Richard Rivera is the Chief Program Officer of I Have a Dream Foundation (IHDF) and has developed a national program model that closes the opportunity gap within underserved communities.

From 2018-2020, Richard was a consultant to CareerWise, an apprenticeship organization, and developed a pathway for students to earn college credits. During this time, Richard co-founded and launched Kura Labs, an online academy providing free training and job placement in cloud infrastructure engineering and DevOps for students from underserved communities. During the first two years, 80% of the students were offered positions at leading tech companies with an average salary of $90,000.

In the summer of 2016, Richard helped found HERE TO HERE, a Bronx-based nonprofit that united employers, educators, and community-based organizations connecting young people to sustaining careers. Richard hired a team of five people, provided professional development to high schools, developed a Bronx Private Industry Council and placed 1,100 high school students in summer programs and internships.

From 2014 to 2016, Richard was the Associate Director of Educational Programs at Goddard Riverside Community Center. Richard managed a youth department of 50+ staff with a budget of $4.5 million that served over 2,000 youth.

In 2007, Richard joined Kingsborough Community College as the founding Director of the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) a retention and graduation program where participants’ graduation rate (56%) more than doubled the national graduation rate of community colleges (23%).

In 2000, Richard founded the Institute for Leadership Excellence and Academic Development Program at Bank Street College.

Richard has been an adjunct professor at Bank Street College, Bronx Community College and the NYU School of Professional Studies. Richard earned his bachelor's from Syracuse University and two master's degrees in urban affairs from Hunter College and public administration from Baruch College.