Ryan Travia, M.Ed.
Director, Department of Health Promotion & Education
Director, Office of Alcohol & Other Drug Services
Advisor to DAPA
7 Linden Street
Cambridge, MA
Biography:
Ryan M. Travia, M.Ed., was recruited by Harvard University in 2005 as the founding director of the Office of Alcohol & Other Drug Services (AODS). In this capacity, Ryan provides vision and leadership for the development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive substance abuse prevention program focused on education, intervention, policy development, and coordination with treatment providers. As the first substance abuse prevention specialist in University history, Ryan’s leadership has seen the implementation of a multitude of programs that promote safer practices among students and monitor the effectiveness of University protocol regarding alcohol and other drug abuse. In September 2012, Ryan was appointed Director of the Department of Health Promotion & Education at Harvard. In this new role, Ryan continues to oversee the day-to-day operations of AODS, supervises the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention & Response, and coordinates a multidisciplinary team of health professionals from medicine, nursing, nutrition, mental health, and wellness in support of an integrated and holistic approach to health and wellness. Prior to his position at Harvard, Ryan oversaw the alcohol and drug education program at Dartmouth College. Many top educational institutions, including Yale, Tufts, Swarthmore, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have requested his expert assistance in addressing campus concerns with alcohol.
Ryan holds a Bachelors degree in Human Development and Elementary Education/ Moderate Special Needs and a Masters in Educational Administration, both from Boston College. Keeping student involvement central to his efforts, Ryan volunteers as the Area 10 Consultant for The BACCHUS Network, a university and community based non-profit organization focused on health and safety issues. In this capacity, Ryan serves as a national resource and advisor on issues related to student health and peer education, and coordinates activities among affiliates throughout New England colleges and universities. His energetic and visionary contributions to student leadership have been noted with such awards as Outstanding Advisor and Outstanding Peer Education Group through BACCHUS, Outstanding Organization by the Cambridge Prevention Coalition, and a Prevention Excellence Award from Outside The Classroom, Inc., in recognition of institutions that have excelled in their overall prevention efforts. In 2007, the New England College Health Association presented Ryan with the prestigious President’s Award, honoring a dedicated leader in the educational community who demonstrates creativity and innovation. Ryan continues to give tirelessly to improving the lives of students and helping them make positive personal decisions regarding their health and safety.
Ryan enjoys spending time with his family, especially his son, Nicholas, and daughter, Ella, who the DAPAs affectionately refer to as their “DAPlings.”