Colleen Wright-Riva

Colleen Wright-Riva serves as an Assistant Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs.  She provides administrative oversight for Resident Life, Residential Facilities, Dining Services and Conferences & Visitor Services. She also leads the Division’s ELEVATE implementation team and provides leadership oversight to the Sustainability Working Group within the Division.

Prior to assuming her current role, Colleen enjoyed more than 25 years of progressively responsible experience in the food service industry. As the Director of Dining Services at Maryland for fifteen years, she led a team of over 2,100 employees, overseeing one of the largest self-operated, collegiate dining programs in the country. Colleen served a similar role at Cornell University for seven years.

Under her leadership, the University of Maryland Dining team launched major initiatives to reduce food insecurity on campus; improve sustainability outcomes; advance programs for students with allergies and special dietary needs, and increase student engagement and satisfaction.    

Colleen was recognized by the University System of Maryland for Exceptional Contributions to the Institution in 2015 and she received the President’s Distinguished Service Award in 2020. Colleen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the College at Brockport, State University of New York