Ryan Tinlin is the Director of Speech and an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Communication Studies. He has been involved in speech, as a competitor and coach, for over 20 years. As part of his administrative duties, he serves as the Director of the University of Texas National Institute in Forensics and the Director of the Longhorn Classic, a national speech and debate tournament for high school students.

Ryan has coached students at Orange Coast College, Lewis and Clark College, The University of Texas, and Illinois State University. He has coached over 150 students to national outrounds, including over 70 national finalists at the AFA and NFA national tournaments. His students have won multiple national championships in After Dinner Speaking, Informative Speaking, Duo Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, and Dramatic Interpretation. He has also coached multiple national finalists in Persuasive Speaking, Communication Analysis, and Program Oral Interp. At the high school level, he has coached national finalists at NSDA and state finalists at the Ohio, Illinois, and Texas state tournaments during his time working at various high school summer camps. He was awarded the Outstanding New Coach award in 2021 for his work with the UT speech team while he was a graduate assistant. He also won the Illinois State University Impact Award in 2025, recognizing his excellence as an instructor in the classroom. 

Ryan received his MA in Communication Studies from The University of Texas at Austin, and his BS in Psychology from Bradley University.