Ryan Koons
Folklife Specialist
410-767-6568
koonsr@umbc.edu, ryan.koons@maryland.gov
he/him/his
Ryan Koons has served as Folklife Specialist at the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) since 2020. In this position, he has oversight of the Maryland Traditions Archives housed at UMBC in collaboration with Maryland Traditions, MSAC's traditional arts program. At UMBC, he processes, describes, arranges, digitizes, and publicizes materials in the traditional arts collections. He also directs the Folklife Apprenticeship and Heritage Award grant programs and acts as media curator and administrative coordinator for Maryland Traditions. Ryan received a bachelor's degree from Dickinson College, and a master's degree and doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a Certified Archivist and member of several professional societies, including the American Folklore Society, Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, Society of American Archivists, and Society for Ethnomusicology. He has presented and published on topics in archives, culture, history, and performance.
Department areas of interest
Maryland Folklife Archives