 In 2013 he coordinated a program aimed at closing large residential institutions for people with disability such as the Westmead and Rydalmere Centres in Sydney, the Riverside Centre in Orange and the Stockton Centre in Newcastle.In 2018 Ryan was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia "for significant service in the Parliament of NSW and to public administration, particularly the development of accommodation policy for people with disabilities".In 2019 Ryan was appointed to serve as a commissioner to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.