Ryan Phelan is the cofounder and executive director of Revive & Restore, with a mission to enhance biodiversity through the genetic rescue of endangered and extinct species. Phelan works with some of the world’s leading molecular biologists, conservation biologists, and conservation organizations to envision and develop pioneering genetic rescue projects using cutting-edge genomic technologies to solve seemingly intractable wildlife conservation challenges, such as those posed by inbreeding, exotic diseases, climate change, and destructive invasive species.
She has organized landmark workshops on genetic rescue, bringing together global experts to identify the challenges facing endangered species to identify what genetic tools can be used or designed to help save them from extinction. The most recent, Intended Consequences, took place in June of 2020 which led her to the main stage of TED in Monterey 2021 with her TED Talk titled “The Intended Consequences of Helping Nature Thrive” and the podcast on TED Radio Hour. Phelan is a serial entrepreneur, active in the for-profit and nonprofit worlds.
Prior to her conservation work, for two decades she was a leader in patient-oriented healthcare and was the founder and CEO of two innovative healthcare companies focused on empowering the healthcare consumer: DNA Direct and Direct Medical Knowledge.