Meet Ryan Waneka, Colorado-native, adventure enthusiast, and long-time Akinz ambassador. As an adventure, portrait, and lifestyle photographer Ryan embodies the values of Akinz which makes him a perfect brand champion. So, it's time to get to know him!

"I often introduce myself as righteous Ryan ?? , so it is easier for people to remember my name. Or you can call me Waneka, I love that. I am an ENFJ (a person with Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality traits) and an Enneagram 4, and a simple way to describe that is I'm “all up in my feels.” But, I always sport a smile." Ryan spends as much time outside as possible, doing all the adventurous Colorado activities, and if there’s a body of water, he's jumping in it. "I'll play volleyball every chance I can get, but am down to play all the sports. Sportsball!"

Q: What's your spirit animal and why?

A: Probably a lemur because it is very active, climbs everything, jumps around simply because it can, and thrives in warm weather.

One Memorable Moment

"My favorite place on earth to visit is Lake Powell, so it isn’t a coincidence that most of my significantly memorable moments have taken place there. One memory that I’ll always remember was when I visited Powell in 2016. While the rest of the crew was hanging out by the campfire, I stepped away to the back of the houseboat to take a refreshing camping “shower” in the lake water. The night sky was as clear as ever, revealing the majesty of the entire Milky Way. After rinsing off, I slowly swam out into the completely still, dark water, which was reflecting the trillions of stars that hung overhead. For that moment, all alone, I simply breathed, smiled, and thanked God as I experienced the closest thing to floating in the depths of space."

Goals and Dreams

When Akinz was founded, the company created the motto ‘Find Your Wings’ and it was dedicated to finding something to motivate everyone in their life. To encourage each and every adventurist to spread their wings and reach for the extraordinary, because life is too short to settle for the ordinary. As an Akinz Ambassador, here are some of Ryan's goals and dream:

• Travel to all of the continents
• Swim with dolphins/whales
• Run a marathon
• Participate in a triathlon
• Complete an Ironman
• Learn the guitar or piano
• Learn every style of dance
• Produce or act in a feature film
• Go to the Olympics
• Never lose sight of what’s important in life

"The night sky was as clear as ever, revealing the majesty of the entire Milky Way."

Thank you, Ryan!

We want to give the biggest of shout outs to Ryan, for his continuous support and dedication to advancing the Akinz brand. We appreciate everything you've done for us! Don't forget to follow him on Instagram at @ryanwaneka.