Dr. Ekemini A. U. Riley is the Managing Director of Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), a research funding initiative that coordinates targeted basic research and resources to uncover the roots of Parkinson’s disease.

Prior to ASAP, Dr. Riley was a director at the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy where she helped to shape and co-direct the center’s medical research practice. She designed and facilitated several multi-sector think tank sessions to inform the strategic deployment of philanthropic capital, crafted research programs, and seeded multi-funder collaboration. She led the development and launch of ASAP as well as the Gilbert Family Foundation’s Gene Therapy and Vision Restoration Initiatives. Her work also laid the foundation for Play It Forward Pittsburgh, an organ donation awareness campaign in Pittsburgh.

Dr. Riley completed her BA in Natural Sciences from the Johns Hopkins University and PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Her doctoral research focused on gene regulation of an internal blood clotting and tumor suppressor protein.