Ryan Fehr is a Professor and Michael G. Foster Faculty Fellow at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business, where he teaches courses on ethics, leadership, and related topics. His research focuses on building more positive relationships at work, with a particular interest in gratitude, compassion, and forgiveness, which he has studied in organizations ranging from a microlending nonprofit in Pakistan to a large airline catering service in China. His work has been featured in news outlets such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and in bestselling books such as Dan Pink’s When and Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein's Joy at Work.

In addition to his research experience, Ryan has worked with organizations such as Mercer Human Resources, the University of Washington Hospital System, and IDEO's open innovation project, and gives talks on gratitude and relationship building to a wide range of audiences. He received his Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland under the guidance of Michele J. Gelfand, and currently serves as an Associate Editor at OBHDP.