Spotlight: Dr. Ryan Thornell '07

“USF is about bringing together community and taking care of people,” says Dr. Ryan Thornell, director of the Arizona Department of Corrections. “This philosophy directly impacts the work I do every day.”

Thornell’s path began as a freshman football recruit at USF, torn between law enforcement and physical therapy—until a pivotal conversation with Dr. Beth O’Toole during orientation changed everything. Her introduction to the criminal justice program sparked a lifelong calling that continues today.

“Dr. O’Toole told me about the coursework and opportunities within criminal justice at USF and I was sold,” Thornell recalls.

Their connection deepened over the years. Dr. O’Toole not only mentored Thornell through his undergraduate years and early work at the South Dakota Department of Corrections, but also encouraged him to return to USF as an assistant professor after earning his master’s degree in 2008. While teaching full-time, Thornell pursued a Ph.D. in political science, driven by a love of academia and a desire to shape future leaders.

Then life took a turn. 

“I felt a pull to return to the field as a practitioner,” he explains. “We have family in the Northeast so I applied for a job within the Maine corrections system.”

Thornell quickly rose through the ranks, ultimately serving as deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections. After a decade of reform-driven leadership in Maine, he was appointed director of the Arizona Department of Corrections in 2023. Today, he oversees 15 prisons and the rehabilitation and reentry of more than 35,000 individuals—bringing vision, values and humanity to one of the most complex roles in public service.

His leadership is grounded in the same commitment to human dignity he discovered as a young student-athlete at USF.

“I learned the importance of servant leadership on a small Christian campus,” Thornell reflects. “Today I’m simply trying to live out those lessons on a much bigger scale.”