Ryan and Tanya Baker: Paying It Forward, Building What Comes Next

Ryan Baker (JD/MBA ’04) is a Partner at KPS Capital Partners, a global private equity firm overseeing billions in assets and transforming industrial businesses worldwide. Together with his wife, Tanya Baker — a technology and finance leader whose career spans Microsoft and Goldman Sachs — the Bakers are helping shape the future of legal education through their philanthropic support of the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto. Their giving is very much a shared endeavour, reflecting both of their experiences, and, as Ryan notes, “It’s a way that we can give together.”

Through their generous support — establishing the Ryan and Tanya Baker Law Fellowship and the Ryan and Tanya Baker JD/MBA Award — the Bakers are creating opportunities for the next generation of legal leaders, fostering excellence, innovation, and service in legal education.

The Ryan and Tanya Baker Law Fellowship helps students by alleviating financial pressures, allowing them to focus fully on their studies and take full advantage of the learning experience.

The Ryan and Tanya Baker JD/MBA Award is awarded to (a) first-year JD student(s) at the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law on the basis of financial need, and opens doors for students to pursue law without sacrificing study time for part-time work. It reflects the Bakers’ philosophy of supporting a commitment to excellence without barriers, ensuring that talented students can thrive regardless of financial circumstances.

A Return That Can’t Be Measured

For Ryan, giving back begins with a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility.

“At its most basic level, it’s really giving it back in one hand and paying it forward on the other.”

Looking back on his time at the University of Toronto, Ryan reflects on the impact of his education:

“I feel like the return that I have made on my investment in my education at the University of Toronto has been immeasurable, and therefore I think it’s incumbent upon us to give back.”

That belief is grounded not only in personal experience, but in values. “I also think that the school itself… is doing the right things, and so it aligns with our values.”

Even as life and career have taken him to New York—where he has built a career as Partner at KPS Capital Partners—his connection to Toronto remains strong.

“My experience at the school was excellent, and I’d like to contribute to continuing that excellence go forward.”

From Canada to the US: A Journey in Leadership

Ryan shares how his legal training prepared him for success in the US: 
"The University of Toronto competes with the best of the best schools in the United States. I never felt inferior to anybody… You’re surrounded by really sharp people who are intellectually curious and strong. You have to play up to succeed."

After summering at RBC Capital Markets, Goodmans, and Paul Weiss, Ryan entered corporate law and eventually private equity, gaining hands-on experience that combined legal skills with business strategy. "As you become more senior, you know, almost everything you do touches law. It’s been an incredible foundation," he says.

Lessons in Leadership and Law

Ryan emphasizes that lawyers develop skills that are invaluable in leadership: navigating complexity, analyzing incomplete information, and advocating effectively.

"Lawyers know how to navigate complexity, and with imperfect information, you try to come up with a solution," he explains. He notes that reasoning, flexibility, creativity, and problem-solving are all essential skills for effective leadership, and that teamwork training plays a key role as well.

He also underscores the importance of client and service orientation: "Focus on your client and really learn how to serve them. It will serve you.”

Advice for Students

For those early in their careers, Ryan shares three guiding principles:

1. Be a self-starter and intellectually curious.
2. Focus on service—anticipate needs and deliver solutions.
3. Be authentic—take the best lessons from mentors but always be yourself.

"If you’re not true to yourself, you’ll never succeed," he says, adding, "Take the confidence and preparation you get at U of T and know that you can compete with the very best anywhere."

Through the Ryan and Tanya Baker Law Fellowship and the Ryan and Tanya Baker JD/MBA Award, they are creating opportunities for the next generation of legal leaders, ensuring excellence, innovation, and service continue to thrive at the University of Toronto.

Their story — and their philanthropy — resonates far beyond recognition. It reflects a belief in education, opportunity, and the responsibility to uplift others.