About Aleeya Alliance
Building the Future of Youth Leadership
Aleeya Alliance was founded on a singular conviction: every young person deserves the opportunity to recognize their strengths, cultivate their leadership, and build a clear pathway toward a future they are excited to claim.
We believe that while potential is universal, access to opportunity is not. When young people are met with strong relationships, intentional access, and unwavering support, they do not just grow as leaders. They radically expand what they believe is possible for their lives.
Lasting impact requires looking beyond the individual student to consider the entire ecosystem surrounding them. Young people thrive when they are fully supported, and when the adults and organizations serving them are equipped with the tools, strategies, and partnerships needed to help them succeed.
At the center of Aleeya Alliance is a steadfast commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders while strengthening the environments that sustain them.
Meet the Founder
Founder & CEO, Aleeya Alliance
Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning, The Ohio State University
M.A. in Social Studies Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Charise R. Richards is an educator, researcher, strategist, and youth development leader with more than 14 years of experience across K-12 education, higher education, nonprofit organizations, and international education.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Richards has built her career around understanding how relationships, learning environments, and access to opportunity shape the lives of young people.
Her professional journey has included teaching and leadership experiences in the United States and abroad, including Spain and South Korea, along with academic and cultural experiences in the Dominican Republic and Argentina. These experiences broadened her understanding of education, identity, community, and the different ways young people experience the world around them.
Dr. Richards earned her Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning from The Ohio State University. Her doctoral research examined how relationships with educators and caregivers shape the identity development of Black adolescent girls. Her research strengthened a question that continues to guide her work: What becomes possible when young people are surrounded by people who recognize their strengths, hear their voices, and support their growth?
She founded Aleeya Alliance to bring her experience across education, research, youth development, and leadership into an organization focused on expanding opportunity for young people and strengthening the people and communities that support them.