Ryan L Hopmamn, Ph.D.

Dr. Ryan L. Hopman is a serial entrepreneur, aerospace pilot, educator, strategic innovator, and real estate investor who divides his time between Portland, Oregon, and Santa Barbara, California. With a rare combination of six advanced degrees—including a Ph.D. in Business & Entrepreneurship, an MLS from Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law, an MBA and MS from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as bachelor’s degrees in both Aerospace & Meteorology and Business Administration & Entrepreneurship—he has built a career that refuses to be confined to a single discipline. His professional journey spans startups, academia, aviation, cybersecurity, real estate, and broadcasting, weaving together seemingly disparate fields into one coherent strength: the ability to craft inventive solutions from unorthodox intersections.

Over the years, Ryan has established himself as a strategic advisor and entrepreneur, guiding enterprises and investors with sharp analysis and leadership development. As a seasoned aviator, he is a certified commercial pilot in both single and multiengine aircraft, an instrument-rated flight instructor (CFI, CFII, MEI), and an aerobatics performer with membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association. In academia, he has served as professor and program director, specializing in aerospace, aviation safety, human factors, business, and finance, while contributing original research on generational workplace dynamics. His voice has also reached the airwaves as a former Portland radio host, and he continues to share insights through digital broadcasting and thought leadership. Beyond aviation and education, Ryan has worked extensively in technology as a systems architect and cybersecurity consultant, while also contributing as a researcher, published author, and mentor.

A Mensa member and active advisor, Ryan’s expertise stretches across entrepreneurship, real estate, aerospace, human factors psychology, business development, enterprise technologies, higher education, public speaking, innovation, and mentorship. His ventures include Hopman Holdings LLC, Hopman Holdings DE LLC, and Hopman Real Estate LLC—each a pillar of his real estate investment work—alongside VERTIGO | GROUP, a technology strategy and innovation consultancy he founded in 1998.

Equal parts scientist and artist, aviator and entrepreneur, Dr. Hopman blends intellectual rigor with real-world execution, embodying a philosophy of refusing to play just one hand. Whether in the cockpit, the boardroom, the classroom, or at the helm of his companies, he continues to push boundaries, bridging disciplines in pursuit of bold, creative solutions.