Board of Directors

Dawn Riley was raised in New Castle, Delaware for 22 years. She attended William Penn High School where she received her high school diploma in 1994. In 1992 while in high school she attended Delaware Technical Community College where she studied Architectural Engineering and Civil Engineering. During this time, she studied and received her Legal Assistant certification. In 1999 she transferred to Wilmington University where she received her bachelor's in business management and Human Resource Management. She graduated in 2003. In 2017 after many unsuccessful corporate positions, she became an entrepreneur. Creating Unity was started. Their mission is directly in line with eliminating hate and violence of any type After a decade of doing jobs just to pay the bills, she began to see how her life experiences have molded her into an influential person. After suffering in silence and in pain from the domestic violence she experienced in 2018-2020 she realized that her experiences allow her to empathize with others who may still be trying to find safety, overcome addiction, have been victims to sexual, emotional, mental, and physical abuse and those who have experienced domestic violence. She is a self-proclaimed humanitarian. Once she was able to safely remove herself from the abuse, her journey to healing had begun by way of Domestic Violence Ambassadors (DVA). Her newest nonprofit. DVA will address multiple levels of domestic violence. The mission is to make sure that no one suffers alone. Today, Dawn is sober, safe, and working diligently towards a better life. She knows from personal experience where the gaps are. Starting with the first call to the police to making it out of the abuse alive. Unfortunately, it took her getting into trouble with the law to truly get the help she has needed. Her energy and passion are from a place of feeling disposable and abandoned by the people who should have been there to protect her. Her goal is to see that as many people as possible never experience what she has!

She says that “Together We Never Suffer Alone”. 

Donyale Hall has lived in Dover since 1973, when her father was assigned to Dover AFB and subsequently raised her own family here.

A 1987 graduate of Caesar Rodney H.S., she holds an MBA with a concentration in finance from Wilmington University. She is an Air Force Gulf War era veteran and has served as Program Specialist for the U.S.

Department of Labor, Veterans Employment & Training Services. Ms.Hall is a past board member of the Friends of Delaware Veterans and the

board's liaison with the state's Jr. ROTC programs, and believes strongly in solid education as a key element of success Currently, Donyale has a general contracting and construction company with a focus on community involvement and entrepreneurship to promote growth in the business community for women, ethnic minorities and disabled veteran owned businesses.

As the current Vice President of Blacks In Government, past President of the Frederick Douglas Foundation, past 1st Vice President of the Central Delaware Branch NAACP, and a member of the Dover Police Cheif's Advisory Committee, the City of Dover Human Relations Commission, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, she stresses the importance of helping others, particularly in the areas of economic development, education and youth. She has forged strategic relationships with the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Dover Partnership, DEMCO, the Women’s Business Center, the Division of Small Business Development and Tourism, and the Veterans Administration. Donyale has also served a member of the Delaware Veterans Coalition, The Vines Coalition, Help Initiative, Community Garden advisory board, My Sister’s Keeper leadership, and  The Capital Rotary Club, where she continually demonstrates the principles of “Service Above Self” through substantial community involvement.

Donyale has sought political office as a candidate for both a State Senator (2018) and Lt.Governor (2020). Her platform was, and continues to be, focused on effective government, equitable education and economic advancement opportunity, “So That All May Prosper!”

She says that “Together We Never Suffer Alone”.