Mental health has long been one of Riley’s primary concerns, having observed people close to her struggle with finding adequate, supportive treatment. Her long term goal is to attend medical school and become a psychiatrist specializing in adolescent psychiatry.

In high school Riley was a star athlete, and was named her school’s CIF-SS Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. In 2025 she was a Scholastic All-American For water polo. Her early awareness surrounding emotional health meant that she always made every effort to support her teammates, win or lose. She is also a lifetime member of Girl Scouts, completing Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. Each of her projects centered on animal welfare.

At UC San Diego she will be a Seventh College Orientation Leader in the fall; in that role she will be able to share information about “all of the amazing academic, mental and physical health, and social resources” the university offers. Riley recently pledged Kappa, Kappa, Gamma and has participated in fund-raising for their mental health philanthropy, which focuses on eating disorders. She also joined the Psychology and Mental Aid Initiative on campus.

In the future Riley hopes to serve her community “by providing a safe resource for those seeking medical help,” and aspires to “successfully treat anyone who has the ability to seek out help.”