Skip to content

Find adoption answers, support, training, or professional resources

Ryan Hanlon

President and CEO

Ryan Hanlon became President and CEO of NCFA in May 2022 after serving as the Vice President of Education, Research, and Constituent Services since August 2017. Prior to joining NCFA, he served as the Executive Director of an accredited adoption agency that provided domestic and international adoption services.

Ryan is a frequent conference speaker, podcast guest, and go-to source for national and regional media on a range of adoption issues. He has expertise in accreditation and regulatory issues, state licensing matters, and adoption-related policy topics. Passionate about research and education, Ryan seeks to ensure that all those impacted by adoption have the resources and support they need to thrive in their families and communities.

See Ryan’s April 2023 appears on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal.

Ryan holds four advanced degrees including an M.A. in Liberal Arts, an M.S. in Nonprofit Management, and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Social Work. He has served as a social work field instructor and an adjunct professor of social work to both undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students.

In 2022, Ryan received the Angel in Adoption award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Ryan lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and their four children.