REAR ADMIRAL RYAN M. PERRY, USN – RET

Expertise: Political-Military Affairs; Great Power Competition; Strategic Communication; Legislative Affairs; Information Warfare

Ryan M. Perry is the Founder and CEO of First Lighthouse Solutions, a strategic communications consultancy that helps executives, organizations, and mission-driven enterprises lead with clarity, credibility, and purpose. A retired Rear Admiral with 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Perry brings unparalleled experience advising senior leaders, navigating complex information environments, and shaping communication strategies at the highest levels of government, defense, and global operations.

Prior to launching First Lighthouse Solutions, Perry served as the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Information, where he led the service’s worldwide public affairs, media engagement, and reputation management enterprise. His tenure included guiding communication strategies across crises, modernization efforts, and geopolitical flashpoints while stewarding the Navy’s public trust.

Perry also served as a strategic communication advisor to both the Vice Chairman and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he helped align interagency messaging, counter disinformation, and inform national-level decision-making. Earlier roles included leading communication operations for U.S. Third Fleet and Naval Special Warfare Command, strengthening deterrence, influence, and readiness across some of defense’s most sensitive mission sets.

Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School and the U.S. Naval Academy. He holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.