Ryan Heraty is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Vermont, where his research focuses on state-level education finance policy and the role of incentive structures in school funding reform. As Vermont debates significant restructuring of its public education system, Ryan has been an active 
voice—offering legislative testimony and advocacy on behalf of students and communities across the state. 

That research is informed by eighteen years of experience working in public education. Ryan currently serves as superintendent of the Lamoille South Supervisory Union in Vermont, a position he has held since 2021. Over the course of his career, he has served in a range of leadership roles, including as an urban school principal in Massachusetts, and now leads two school boards and seven schools in a rural Vermont district, among them the Elmore School, the last one-room schoolhouse in the state. 

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science in business management from the University of Colorado, a master’s degree in Special Education, and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree, both from Gordon College. His academic foundation spans business, special education, and systemic leadership—a combination that informs his approach to building equitable and effective schools. 

Beyond his professional work, Ryan is deeply committed to his community. He helped found Lamoille Mentoring, a program supporting youth development in the region, and the Benjamin Jeremy Clapp Athletic Fund, which provides athletic opportunities for local young people. He also coaches youth basketball and flag football, serves on the Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust (VSBIT), and is a trustee for the Vermont Superintendents Association. He lives in Vermont with his wife Cynthia and their three children and can most often be found outdoors when he is not in the office or the classroom.