Nicolle Kathleen Riley is a rising junior in the Columbia University Dual BA Program with Trinity College Dublin, studying Classics, Ancient History, and Archaeology. Her academic and professional focus center on cultural heritage, museum ethics, and the ways history is preserved, interpreted, and presented to the public. She is interested in questions of artifact restitution, institutional accountability, and the role museums play in shaping public memory.

Alongside her studies, Nicolle is an active journalist who is passionate about using storytelling to make complex cultural and historical issues more accessible to wider audiences. Through her work in museums, archives, galleries, and student journalism, she has explored how narratives surrounding cultural heritage influence conversations about identity, ownership, and responsibility. Having studied in both Ireland and the United States, Nicolle brings a global perspective to her work and values engaging with diverse viewpoints. She is excited to participate in the Social Impact Fellowship as an opportunity to examine how cultural heritage, public storytelling, and diplomacy can bridge divides, foster dialogue, and promote more ethical and inclusive approaches to preserving and interpreting the past.