Full Bio

CAPT Ryan Hill is the Director of the NIOSH Western States Division (WSD) where he leads a diverse group of scientists who conduct research and prevention activities focused on high-risk industries and occupations in the western United States, such as commercial fishing and other maritime industries, wildland firefighters, and oil and gas extraction workers. Ryan received a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a master’s degree in Public Health. He was commissioned as a U.S. Public Health Service officer in 1998 where he worked for the Indian Health Service in Alaska as an Injury Prevention Specialist focused on injury research and prevention activities in tribal communities. Ryan joined NIOSH in 2007 working as an injury epidemiologist in the Alaska office and has served in multiple roles since then. In addition to serving as the WSD Director, he also serves as Manager of the NIOSH Oil and Gas Extraction Sector Program and co-chair of the NORA Oil and Gas Extraction Council. Ryan helped to establish the NIOSH Oil and Gas Extraction Sector program in 2008 and has served as the Manager of that program since 2011. The program’s research team has identified several important and previously unrecognized workplace hazards and have worked closely with the industry and other partners to implement solutions to improve working conditions for oil and gas extraction workers.