Brandon Riley
Senior Vice President, Program Operations
As Senior Vice President of Program Operations at Operation HOPE, Brandon Riley leads with vision, passion, and a steadfast commitment to empowering communities nationwide. In this role, he provides strategic oversight for flagship initiatives including HOPE Inside, HOPE Inside the Workplace, Disaster Recovery, Volunteer Corp and Youth and Young Adult programs, guiding more than 300 team members across the department.
Under Brandon’s leadership, his team of Senior Directors, Directors, and coaches has delivered transformative results, serving over 118,000 clients, hosting more than 24,000 workshops, facilitating over 122,000 one-on-one coaching sessions, and providing more than 79,000 referrals. Collectively, they have secured $102.75 million in capital, supported the creation of 2,029 new businesses, and helped clients achieve measurable financial growth: a 39-point average credit score increase for 63% of participants, an average debt reduction of $1,920 for 44%, and average savings increases of $1,040 for 71%.
Previously, as Senior Director at Operation HOPE, Brandon managed large-scale teams and cultivated strategic partnerships with institutions such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Truist, efforts that generated a $25 million partnership portfolio. Under his guidance, the team graduated more than 500 small business clients, launched over 430 new businesses, and facilitated access to $27 million in capital.
Before joining Operation HOPE, Brandon served as Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Stonecrest, where he led the acquisition of 11 parks spanning 420 acres and oversaw a $1 million restoration project. His career began in higher education as an Athletic Academic Advisor at Georgia State University, where he also earned a Master’s in Sports Management. He went on to serve as Associate Director of College and Career Development and later as Executive Director of his hometown Boys & Girls Club for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
A proud graduate of Leadership DeKalb (Class of 2019), Brandon hails from Lithonia, Georgia, and remains deeply rooted in his community. He is a founding board member of his son’s charter school, and above all, he values his role as husband to his wife Jennifer and father to their two sons, Brandon Jr. and Jackson.
Brandon believes in the power of collective impact, that through teamwork and purpose, Operation HOPE will continue to transform lives, build financial dignity, and create pathways to opportunity for generations to come.