Jahna Riley is a 3rd generation educator from Kansas City, MO who is passionate about creating spaces where communities can study, organize, and imagine new possibilities together. 

With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, education, and coalition building, Jahna’s work is rooted in the Black radical tradition, Black feminist thought, and the belief that political education is a tool for collective transformation. She is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Community Development and Action at Vanderbilt University, where her research explores Black education, community power, and liberatory practices.

Most recently, Jahna served as the Deputy Director at the Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility, where she helped over 1,000 families improve their lives through education, employment, and wraparound services. In this work, she led her team to mobilize over $2.25 million directly to families.

Jahna is an alumna of Howard University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Most importantly, she is the proud mother of one daughter, Zora.