East Lampeter Township resident Livia Ann Riley has been named the first layperson to serve as superintendent of schools for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.

"I feel very honored and privileged," Riley said Friday.

Riley replaces Sister Sue Ann Steves, who retired June 30. Steves was superintendent for eight years. The diocese has been searching for a new superintendent of schools since January.

Riley, who had her final interviews during the last week of June, started in her new position July 1.

"I see Mrs. Riley bringing to the position a real sense of the mission of Catholic education. She has a profound sense of what it means to be a Catholic educator, to educate the whole child: body, soul and mind," the Rev. Edward J. Quinlan, secretary for education of the Diocese of Harrisburg, said Thursday in a news release.

As superintendent of schools, Riley will oversee more than 13,000 students and 900 faculty and staff members in 38 elementary buildings, five high school buildings and two kindergarten through 12th-grade buildings. The schools cover five intermediate units and 15 counties in central Pennsylvania.

She will oversee the curriculum, staff development, achievement testing and daily operation of the schools and the religious instruction of the students.

Riley earned an associate's degree in accounting and a bachelor's degree in behavioral science, both from York College; a master's equivalence in special education from Millersville University; and she took administrative courses from Penn State University. She also holds administrative and teaching certifications in Pennsylvania.

She began her career in education in Lancaster in 1974, teaching grades one, four and six and seventh-eighth-grade math at the former St. Anthony's Catholic School until 1990. During this time, she also taught special education at Burrowes and Price elementary schools in the School District of Lancaster from 1978 to 1984.

From 1991 until 1997, Riley taught seventh-eighth-grade math and pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade computer classes at Resurrection Catholic School in Lancaster.

Riley was principal at St. Anne Catholic School in Lancaster from 1997 to 2003.

She then headed to the diocesan education office, first as assistant superintendent of curriculum and staff development from 2003 to 2007, then as assistant superintendent of secondary schools and federal programs during the past school year.

"I'm definitely a daughter of the diocese, coming up through the system. I truly know all aspects of the system," Riley said.

She and husband Kenneth Riley are the parents of two adult sons.

Quinlan said Riley's experience in special education has helped the diocesan system to expand the number of children served in that area, as well as enhance the quality and effectiveness of its instruction.

Five high schools, two K-12 schools and many elementary schools now have instructional support programs, he said.

E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com