Dr. Veronica Yates-Riley, is a woman who is diverse in her experiences, driven by her heart's passion to serve humanity, and directed by God as she acknowledges Him in all of her ways. Her life is a testament to God's faithfulness as He has blessed her journey. Although she had no say in her first birth, she made a conscious decision regarding her second birth, and received Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord on August 10, 1986.

Born and reared in Orlando Florida, and the second of two children, Veronica was raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This early training would be the groundwork upon which she would build her faith. By His Grace, she is a leader, mentor, and friend to many, but her greatest joy is that of being the mother of her three children

As a leader, Veronica’s professional career has been dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, as well as increasing the presence of African Americans in higher education. Veronica holds an Associate of Arts (University of Florida), Bachelor of Science in pure mathematics (University of Florida), a Master’s of Science in mathematics education, and an Educational Specialist in technology (Nova Southeastern University) and a Doctorate of Philosophy in College Leadership (Walden University). She has earned numerous awards for teaching and has been an educator with Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) since 1989 as well as Valencia College since 2001. She served six years at her alma mater dear ole Jones High School as a mathematics teacher, and had the distinct pleasure of serving as department chair for three years. She recently returned to Jones High School to serve on the leadership team as the Assessment/Accountability Coordinator. Although she began her began her teaching career at West Orange High School), she was named OCPS Mathematics Teacher of the Year in 2007 while serving at Jones High School. In addition, she achieved the status of Associate Faculty Member at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida.

In addition, upon being single again in 1997, Dr. Yates-Riley began to look ahead while seeking God’s guidance. To God be the Glory, her three children completed college with graduate degrees and are successfully working in their respective careers--electrical engineer, career counselor, and sales representative.