Fossett search spokeswoman takes national post

Lt. Col. Cynthia Ryan, the face of Civil Air Patrol during the search for famed adventurer Steve Fossett, has been appointed public affairs team leader for Civil Air Patrol.

In this position, Ryan will serve as a liaison for public affairs between the volunteer leadership and the staff at Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters. She was appointed to this position by CAP's Interim National Commander Brig. Gen. Amy Courter. In her new national position, Ryan's stated goal is "to re-define and refine the role of mission information officer within CAP."

Civil Air Patrol's public affairs program is coordinated by a network of more than 900 volunteer public affairs officers throughout CAP's eight regions and 52 wings and supported by the public affairs staff at Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. A support function, public affairs officers are nevertheless crucial in promoting public awareness by handling internal and external communications and media relations for CAP locally and regionally.

As Nevada Wing's public affairs officer, a master-level PAO and a qualified mission information officer, Ryan was the public face during the search for Steve Fossett, which garnered the attention of the local, national and international press during one of the most intense searches in CAP's history. The search for Fossett, who went missing during a flight in Nevada on Labor Day 2007, sparked massive media interest, and Ryan responded to most of those inquiries. News outlets that featured Ryan include BBC, London Times, ITN England, Paris Television Channel 1, Japanese Newswire Service, Russian News Service and all major American news networks. Ryan received the CAP Meritorious Service ribbon for her role in the search.

Fossett has not been found and has been declared officially dead, despite an extensive search by CAP involving 629 flights, 1,774 flying hours and extensive use of state-of-the-art airborne imaging technology above 22,000-square miles of rugged terrain. The search officially remains open but suspended pending additional leads. Ryan continues to work with both national and international journalists and documentary production teams on Fossett-related projects.

In addition to her work on the Fossett search, Ryan also received commendation in the form of an Exceptional Service ribbon for her role as primary military information officer in a 1997 Nevada search. She has received numerous other wing commendations and awards, including Public Affairs Officer of the Year.

Ryan's background includes a career as a newspaper printer. She worked for several newspapers before moving on to advertising and public relations firms, operating one of her own in the '80s. She also is a regionally renowned artist, with her quirky narrative contemporary works shown in such notable galleries as the Palm Springs Desert Museum, two Nevada Biennial shows, Stremmel and Hermitage Galleries in Reno, Nev., and many others.

Ryan is a member of the National Information Officers Association, the State of Nevada Search and Rescue Board and the State of Nevada Emergency Operations Center Joint Information Center, where she is a qualified ESF 15 (PIO/MIO). She has completed FEMA's Basic Public Information Officer Course, the U.S. Air Force Inland Search and Rescue Course and real-time training at the FEMA Institute.