Beyond the Baseline: Riley Shear

When Riley Shear rejoined the world of tennis after nearly a decade away, she brought with her a unique blend of competitive playing experience and sharp consumer brand expertise. Today, as USTA Southern California’s Brand Marketing & Engagement Manager, she plays a pivotal role in shaping how the sport is experienced, expanded, and celebrated across the section.

Creative, vibrant, and uplifting, Riley approaches her work with infectious enthusiasm and a down-to-earth style. Whether she is designing major event activations or crafting editorial features, she brings a thoughtful energy to every project. Her genuine love for the game shines through in everything she does, inspiring those around her to think bigger and push creative boundaries.

Riley is someone who is easy to look up to, carrying herself with an admirable level of professionalism and authenticity. Her focus centers on combining tennis with interactive, community-first events that make the sport feel welcoming, modern, and accessible, especially to newcomers picking up a racquet for the very first time.

Beginnings in Palos Verdes

A native of Palos Verdes Estates, Riley grew up in a supportive and active household with her parents, Peter and Jennifer, and her younger sister, Eden. Being just 16 months apart, Riley and Eden shared a close bond from the beginning, even though their approach to sports was night and day. While Riley brought a fierce competitive drive to everything she took on, Eden was content simply enjoying the moment.

Growing up, sports were a constant in her household. Both of Riley’s parents were multi-sport athletes. Her mom, originally from Montana, was a gymnast, cheerleader, and long distance runner, while her dad, from Illinois, competed in gymnastics, diving, and soccer at the collegiate level. The two eventually met playing beach volleyball in Manhattan Beach through mutual friends.

Though Riley explored soccer, volleyball, swimming, and ballet as a child, tennis quickly captured her heart after her parents introduced her to the game at age six at Palos Verdes Tennis Club.

“One of my favorite early memories growing up was watching “Breakfast at Wimbledon” with my family every year,” Riley recalled. “We would wake up early and watch the finals together, always with strawberries and scones that my mom prepared.”

Tennis also formed a special bond between Riley and her father. A skilled player himself, Peter spent hours hitting with Riley, passing down timeless court wisdom. One piece of advice in particular stuck with her: when your opponent is at the net, the most difficult shot for them is a high lob to their backhand. To this day, it remains her signature go-to tactic and works like a charm nearly every time.

While Riley gravitated toward the tennis court, she and her sister occasionally crossed paths in athletics, including Junior Lifeguards and cheerleading. In cheerleading, Riley served as the base to Eden’s high-flying stunts, a dynamic Riley looks back on with affection, noting that literally and figuratively, she has always been there to catch her sister when she falls.

Junior Stardom and High School Excellence

Riley’s tennis journey took off early on when she won multiple divisions alongside her father and close friends from 2006 to 2013 at the annual Tracy Austin Doubles Tennis Tournament—a beloved event that celebrates local tennis culture through a fun, family-oriented format, with champions and finalists earning the unique opportunity to be interviewed by Tracy herself.

By middle school, she transitioned her training to the legendary Jack Kramer Club, fully immersing herself in junior competition. She earned a Wilson sponsorship and was named to Tennis Recruiting Network’s Prince Hot 100 list for her improvement and performance.

In 2011, she captured the Billie Jean King World TeamTennis Junior National Championship with her hometown club, the Jack Kramer Club Crushers. From 2011 to 2012, she also led the Palos Verdes High School’s varsity team to the CIF-SS Academic Championship in the Large Division with a 3.87 team GPA. Riley continued her success in high school, winning the 2013 Bay League Doubles Championship with her best friend, Nicole, and capturing back-to-back wins in 2013 and 2014 at the Ojai Junior Championships in girls’ 18s doubles.

Throughout her entire high school tenure, Riley held the number one singles spot, earned MVP honors each season, and was named to the All-Area First Team four years in a row. She ultimately capped her high school career as a senior with a 25-5 singles record and an undefeated 6-0 doubles record.

Finding Balance in College

When college recruitment intensified during her junior year, Riley drew interest from programs nationwide, including Villanova, UC Davis, University of the Pacific, and Santa Clara University. After a few official visits, Santa Clara stood out for its top-tier business school, beautiful year-round weather, welcoming team culture, and ideal proximity to home. 

Competing for the Broncos during the 2014 to 2015 season was both challenging and rewarding. After her freshman year, however, Riley decided to step away from collegiate athletics and focus on her broader college experience.

“Playing Division I was a fulfilling experience,” Riley reflected. “But I’m equally proud that I listened to my gut and stepped back to enjoy a traditional college environment. I always say that I got the best of both worlds!”

At Santa Clara’s Leavey School of Business, Riley majored in Business Marketing and minored in Women’s and Gender Studies, finding a natural outlet for her creative mindset. She joined Kappa Kappa Gamma, built lifelong friendships, and studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain during her junior year, where she started dating her now-husband, Ryan. By the time she graduated in 2018, she had developed a strong foundation in marketing and a great community of friends.

Career and Personal Growth 

Riley launched her career in San Francisco as a Marketing Coordinator for an architectural and interior design firm before eventually moving back to SoCal in Newport Beach. There, she accepted a Senior Marketing Coordinator role at a construction firm in Irvine, and finally transitioned into consumer brand marketing at Behr Paint Company.

Over more than three years as a Brand Manager at Behr, Riley specialized in content marketing, public relations, copywriting, and corporate communications. Yet, as her marketing skills sharpened, a subtle shift was taking place in her personal life.

