My students call me Mr. Riolo (rē-ō-lō).
For 15 years, I worked as a corporate trainer at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, teaching adults in a fast-paced, high-energy environment. It was my responsibility to make learning effective and practical. I adopted a quote by Peter Morton, the man who created the Hard Rock Cafe, "Love all. Serve all."
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I took the chance to move to Oregon from Nevada and finished my bachelor’s degree in film at Portland State University (Honors). Five months later, I fell into secondary education on an emergency contract, teaching English Language Development (ELD) at a middle school here in Oregon.
Currently, I have finished my Master’s Degree in Science: Learning Design and Technology at Western Oregon University, building on everything I’ve learned from corporate training, filmmaking, and public education. My focus is on using technology to create engaging, effective learning experiences that make an impact.
Whether it’s adults in the workplace or students in a classroom, I believe learning should be clear, engaging, and designed with the audience in mind.
About Me
If you Google me, you will see that in 2014 I was on a reality show on Spike TV called "The Ten Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty." Spoiler alert: I didn't find bigfoot. Instead, I became famous in a small niche group of society where people think bigfoot is leaving them presents on a gifting stump. I was involved because I wanted to know the truth. Was it real? Great. If not, great. Alas, I think we all know the truth... I didn't win the ten million dollars.
Aside from being on television and numerous paranormal documentaries, and winning two film festivals here in Oregon, I enjoy writing (I have written two books), and I'm currently doing a podcast with another teacher, Timothy Garavanta, called Break it Down with Rick and Tim.
When I am not out chasing bigfoot (I know it's not real), I enjoy Star Wars (Original Trilogy), music, science, astronomy, politics, and art.
