s Bay Company, overseeing its iconic brands Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks OFF 5TH.