Education is
America's greatest
renewable resource.
the bedrock of
every economy.
the bridge to
the AI economy.
what the next
generation depends on.
the great
equalizer.
a long-term
strategic priority.
Ryan Lee Walker works at the intersection of technology, education, and strategy — studying the institutions, systems, and operating realities of the next era. We Win Together.
The Builder
From higher ed research labs to enterprise sales floors to building his own ventures — here's how Ryan got here.
At Loyola Marymount University, Ryan wasn't just studying entrepreneurship — he was already building. His research focused on how education institutions were failing to adapt to a rapidly accelerating job market. Watching universities struggle to prepare students for an economy being rewritten in real time, he became convinced that education wasn't just important — it was the lever everything else depended on.
That conviction led Ryan to ask a harder question: what actually protects education infrastructure at scale? The answer was cybersecurity. So he took a class in it — and that one decision changed the trajectory. It led him to Fortinet, where he joined the Public Sector team as a Business Development Representative focused entirely on Higher Education.
At Fortinet, Ryan built one of the most productive Higher Education territories in the organization. He managed 4,000+ accounts across 14 states, built relationships with institutions like Harvard, Yale, and MIT, placed cybersecurity labs in five universities, and hit 197% quota attainment — generating over $3M in pipeline. He left having learned exactly how complex institutional deals actually get done.
After Fortinet, Ryan launched his own consultancy — the foundation of what is now WGM Global, a full-service sales and marketing engine for organizations entering or scaling within education. WGM operates on deep engagement and aligned incentives. Ryan serves as Founder and Principal, working with EdTech companies, cybersecurity startups, and AI-era institutions to build, launch, and grow.
Ryan also co-founded EduOps — a learning & development implementation firm that earned status as one of 80 Official Notion Setup Partners globally, and closed its first deal with a West Coast college for $20,000. It's an early signal of what's possible when education operations get the infrastructure they deserve.
Ryan is genuinely optimistic about what education can become — and committed to doing the work that moves it forward. This site is a record of that journey: the research, the relationships, and the results. If you're working in education, he'd love to connect.
Track Record
Results speak. Here's the ledger.
Loyola Marymount University
BBA in Entrepreneurship · Education Technology Research
- BBA in Entrepreneurship with focus on Higher Education Software
- Developed AI campus software prototype — an all-in-one personalized learning system
- 2× Research Grant Recipient — studies in Higher Ed Technology design and implementation
- Nominated Research Presenter, LMU Annual Research Symposium
- Global Finalist, CEO Pitch Competition — Top 75 of international field
- 1st Place Winner, Promotion of Justice Challenge
- Global Finalist, Aim2Flourish
- Student of Paul Orfalea (Founder of Kinko's)
- Entrepreneurship Club Executive Board
- 96th percentile admissions · Dean's List 2021
Fortinet
Public Sector Business Development Representative
- Managed 4,000+ public sector accounts across 14 states, supporting 18+ account managers
- Grew to manage one of the largest Public Sector BDR territories in the organization
- Institutional relationships: Harvard, Yale, MIT, and top East Coast universities, cities, and governments
- Placed cybersecurity training labs in 5+ universities
- Developed 6 new sales motions for the SLED BDR organization
- Organized high-impact networking event with 50+ prospects → 20% increase in product demos
- Advised C-suite cybersecurity leaders including ex-Pentagon, ex-Military, Fortune 500 CISOs
- Known internally as a specialist in higher education outreach and institutional relationship development
WGM Global
Founder & Principal · Sales, Marketing & Angel Investment
- Full-service sales and marketing engine for organizations entering or scaling within education
- Built on deep engagement and aligned incentives — outcomes matter more than activity
- Clients include EdTech companies, cybersecurity startups, K-12 platforms, and AI-era institutions
- Product scoping for stealth cybersecurity startup — client roster includes ex-Pentagon and Fortune 500 CISOs
- Launch event production for an E-Rate platform — attracted LAUSD and SDUSD district leadership
- Cold outreach systems generating 3+ qualified sales calls per week for K-12 clients
- Branding, compliance guidance, and go-to-market strategy across multiple active engagements
Client names withheld per confidentiality agreements.
Visit WGM GlobalEduOps
Co-Founder · First WGM Global Portfolio Company
- Official Notion Setup Partner — one of only 80 globally recognized by Notion
- L&D implementation and AI enablement for education organizations
- Secured $20,000 engagement with a West Coast college as the founding client
- In-house 8K training and video production studio
- Co-founded with Ace Yeck
The Software Update
Strategic intelligence for Higher Ed technology leadership.
What They Say
Direct feedback from institutional partners, clients, and colleagues.
Kenya Sealey
CTE Recruiter
Clark College · Vancouver, WA
"Ryan Lee Walker brings strong technical and design expertise to the partnership. He is detail-oriented, communicative, and skilled at refining digital assets to improve clarity, accessibility, and user engagement."
Writing
Three books in progress — each one a different angle on education, careers, and the AI economy.
Corporate Leapfrogging
A guide to building a career in your 20s — without being replaced by AI.
Navigating the workforce at a time when AI is rewriting every job description and career ladder. A tactical playbook for the ambitious 20-something who refuses to be outpaced.
The Tradition of Success
How education institutions must pivot to survive the Age of AI and the maker economy.
A strategic examination of the state of major education institutions and the transformations required to preserve their relevance, trust, and impact in a rapidly shifting economy.
The Future of EdTech:
Education is Art
How good design moves intangible metrics — engagement, inspiration, motivation, and community.
A visual exploration of what modern education systems can become. Campus layouts, administrative workflows, student engagement systems — a picture book of ideas for the Age of AI. Inspired by Signals.
Philosophy
Three convictions that ground everything Ryan builds.
Education moves slowly.
And that's not a flaw — it's a feature. Education shapes generations, cultures, and economies. The weight of that responsibility demands deliberate motion. Understanding this isn't a constraint; it's the competitive advantage for anyone willing to earn institutional trust.
Education is the bedrock of the economy.
It's not a vertical. It's the foundation. How we build and progress as a society flows through what we teach, who we teach it to, and how institutions evolve to meet new challenges. Invest here and you invest in everything that follows.
Education should compound.
Like learning itself, the tools we use to educate should get exponentially better. Progress in EdTech isn't linear — it compounds. The rate of improvement in education technology should be viewed as exponential, building on every prior breakthrough to deliver higher-order knowledge at scale.
Connect
Working in or entering education? Ryan is always open to a conversation.
LOCATION
San Francisco Bay Area
SCHEDULE A CONVERSATION
Book a Call with RyanAdvisory · Speaking · Strategic Introductions · Research Collaborations
