Ryan Joseph Davis Christensen was born May 22, 1976 in sunny Fresno, CA.  After high school, he headed north to Oregon seeking out new inspirations.  Wanting to do something significant with people, he soon found himself in the teaching program at Portland State University where his philosophies on equality and humanism began to develop more fully.  No doubt, he took from his own youth as a child of an inter-racial couple and his diverse upbringings in developing youth pedagogical theories based on the principal of egalitarianism.  It was no easy sell.  After becoming disillusioned with the limitations of a teaching program, Ryan took his ideas to the street, launching Sameunderneath as a clothing line February 9^th, 1999.

Then, like most good things, it was a process.  Ten years of Ryan growing the company fiscally, while involving it with music, dance, art, fashion, political, and community events – altogether fusing his passion for people with his nose for style.  Ryan continued to be the vision, voice and modern day prophet of Sameunderneath until late 2008 when he sold the company.

He currently sits on the board of Our United Village, a community based organization that empowers neighborhoods to work with each other to tackle community obstacles. He is a “Friend of Caldera“, a non-profit that works as a catalyst for transformation through innovative art and environmental programs.  After being a member of the Board of Directors for the Oregon Bus Project/Bus Federation, a progressive political organization, he has taken on the role of National Director of Trick or Vote.  Trick or Vote is a nationally recognized Get Out the Vote canvass. The 2008 Trick or Vote effort knocked over 100,000 doors in 55 cities with a force of 3,000 volunteers. It was recognized as the “Best GOTV Plan and Execution” by Campaign and Elections’ Politics Magazine’s Reed Awards.

“As the Director for the Bus Federation, I will bring my own grassroots and guerrilla-style marketing to help build a branded event.”-Ryan JD Christensen

At the tender age of 32, Ryan has already accomplished many feats by sticking to his motto of “positivity and perseverance”. In turn, he has been awarded the following:

2008-Featured in Kevin Carroll’s The Red Rubber Ball at Work: Elevate Your Game through the Hidden Power of Play as one of the 31 successful players within business, arts, music, and sports.
2008- Picked as one of the “25 of Portland’s Most Creative Thinkers” by Ultimate Northwest special edition by the Oregonian
2008-Selected as one of the “40 under 40” by Portland Business Journal
2008-Chosen as one of 3 finalists for the Angel Oregon Fund, received Popular Vote of over 300 angel investors
2007-Credited as one of the leaders in sustainable apparel brands in Josh Dorfman’s The Lazy Environmentalist
2006-Sameunderneath voted “Best Local Clothing Brand” by Portland Monthly