Ryan Derfler is a Christian, artist, writer, and serial collaborator.
RYAN DERFLER was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up in a small town in northern Pennsylvania called Montgomery. At the base of a tract of 300 acres in the Lycoming Mountains, it was a beautiful spot that Ryan and his siblings, a sister and brother, remember as idyllic and serene in a natural kind of way.
Ryan was recognized at an early age for his artistic abilities, receiving honors such as an invitation from the White House to design a cover for a National education booklet. And there were many gold ribbons at the county art fair (it was a big deal at the time).
While in high school, Ryan won the prestigious Scholastic Writing Gold Key for his poem "5 Senses." Then, in 2002, during a fall study abroad in Perugia, Italy, he was first published in a book of short stories titled, "Stories Under the Stars," compiled by Italian author Emilio Esbardo who writes with the pen name Natalino Bardi, and is now available in six languages. Ryan continues to write, including a bi-monthly column in the Philadelphia Area Meeting Professionals magazine, MPItoEye.
Ryan received his Bachelors degree from Lebanon Valley College in 2004, majoring in business and philosophy, with a studio art minor. His most influential artistic training came under Leslie Bowen, who practiced rigorous human form and skeletal studies. He took to the philosophy of art and beauty as well as morality, good and evil, and religious studies.
Ryan's creativity and project management ability have led him to positions in both for-profit and not-for-profit business. He is considered by some to be a world-class event producer and he has contributed articles on the subject in national publications. He was recognized by the event industry and EXHIBITOR Magazine in 2008 in Las Vegas as an emerging professional to watch, and in 2010 he was recognized as one of Philadelphia's 40 Faces Under 40 to watch.
Ryan is driven by a desire to give back through charity work and his church. He spent seven years working with homeless and at-risk single mothers using the Bridge of Hope model that employs a long-term, holistic approach and relies on mentor teams from within local congregations to form a support network for the family. An outdoor multi-day music festival he created, Sleep On the Street (SOS), generated over $200,000 to date.
Ryan now lives in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia, where he is developing earned income revenue streams for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. He believes strongly in socially conscious tourism and entrepeneurship and the ability of youth from all backgrounds to become positive, creative contributors in the community through hard work.
Below is a list of organizations Ryan supports now.
Philadelphia is the internationally renowned Mural Capital of the World. The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program works to provide art education to at-risk youth, beautify neighborhoods, and engage communities. Ryan serves as the Director of Business Development, developing tourism and merchandising earned income revenue streams for the organization and Philadelphia as a world-class arts destination.
A non-profit whose mission is to end and prevent homeless for at-risk single mothers and children with the help of trained mentoring groups from within congregations. Ryan currently primarily assists the Lebanon County, PA affiliate.
Ryan is an Eagle Scout and supporter of the basic life skills and training provided through this time honored tradition for young men. He is involved in the International Eagle Scout Society activities in support of Troop #408, from Holy Trinity Church in Lebanon, PA.
