Ryan Busch has established a successful history of digital marketing success for higher education organizations. A former marketing manager and analyst for University of Phoenix, Ryan managed millions of marketing dollars for the nation’s largest, private accredited university.

In 2007, Ryan left University of Phoenix to build a new and revolutionary higher education course model, StraighterLine, a company focused on the delivery and instruction of general education, required college courses needed for an undergraduate degree. As the chief architect behind the innovative concept, Ryan earned success for StraighterLine with two highly innovative concepts: establishing a social media program responsible for delivering revenue growth that increased by 50%, and the invention of a “college-as-a-subscription” model, dubbed “StraighterLine for $99” which significantly boosted revenues and now accounts for over 85% of all StraighterLine sales.

Ryan oversaw successful course reviews and approvals by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and earned nods from the

Software Information Industry Association (SIIA) as both a 2009 CODiE finalist for Best Virtual School Solution for Students and a finalist in the SIIA Innovation Incubator program. StraighterLine was successfully acquired through a management buyout—it continues to garner acclaim from students and media organizations as a disruptive innovation in higher education.

A marketer for over 10 years, Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arizona State University in 2000, graduating Cum Laude and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Phoenix in 2007. Additionally, Ryan is adjunct faculty for the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Phoenix. The time he spends teaching on evenings and weekends is one way in which he gives back to the community at large. Working in education allows Ryan to have a truly positive impact on a person’s life. You can find him:

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