Ryan Koons has served as Folklife Specialistfor Maryland Traditions, the traditional arts program of the Maryland StateArts Council (MSAC), since 2020. In this position, he directs the FolklifeApprenticeship and Heritage Award programs, curates media, administers the MSACLand Acknowledgement Project, and has oversight of the Maryland TraditionsArchives housed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He received adoctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles,and is a Certified Archivist and member of several professional societies. Hehas taught, presented, and published on topics in archives, culture, history,and performance.

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