Ross Ryan (MPA, MPH ’17) is a principal performance evaluator at the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, a role that involves assessing state agency programs and policies. “Personally, I gravitate toward the variety that this job has to offer,” says Ryan. He has worked on projects involving topics of state policy, including Wisconsin’s contract with Foxconn, elections administration in Wisconsin, and state federal funding during public health emergencies.
“Performance evaluators are tasked with quickly learning about topics for which we often have no prior experience,” Ryan says. “The questions we answer are often complicated and require extensive consideration and effort to address accurately for policy makers.” In his work, Ryan tackles challenging tasks such as analyzing data to assess performance, reviewing case files for agency programs, and interviewing agency staff to ensure the bureau has a complete understanding of their programs. “We are lucky to have a team of performance evaluators that are passionate and are always willing to help each other, which makes it easier to accomplish challenging analyses,” says Ryan.
When he first began work at the Legislative Audit Bureau, Ryan was most interested in contributing directly to the analyses contained within the projects assigned to him. With more experience, he began to find leading audit teams and supervising analysts as they complete their own work particularly rewarding.
While at the La Follette School, Ryan gained many of the skills he now uses daily from the team-based projects and work with analysis programs. Although Ryan did not have a specific job in mind when he graduated from La Follette, he knew he wanted to pursue a career that contributes to effective policy and positively impacts Wisconsin. “My role at the Legislative Audit Bureau has allowed me to pursue those interests and has also challenged me to keep learning and problem solving,” Ryan says. “My passion for the work is something that has only grown over time as I’ve been exposed to new project topics.”
Alumni in the Spotlight
To celebrate La Follette’s 40th anniversary, we are highlighting alumni throughout 2024 who influence policymaking at the highest levels in government, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations across the country and abroad.