Ria was born and raised in Alaska, splitting her time between Hope, a small gold rush town, and Anchorage, the big city. She then studied economics and rowed on the crew team at Williams College in Massachusetts. Prior to Princeton, Ria worked in Alaska as a commercial salmon fisherman, and as an economist for the Alaska Department of Revenue. At the Department of Revenue, she developed revenue forecasts that directly informed the state budget. Additionally, Ria worked closely with policymakers and the public in matters concerning fiscal policy, and economic and natural resource development. Between her life and work in Alaska, and her time spent studying abroad at the Stockholm School of Economics in Sweden, Ria developed a deep interest in the quickly evolving field of Arctic policy. Upon completion of her studies, Ria hopes to contribute to policy development in the Arctic region. In her free time, Ria enjoys hiking, cross-country skiing, live music, and any excuse to be out on the water.