Riya Dange
About Riya Dange
Riya Dange is a Co-Founder and Podcast Host at Social Justice Advocacy for Incarcerated Persons, where she focuses on educational initiatives related to juvenile justice. She has a diverse background in neuroscience and community engagement, having worked at institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and Duke University.
Work at National Institutes of Health
Riya Dange worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research and Training Award Fellow from 2019 to 2021. During her two-year tenure in Bethesda, Maryland, she engaged in research initiatives that contributed to the NIH's mission of advancing medical knowledge and improving public health.
Education and Expertise
Riya Dange pursued her Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine from 2021 to 2025. She also studied at Duke University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in Linguistics from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, she studied Cognitive Neuroscience during an 11-month program at DIS - Study Abroad in 2017.
Background in Community Engagement
Riya Dange has a background in community engagement, having served as the Community Engagement Manager at Shakti Collaborative from 2019 to 2022. She co-founded the Social Justice Advocacy for Incarcerated Persons initiative, focusing on issues related to incarceration and social justice. Her work includes designing resources for formerly incarcerated youth and producing educational content addressing the school-to-prison pipeline.
Achievements in Educational Initiatives
Riya Dange has produced and released 'Let's Talk Reform,' an educational video and podcast series that addresses issues related to the school-to-prison pipeline. She also created an educational podcast series in collaboration with the BOND Education Group. Her initiatives aim to raise awareness and foster discussions on critical social issues.
Leadership and Advocacy
Riya Dange has demonstrated leadership through various roles, including serving as the President of the Speech and Debate Team at Archbishop Mitty High School from 2012 to 2015. She also captained the Duke Mock Trial Team from 2015 to 2019. Her advocacy efforts include leading a book drive that collected 800 books for incarcerated persons in the D.C. area and producing a publicly accessible expenditure report on juvenile sentencing laws.