Rian Wanstreet is Assistant Program Director for Connect Humanity’s Appalachia Digital Accelerator.
She is an accomplished program leader and advocate with a strong focus on leveraging technology to drive resilience and sustainability in various sectors. Prior to joining Connect Humanity, she was Program Design & Operations Lead at Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management (OpenTEAM) with Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, where she launched a Fellowship program and succcessfully negotiated a $35 million dollar grant with the USDA in coordination with over 50 partners.
Throughout their career, Rian has made valuable contributions to the field of policy, advocacy, and program management. Her work spans diverse sectors and initiatives, ranging from digital rights and security to community development and government accountability. With a strong track record of securing funding, fostering collaboration, launching and managing projects, Rian has consistently delivered impactful outcomes.
Rian’s expertise is built upon a strong academic foundation. She is a PhD Candidate in Communication with a focus in Science, Technology & Society, and has a joint MA in Public Policy from Central European University and a MA in Public Administration from the University of York. Rian’s dedication to continuous learning is evident through their prestigious fellowships, including the Harvard Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society Fellowship and the Mozilla Open Science Fellowship.