Ryan, a self-admitted Army brat, grew up near bases ranging from Germany to Hawaii. She was born in Munich, Germany and after re-locating to bases in Kansas, Maryland, Georgia and Texas, her family settled down in Paduch, Kentucky when she was 11. After graduating from Northwestern University in Chicago as a National Merit Scholar with a B.S. in theater, she came to Los Angeles.
As a former series regular on NBC's Dark Skies, Ryan is no stranger to the world of science fiction. She portrayed Juliet, a mysterious government agent who helped in a secret program against hostile extraterrestrials. Prior to landing that role, she guest-starred on several television series including Matlock, Who's the Boss?, Murder, She Wrote, Reasonable Doubts and Diagnosis Murder. Additionally, Ryan appeared in two episodes of Melrose Place, as a lesbian soap opera actress who endured a staged marriage to a gay bridegroom.
Ryan's television experience also roles in a variety of telefilms including Coed Call Girl, Nightmare in Columbia County and NBC's In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco. Her feature film credits include the independent films "The Last Man" and "Men Cry Bullets."
Ryan resides in the Los Angeles area. She is married and has a four-year-old son named Alex.