Meet William Rivas

2022 Philanthropist of the Year Finalist

A devoted husband to Shawnta and father to Gellona, William Rivas is a Schenectady native with more than ten years of nonprofit executive experience.  

He is the Executive Director of the Children of Our Community Open to Achievement (C.O.C.O.A) House, which provides mentoring and after-school services to young children in Schenectady.  

As a reflection of his commitment to the community, Rivas has received over 20 awards and has been profiled in more than 20 news segments, including an interview with journalist Soledad O'Brien that aired nationally. In the piece, Rivas was credited with coming up with the idea for and implementing the nation's first Community-Operated Police New Hire Panel. 

Embracing the power of transformative change and leadership, Rivas specializes in community engagement, momentum building, nonprofit administration, collaborative work, equity through action, community development, and what he calls “Intrafication.” 

United Way's Capital Region Philanthropist of the Year award recognizes an individual who has positively impacted our community. 

Join us at the NYS Museum on June 9, 2022, when we reveal this year’s Capital Region Philanthropist of the Year!