Strategy grounded in the work

Good work needs more than a good idea. It needs a compelling story, durable resources and relationships strong enough to carry it forward.

My consulting draws on active leadership across advancement, nonprofit governance, neurodiversity advocacy and community building. I do not approach organizations from a distance: I understand the decisions, constraints and coalition-building required to move meaningful work forward.

How I Help

Fundraising and Advancement

Build fundraising strategies, sponsorship programs, donor communications and board-engagement systems that connect mission to a compelling reason to give.

Messaging and Positioning

Clarify what your organization does, why it matters and how to communicate it in language that people trust, remember and act on.

Partnerships and Convenings

Bring organizations, experts and communities together through partnerships, summits and public programs designed to create momentum beyond a single event.

Organizational Strategy

Turn complex opportunities into practical priorities, decision structures and plans that boards, staff and partners can carry forward together.

Experience grounded in practice

I am the Founder and Executive Director of The RILEY Project and Director of Advancement & Outreach at Compass High School. My work includes building cross-sector partnerships, strengthening advancement systems, developing public programs and connecting research with the lived experiences of neurodivergent people.

I also contribute to national and regional conversations through the National Center for Learning Disabilities’ Young Adult Leadership Council, the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit Steering Committee and other advisory and board roles.

My essays appear in The LD Viewpoint, and my work has been featured through KQED Perspectives. Writing is central to how I work: it helps me find the pattern inside complexity and give people language for what comes next.

Belonging Is Infrastructure

Belonging is not a slogan or a branding exercise. It is what people experience when systems, relationships and opportunities are designed with them in mind.

That belief shapes how I approach fundraising, communication, partnerships and organizational strategy. The strongest institutions do more than invite people in; they build the conditions for people to participate, contribute and stay.

About Riley

I’m Riley Mulcahy—a consultant, writer and nonprofit executive working at the intersection of fundraising, storytelling, neurodiversity and community design.

My lived experience with dyslexia shapes how I lead. I look for patterns, make complex ideas understandable and help organizations design with—not simply for—the people they serve.

Work with Riley

I partner with a limited number of schools, nonprofits, foundations and mission-driven teams each year. I also welcome invitations for advisory work, speaking, workshops and strategic collaborations.