Ryan T. Hartwig PhD

Ryan T. Hartwig, PhD (University of Colorado Boulder), is a higher education leader, communication professor, author, speaker, and consultant. Bringing a unique perspective as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner, he seeks to equip leadership teams and groups to thrive. Currently, Ryan serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Vanguard University. Prior to his appointment at Vanguard University, he served as a professor and in various roles as a dean, department chair, and associate dean at Colorado Christian University and Azusa Pacific University. For over two decades, he has taught courses in group, organizational, and leadership communication, and has led, trained, and developed teams focusing on community development, discipleship, missions, leadership development, academic excellence, fundraising and marketing for over twenty years in universities and churches. Ryan’s latest book, Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level (Zondervan, 2020) shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply healthy, transformational small group experiences where people grow spiritually together. Ryan’s first book, Teams That Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership (InterVarsity, 2015), helps leadership teams grow stronger, healthier, and more productive. His most recent book is The Resilience Factor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Catalyze an Unbreakable Team (InterVarsity, 2023). His academic scholarship has been published in the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Southern Communication Journal, and Group Facilitation, and the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication, and recognized with several awards from the National Communication Association. He frequently speaks to, trains, and consults with church and non-profit leaders at numerous universities, churches, seminaries, and nonprofit organizations, and writes for practitioner-oriented publications. Ryan journeys through life with his wife Jill and four children. They enjoy a full family life, replete with lots of pool time in the summer and skiing in the winter, and hanging out with family and friends. He loves the Broncos, shooting hoops, playing card and board games, and eating great food with friends! Connect with Ryan at www.ryanhartwig.com.