Biography
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie was elected to represent the people of the 134th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives during a Special Election in April 2012 and officially took office on May 8, 2012.
With a professional background in business and government, Mackenzie is well-positioned to focus on his top priorities: stimulating economic growth so businesses can create jobs, providing strong fiscal oversight to government spending, and ensuring government is focused on delivering essential services in a way that is effective for citizens and cost-efficient for taxpayers.
Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Business from New York University and a Master in Business Administration from Harvard University. He has worked for Pat Toomey, who is now a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania. In addition, Ryan was also previously a licensed real estate salesperson.
With his unique professional and educational background Ryan was offered a position with the U.S. Department of Labor. In that role, he worked extensively on domestic and international assignments and gained a strong understanding of labor market dynamics.
Based on his credentials and work experience, Ryan was tapped by Governor Tom Corbett for the position of Director of Policy at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. There, Ryan concentrated on unemployment compensation reform, the Uniform Construction Code, workers’ compensation insurance, and workforce development issues. He also served as a department representative on the Board of the Team Pennsylvania Foundation, the Environmental Quality Board, and the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority.
As director of policy, Ryan also helped craft an important law – passed with broad bipartisan support – which will save approximately $120 million per year for the state’s Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund and the taxpayers who pay into the system. It will also institute important and much-needed unemployment compensation reforms.
A strong and proven fiscal conservative, Ryan believes government must lead by example and live within its means. As representative, he brings a commitment to this belief to his work every day.
Committed to bettering our community and helping others, Ryan is involved with a number of charities and non-profit organizations, including serving on the board of directors for a local senior-living complex. This is also why he makes strong constituent service a hallmark of his tenure.
Ryan is a native of the Lehigh Valley, and his family has lived in the area since colonial times. He is a graduate of Parkland High School.
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