I’m Riley Mulcahy, Executive Director of The RILEY Project. My path to this work began early: I was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven. Like many students with learning differences, I encountered moments of frustration and self-doubt—but I was also fortunate to experience schools and mentors who saw my strengths, not just my challenges. Those inclusive environments didn’t just help me succeed academically; they helped me understand who I was and what I could become.

That experience shaped everything that followed.

The RILEY Project exists to foster agency, empowerment, and belonging for students and families navigating learning differences. We believe that when people are given the tools, language, and spaces to tell their own stories, real change becomes possible. Confidence grows. Strengths emerge. Futures open.

Through my work at Compass High School in Belmont, California, and Hanger Hall School in Asheville, North Carolina, I’ve built experience in storytelling, community-building, fundraising, and advocacy. More importantly, I’ve witnessed—again and again—the impact that inclusive, affirming environments can have on young people and their families.

At its core, The RILEY Project is about connection: amplifying neurodivergent voices, creating spaces where people feel seen and valued, and helping students and families move from surviving systems to shaping them.

I invite you to be part of this work. Together, we can build a future rooted in belonging—where difference is not a barrier, but a source of strength.

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