Biography

Dr. Riley is an Assistant Professor of Youth Development and Prevention Science in the Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences at the University of Florida. Prior to her appointment with FYCS, she was an Assistant Professor of Human Development at Indiana University, where she also completed her postdoctoral fellowship with the Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society. Dr. Riley received her Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Developmental Psychology with a focus on adolescent health and emotional well-being. As the principal investigator of the Black Youth Emotional Development and Identity in Group Contexts (BEInG) research lab, her work focuses on two primary areas : (1) how emotions and emotion regulation are influenced by Black youth experiences in contexts such as family, peers, and schools and (2) processes of emotion regulation might underly negative health behaviors and/or prosocial behaviors during adolescence.

Research Interests

Much of Dr. Riley’s research considers the sociocultural ecological context for the Black youth and their development including the development of their racial identity and their experiences of racial discrimination. Dr. Riley’s approach toward intervention and prevention is informed by her previous experiences working with families as a multisystemic therapist as well as her community-engaged research and partnerships.

Research Interests:

• Adolescent Development
• Racial Health Disparities
• Emotional Development