Ryan Petitti earned his B.S. (2014) in Mechanical Engineering) from The Ohio State University. He began his career as an applications engineer specializing in rebar reinforcement but quickly pivoted to direct student instruction in a high school setting. Over the next four years Ryan was the primary instructor at Tolles Career and Technical Center’s Engineering and Manufacturing program where he developed curriculum for and taught 11^th and 12^th grade students the foundations of manual machining, computer numerical control (CNC) machining, FANUC and Motoman industrial robotics, Allen Bradley and Mitsubishi programmable logic controllers, 5V digital electronics, Parker hydraulics and pneumatics, 3D modeling, Schematic Reading, GD&T, and legacy manufacturing processes.

After his time teaching high school, Ryan served as both a design engineer and later an equipment/facilities manager at Tosoh SMD, specializing in the production of sputtering targets for the semiconductor industry. While at Tosoh Ryan also earned his M.S. (2020) in Workforce Development and Education, focused on preparing both students and adults for the modern realities of work in manufacturing.

In 2021 Ryan joined the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME) and has led the Manufacturing and Engineering Leadership Development (MELD) Division there since 2022.