Ryan Hurd is a dream researcher, author, and community builder who has spent over fifteen years teaching dream studies and building resources for conscious dreamers. He holds a background in archaeology and graduate-level consciousness studies, and is a certified dreamworker trained in safeguarding community and supporting spiritual development. He served a humanist congregation in Philadelphia as Director of Spiritual Development, where he focused on pastoral care, adult faith development, and radical inclusion. He is the author of Sleep Paralysis and Lucid Talisman, and founded Dream Studies Portal as an educational hub for dream research, lucid dreaming, and consciousness exploration. His three distinct skill sets — analytical thinking from archaeology, intuitive research from consciousness studies, and community safeguarding from spiritual leadership — form the foundation of The Dream Portal community.