Brenda Riley was born and raised in Alaska. She is a University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate with a degree in Anthropology. Riley served as the Fairbanks Children’s Museum’s founding executive director for eight years, during which time she helped to grow the museum into a thriving community resource. With an extensive background in building and growing organizations, Riley now works to support nonprofit agencies through her consulting work as the owner of Callisto Group Consulting. She is also the co-owner of Ursa Major Distilling, a local distillery focusing on small-batch products and bringing communities together through art and craft.