Ryan Giffen

Ryan Giffen is an Assistant Professor of Hospitality Management within the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University, Long Beach. With over two decades of experience in hospitality operations, human resources leadership for Fortune 500 companies, and academic research, Dr. Giffen specializes in organizational culture, person-organization fit, and personality type alignment in hospitality contexts. His career spans executive HR roles at Kimpton Hotels, Marriott, and Market Broiler Restaurants before transitioning to academia.

• PhD in Hospitality Management, Iowa State University
• MA in Organizational Leadership, Biola University
• BA in Social Science, Biola University

Dr. Giffen's research focuses on personality-type job alignment, abusive supervision, and organizational development in hospitality. His recent publications examine cultural-personality dynamics in hotels, pandemic-era teaching adaptations, and performance review methodologies.

At CSULB, he teaches courses including Human Resources in Hospitality, Hotel Property Management, and Leadership & Strategic Management. Beyond academia, Dr. Giffen consults on culture/human resource strategy, hosts The Corporate Shadow podcast, and serves on multiple professional boards including the West Federation International Council of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management.