Chief of Staff

Daniela “DJ” Riley is the Chief of Staff at ECHO, where she brings two decades of
leadership experience in multicultural environments and a deep commitment to
supporting the organization’s mission and global operations. In her role, DJ provides
strategic administrative leadership, strengthens organizational alignment, and supports
effective cross-functional collaboration across teams.

Her work sits at the intersection of organizational learning, partnerships, and systems
thinking, with a focus on helping ECHO deliver lasting impact for smallholder farmers
worldwide. With a background in PR/advertising from Texas Christian University and an
International MBA from Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand, she holds extensive
experience working in diverse international contexts, blending practical operational
insight with a people-centered leadership approach.

DJ is motivated by work that values context, culture, and long-term sustainability.
Outside of her core responsibilities, she enjoys staying connected with past and current
partners and staff around the world to better understand ECHO’s field work and
strengthen relationships across the organization. Now based in Phoenix, Arizona USA
(after nearly 20 years in Asia), she enjoys trail running, playing guitar and bass at her
church, and spending time with family.