Portraits • Headshots • Plymouth, New Hampshire

A Teenage Trailblazer

Headshots for Riyah Patel

Riyah Patel is a teenage trailblazer. She’s a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy. When she was a freshman, she became frustrated by the experience of remote learning.

Riyah Patel seated at table smiling - wearing white top in front of white background

Conversations about it with her mother led Riyah to understand that her mother had experienced similar feelings of isolation when she tried to navigate the school system as an immigrant. Riyah began thinking about other students who might feel this way, particularly refugees, and she wanted to find a way to help them.

Riyah Patel headshot in front of black background

It wasn’t long after those conversations that, at the age of 15, Riyah founded New American Scholars, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing tutoring and social services to refugee children.

Riyah Patel leaning arms crossed in front of black background
Riyah Patel headshot smiling braces in front of black background

Since then, Riyah has been interviewed by several news organizations, including NHPR. She will be featured on NH Chronicle in a couple of weeks, and–in the middle of her headshot session–she received a call from the Boston Globe, asking for a feature interview.

Riyah Patel seated beside a table - wearing white top in front of white background

Riyah has won the Prudential Emerging Visionary award; the NH Women’s Foundation Trailblazer award; the WZID 20 Outstanding Women award; and NH Business Review’s Outstanding Women in Business: Next Generation (the youngest to win an award from NH Business Review and the first to win the Next Generation award).

A headshot of Riyah Patel. She is wearing white in front of a white background. She is smiling, showing braces

“Wonderful experience getting professional headshots of my teenage daughter! Maundy is skilled and meticulous at her craft. She guided the entire process and put my daughter at ease throughout the entire session. My daughter now has beautiful headshots for her portfolio that are professional and capture her personality. Thank you Maundy!”

-Manisha Patel

Is it time for you to update your headshots? Email me to get started: maundy@maundymitchell.com. I’d love to see you. You can learn more HERE.