Board of Directors – The Long Run Foundation

Meet Our Board of Directors

President, Wendy Ryan

Wendy Ryan is currently the President of the Board of Directors for the Long Run Foundation. She has been collecting art for over 20 years and conceived of the Long Run Foundation while suffering with a rare bowel disorder. (See Media Section for additional details). She has used art as her escape from the hospitals where she spent much of 2021 and 2022. She’s originally from Northern California and has also lived in Colorado before moving to the Washington, DC area in 1998. Wendy spent an extensive amount of time overseas before returning to the Washington DC area in 2012. She loves spending time with her husband and is currently teaching herself how to cross-stitch (only sassy patterns).

Treasurer, Shaun Ryan

Shaun Ryan is currently the Treasurer of the Board of Directors and Minister of Finance for his household. He’s the proud father of two amazing daughters, both of whom will graduate from college this year – one with a degree in social work and one with her nursing degree. Shaun is working on finishing his coaching certificate training and putting his years of government service to use in a different way post retirement. Shaun grew up as a military brat all over the United States – from Massachusetts to Hawaii to Colorado to Virginia. He attended college in Washington, DC and stayed in the area aside from many years overseas. He looks forward to eventually moving to Lake Tahoe with his wife and living a West Coast lifestyle.

Secretary, Laura Ballman

Laura Ballman is currently the Secretary of the Board of Directors and artistic visionary and consultant (both in life and for the foundation). Laura is not only an artist herself, but an art appraiser and gifted commentator for national news. Laura is an expert in cultural commodities and the impact that war and theft have on cultural appropriation and devaluation. Laura also has amazing fashion sense and the best hat collection this side of the Mississippi. She is an enthusiastic equestrian and can hold her own equally on a golf course as in a sail boat. Laura hails from Minnesota and has spent time in New York before coming to the Washington, DC area and, as with the rest of the board, spending extensive time overseas before returning and setting roots in the DC area.