Riley Hambrick
Riley Hambrick graduated from Auburn University with a Master in Public Administration (MPA) in May 2022. It was during his first year in the MPA program at Auburn University that he became a research assistant at RFI under the supervision of David Trimble. For the next year, Riley worked on a variety of projects to include researching the Equality Act’s potential impact on faith-based institutions and supporting RFI’s religious freedom efforts in Poland.
Riley explains that “Before joining RFI, I understood religious freedom only as a political term, failing to thoughtfully consider the ways that religious freedom has historically contributed to society. What RFI does really well is systematically analyze and educate others on how one’s religion unites the sacred with the secular in a politically constructive way. Though religion is deeply personal to its adherents, it is also profoundly social. History is riddled with faithful men and women who, through their religious convictions, have undertaken efforts to promote charity, innovation, respect, civility, and an abiding love for their fellow neighbor.”
After RFI, Riley pursued a career in public policy and currently works for U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville. In the future, he plans to stay involved in the legislative process, whether on the Hill or in academia. “I will always remember Tom Farr’s words, ‘if we have any hope of protecting religious liberty abroad, we must first start with protecting it here at home and seeing that it has a strong foundation.’”