headshot of Ryan Barrera

RYAN BARRERA

Chief Advancement Officer

Ryan Barrera serves as Chief Advancement Officer at Camp Fire First Texas, overseeing the organization’s Development, Marketing, and Volunteer programs. He has over a decade of experience providing excellent stakeholder experiences, building stronger teams, and leading nonprofit fund development.

Prior to joining Camp Fire, Ryan was Director of Development and Community Relations for The Salvation Army of North Texas. He has previously held development positions with Canine Companions for Independence, Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth, and Texas Health Resources Foundation.

But what we most like about Ryan is his personal connection to Camp Fire! His wife and mother-in-law were involved in the organization as youth and later served with it as adults. Camp Fire’s long-standing community roots and its outstanding reputation for igniting sparks in several generations of young people makes the organization near and dear to his family.

A native Texan, Ryan was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley. After high school, he moved to Denton and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas.

His start in the nonprofit sector is in large part due to having two adjunct professors at UNT who were instrumental in showing him that such a career could be a viable route. He has since had the wonderful privilege of working with many outstanding professionals who have had a significant impact on his professional and personal growth. However, Ryan credits much of his success to his wife, Sarah, who has unequivocally supported him every step of his journey.

Ryan is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Rotary Club of Fort Worth.

He and his wife currently reside in Fort Worth with their two dogs, Quinn and Jude.

Senior Quote

“People are just people.” This is a saying that has stuck with me, and I share it often with others. We all face trials, have goals and dreams, work through insecurities, desire to be loved and to love others, etc. We all have a lot more in common than we tend to think. So, when you are hesitant or afraid to talk with someone or jump into the mix at work or out in the world, think that thought and go ahead and make the approach to someone – you’ll rarely be disappointed!