Dawn Riley is the first woman to manage an America's Cup sailing team. She is also the first American to have raced on three America's Cup teams and two Whitbread Round-the-World Sailing Marathon  teams. Dawn is also president of the Women's Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King.

Growing up in Detroit, Mich., where she sailed on Lake St. Clair, Dawn became obsessed with sailboat racing at the age of 13. She joined the North Star Sail Club and became commodore of the junior sailing program. Dawn said it was difficult to break into professional sailing; she had to clean quite a few boat bottoms and learn to fix motors before people took her seriously. According to Dawn, teamwork means choosing the right person for each job, man or woman.

An experienced public speaker, Dawn has spoken on topics ranging from entertaining sea stories to motivational seminars in team building and personal success. She is a former member of the International Speakers Association. In addition to her presidential duties with the Women's Sports Foundation, she is currently the chief executive officer of America True, a nationwide organization dedicated to providing youth with the opportunity to benefit from sailing and its inherent life lessons. 

Dawn is also an advisory board member of the National Women's Sailing Association and a founding member of the International Women's Match Racing Association.