Having stopped playing tennis in college due to burnout, Riley hadn’t picked up a racquet in nearly a decade. But in early 2025, after joining Palisades Tennis Club in Newport Beach, her passion for the sport reignited.

“I stepped away from tennis for ten years, occasionally playing on and off during that time,” Riley shared. “I built my career, discovered new interests, and married my husband, Ryan. But when I joined Palisades Tennis Club, a spark reignited. I fell back in love with the game. Today, I truly can’t get enough, whether it’s working, playing, or watching the sport.”

What ultimately made Palisades feel like home for Riley and Ryan was the exceptional community. Prior to joining, Riley was searching for a welcoming environment where she could connect with genuine, kind-hearted people through the sport. She found exactly that in Palisades. Despite age differences with many long-time members, she quickly formed deep friendships that transcend the court. Today, the club has become a cherished retreat for both Riley and her husband, and a place they look forward to visiting to unwind from their busy professions and spend quality time surrounded by good people.

“Joining Palisades was one of the best decisions I made,” Riley recalled. “Not only do I enjoy playing tennis again because of the welcoming atmosphere and talented members, but Ryan and I have also met some of our best friends there. Palisades feels like my home away from home.”

In 2026, Riley returned to tournament competition for the first time in nearly 12 years at the Roy Emerson Tennis Classic in Newport Beach. With little expectations and the same competitive fire, she surprised herself by winning the 4.5 mixed doubles title alongside partner Josh Snyder and reaching the finals of 4.5 women’s singles. The tournament was a reminder to Riley of why she fell in love with the game in the first place, proving that no matter how much time passes, tennis is always something you can come back to.

Driving Impact at USTA Southern California

With her love for tennis fully rekindled, Riley felt a clear calling to combine her professional brand marketing experience with her lifelong passion for the game. In early 2025, she found her home with USTA Southern California in a dream role on the Marketing team.

In her position, Riley leads field marketing strategy and operations across the section, specifically to grow the sport among new and beginner players. Recognizing that accessibility to equipment and courts represents one of the largest hurdles for potential players, she focuses on bringing tennis directly to the public through high-traffic event activations. From venue management and interactive booth design to staffing and customer acquisition, Riley creates hands-on environments where new players can pick up a racquet for the first time. She views this work as essential to advancing USTA’s broader goal of 35 million players by 2035, engaging an impressionable demographic and leaving a positive first impression through Red Ball Tennis and interactive games.

Riley’s proudest achievement came at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, where she spearheaded USTA SoCal’s largest field marketing activation in partnership with USTA National. Featuring an eye-catching booth equipped with Red Ball Tennis and “World’s Healthiest Sport” installations, the three-day event welcomed over 3,600 Red Ball players and generated nearly 1,800 direct leads. For Riley, seeing the smiles and shared laughter of families trying tennis for the first time remains the most rewarding aspect of her work.

Beyond on-site field strategy, Riley oversees a variety of multi-channel marketing campaigns. She directs public relations, paid media strategy, and targeted email communications to boost overall brand visibility and drive participation across Southern California.

Her talents also extend directly to storytelling. As a writer for the section, Riley interviews players, champions, and local legends to highlight the depth of the regional tennis community. Her editorial work spans in-depth profiles on former professional stars like Dana Mathewson and Cecil Mamiit, cultural month spotlights, articles on physical and mental health benefits, and regional community features, including her favorite piece to date, the Tennis Towns profile on her hometown, Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Praise from Colleagues

Since joining the team, Riley has fit right into the marketing department. Her background combines a deep, firsthand understanding of tennis with sharp brand strategy, making her a versatile and valuable resource for projects. Genuinely kind and easy to connect with, she gets along with everyone across the staff, building strong friendships while becoming a go-to person for creative feedback, practical insight, and trusted advice.

“Riley brings a strong tennis background to the Marketing team, having grown up competing in Southern California’s highly competitive junior tennis circuit. She went on to play college tennis and continues to compete today, giving her valuable insight into the player experience and the type of content that resonates with the tennis community, said Lexie Wanninger, USTA SoCal’s Integrated Marketing Manager. “I love working with Riley because she is incredibly organized and brings genuine passion to everything she does. She is diligent and thoughtful, and her positive attitude and dedication make her an invaluable member of our team.”

“Riley is a rockstar,” stated Jon Mulvey, USTA SoCal’s Web & Digital Media Developer. “Since she joined the organization last year, I’ve been so impressed by her teamwork and professionalism. She understands the value of everyone pulling together towards a common goal, and her versatility and experience have elevated every aspect of what we do in marketing.”

Passions, Family, and Aspirations

Living in Newport Beach with her husband, Ryan, and their beloved dog, Brady, Riley embraces an active coastal lifestyle. When she isn’t managing campaigns or writing features, she can almost always be found playing or watching tennis. She actively plays in USTA leagues, local tournaments, and club social events at Palisades.

A diehard tennis fan, Riley grew up admiring Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. Today, she closely follows Carlos Alcaraz, Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and SoCal’s own Iva Jovic—to name a few. In her free time, she enjoys staying active, trying local restaurants, reading, bike riding, and spending time at the beach with family.

Looking ahead, Riley’s goals are centered on growth both on and off the court. She aims to continue finding innovative ways to bring tennis to new audiences, become a homeowner with Ryan, and start a family.

For anyone considering taking up the sport for the first time, her advice is simple and encouraging.

“Find a racquet, a friend, and just get started! Tennis is a lifelong sport, and it’s never too early or late to begin. Don’t get discouraged or take things too seriously at first; slowly chip away at it, and soon you’ll discover how much happiness and community it brings into your life.”