Growing up in Wellsville, NY, A.C. was recruited as a volunteer at a very young age, tagging along beside her mother, often going door to door to gather support for the United Way or other local charities.

“I was fortunate to have parents who exhibited kindness, respect and compassion for others through their actions. Throughout my childhood I was encouraged to be curious, to ask questions and to seek opinions that may be different from my own,” remembered A.C. Her sense of curiosity shaped her professional career too. “Developing solutions to address a complex issue requires a clear understanding of many factors; problems are not one dimensional.”

Following graduation from Cornell University in 1958, A.C. moved to Saratoga Springs where she raised her four children. As she put down roots in Saratoga, she looked for ways to give back to support initiatives to strengthen the place she called home.

A.C.’s early experiences set the stage for what would become a lifetime of service. In 1975 she made her first run for public office and was elected to a five-year term on the Saratoga Springs Library Board. Never hindered by her gender, A.C. set out to meet as many new people as possible, and often in predominately male places. Her interest in others propelled her to be elected in 1979 as the first female Supervisor for Saratoga Springs, a position she held for eight years.

A.C. built her reputation on being a good listener and on being a person who worked toward building consensus and collaboration. It was no surprise that she went on to be the first female Mayor of Saratoga Springs, serving from 1990-1995.

A lifelong learner, A.C. continues to challenge herself with new ideas and is not wary of reevaluating her position on a subject.  Always generous with her time, A.C. has served on numerous nonprofit boards including Saratoga Hospital, Planned Parenthood at the local and national level, several alumni opportunities at Cornell University, League of Women Voters, a Trustee and Board Chair of The Sage Colleges, board service in both United Way of Saratoga County and Northeastern New York and the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. She has also been active for 60 years at the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church in various capacities.

“Through volunteer service I developed an appreciation for the importance of organizations and communities being able to adapt to the changing needs to support our region.” Several years ago, A.C. made a gift to establish the Almeda C. Riley Fund for Saratoga County, a future fund of the Community Foundation. When A.C. is not here to answer the call herself, her fund will be here to carry on her commitment to supporting the needs of Saratoga County, the place she calls home.