Staff: Ryan Doty

Ryan grew up in Corvallis, OR, where he also faced childhood adversities that many children in our community encounter. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the experience of being a kid in Beaver Country and loved sports from a young age. After getting married and starting his own family, he and his wife and two kids moved to Central Oregon ten years ago. They bought a home in Redmond and enjoy a slower pace, small town feel. Ryan joined the Friends team in October 2021 as he was finishing up his Bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Sciences. "I knew I wanted to work with kids and discovered Friends while exploring career options. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to use my own experiences to help others. After volunteering with Heart of Oregon Youth Corps and CASA, the timing felt right, and the job sounded perfect." Being a professional mentor has lived up to his expectations. The amount of hands-on time with his youth and working with them in different environments has been great. He’s seeing real difference in his youth and building real connections with their families. “What we’re doing is really working. It’s making an impact and we can see it in the relationships we build.” His advice to anyone considering a helping profession Ryan has to say: “It's an awesome role to have! It's both challenging and fun, and the positive impact we get to make on the lives of young people in our community is extremely rewarding. We get to learn and grow along with these kiddos and just be their friend.”