Jan Ryan

Jan Ryan is Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the University of Texas at Austin's College of Fine Arts. From 2017 to 2022, she served as the College's Executive Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where she founded the Center for Creative Entrepreneurship and helped architect and co-create the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (KS WELI). A lifelong patron and champion of the arts, Ryan believes creativity is one of the world's most powerful engines for innovation and economic opportunity. She continues to teach the multidisciplinary Women in Entrepreneurship course, helping students develop the mindset, leadership, and creative business skills to build companies of lasting impact.

Before joining UT Austin, Ryan spent 28 years building and scaling technology companies, resulting in four successful acquisitions and one IPO. She co-founded Social Dynamx, the industry's first enterprise social customer care platform, acquired by Lithium Technologies in 2012. Earlier, she was CEO of Sigma Dynamics, acquired by Oracle, and was the founding Chief Revenue Officer for Vignette Corporation, one of Austin's landmark technology IPOs.

A longtime champion of entrepreneurship, Ryan founded the non-profit Women@Austin to support women founders through mentoring, connections, and access to capital. In 2026, she was inducted into the Austin Technology Council Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to Austin's innovation ecosystem.

Ryan serves on corporate and nonprofit boards, advises founders, creatives and growth-stage companies through her consulting practice 3Hills, and is a frequent keynote speaker on entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, and the economic empowerment of women. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University.