Dave Ryan is the past Chair of the Colorado Forward Party Executive Committee and has renewed a two-year term to continue serving the organization. A retired engineer, Dave has lived in Aurora, Colorado, since April 2021 after a 40-year career in aerospace, process control, and information systems with GE, Honeywell, and as an independent IT consultant across seven states.
Public service has been a consistent thread throughout Dave’s career. For over 20 years, he volunteered as a tutor and served on boards in multiple cities for adult literacy programs. His political involvement began 25 years ago in Arizona, where he advocated for legislative policies in education and healthcare. He held board leadership roles with a large domestic violence shelter, a partnership with community colleges to boost graduation rates, and scholarship programs targeting first-generation university students.
Dave built strong relationships with policymakers, which led to a run for the Arizona State Senate. While unsuccessful in the primary, the campaign grew his network and paved the way for his election as Legislative District Chair in North Phoenix. In 2019, disillusioned with the direction of the Republican Party, he became unaffiliated.
After moving to Colorado, Dave sought a new way to serve his community. Finding neither major party aligned with his values, he joined the Colorado Forward Party, attracted by its focus on practical solutions and improved governance. He became part of the core volunteer team that achieved official minor party status in January 2024.
Dave served briefly as Vice Chair before assuming the Chair role in mid-2024, following the resignation of the founding chair. Since then, he has focused on three strategic priorities:
Building trust with candidates and elected officials to foster a culture of cooperation across the political spectrum.
Growing Colorado Forward voter registration to strengthen the party’s presence statewide.
Expanding the base of recurring small donors to attract major contributors and build long-term sustainability.
Under his leadership, the Colorado Forward Party has worked to position itself as the political home for independent-minded Coloradans seeking to improve election processes, encourage better governance, and keep divisive national issues out of local communities and schools. Dave is committed to developing a “Forward-looking political machine” — a coalition that elevates courageous candidates and elected officials who can work together despite party differences to solve Colorado’s real challenges.
