Nevada Department of Transportation Director Kristina Swallow on Monday announced the appointment of Ryan McInerney to serve as communications director for the department, effective May 5.
“I am excited to have Ryan as part of our executive leadership team to lead internal and external communications across one of the largest communication divisions in Nevada state government,” Swallow said. “Ryan’s extensive and varied experiences across strategic communications and public policy will prove invaluable as NDOT looks to providing a safer, more innovative and environmentally friendly future for Nevadans and our visitors.”
Most recently, McInerney served as communications director in the Nevada governor’s office where he was the chief communications officer and on-the-record spokesperson for Gov. Steve Sisolak and the executive branch. In that capacity, he played a key role in the governor’s communications efforts on various matters of public concern, including supporting the Nevada Health Response Center’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, McInerney spent more than a decade in strategic communications, public affairs and research, including serving as the Las Vegas partner of a political and public affairs firm where he worked with local and national-level causes and campaigns. He also spent several years working in Washington, D.C., supporting tens of millions of dollars in strategic communications plans, including in Nevada.
McInerney earned his J.D. from UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law and earned his B.A. in political science from the University of California, Irvine.