Ryan Pavel is the Chief Executive Officer of Warrior-Scholar Project, a national nonprofit based in Alexandria, VA, dedicated to empowering enlisted veterans in their pursuit of higher education and long-term success. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who completed two non-combat deployments to Iraq, Ryan went on to earn his B.A. from the University of Michigan and J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. His professional background spans teaching as a Teach For America corps member in Detroit, serving as an adjunct instructor at Virginia Military Institute, and working across a range of legal settings—from legal aid to large law firms. Deeply committed to civic engagement, he serves on the Board of the Union League Club of Chicago and has held leadership roles with the Obama Foundation Leaders USA program and the George W. Bush Institute’s Veteran Higher Education Task Force. Ryan is passionate about bridging divides and building opportunity, both in his professional work and through time spent outdoors with his family.