Dick Riordan was an attorney, entrepreneur, and philanthropist before entering public service in 1993 when he was elected Mayor of Los Angeles. He served two terms with an outstanding record in public safety, creating quality jobs, and reforming Los Angeles’ public schools. Riordan’s subsequent appointment as Secretary for Education under Governor Schwarzenegger, was a natural extension of his long-standing civic activism. In addition to his education work for young students, he co-founded The Riordan Programs at The Anderson School at UCLA. The Riordan Programs consist of The Riordan Scholars Program for high school students and The Riordan Fellows Program, serving college students and recent college graduates.
