A scientist by training, Talmesha Richards, Ph.D., has dedicated her life’s work to creating community for others. Dr. Richards is a dynamic Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach and STEM advocate, who believes in intentional collaboration. For over a decade, she has worked with higher education institutions and corporations to advance STEM workforce development and strategic partnerships to promote diversity and inclusion in STEM. She currently serves as the Principal Manager of Innovation Relationships, working with the National GEM Consortium’s Inclusion in Innovation Initiative (i4). In this role, she is driving a diversity and inclusion infrastructure for the National Science Foundation I-Corps Program.
Dr. Richards earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. While a graduate student, she was a National Football League Cheerleader and championed diversity and raised science interest and literacy through advocacy and mentorship. She spent her undergraduate career at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) where she double majored in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics and was a Meyerhoff Scholar. Dr. Richards has an Executive Certification in Diversity Coaching from the Howard University School of Business and CoachDiversity Institute. She is also an I-Corps instructor.
Dr. Richards has contributed to the national and global discourse as it relates to STEM, innovation and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She possesses the unique ability to connect to an array of audiences ranging from elementary school students to senior executives. Past events include the Diversity Women’s Business Leadership Conference, the Global Women in Leadership Economic Forum and VentureWell’s OPEN Conference.
She believes that being an intentional collaborator brings positive change in people’s lives on a local, national, and international level, and is always excited about being a catalyst in that process.
Dr. Richards resides in Maryland with her husband and baby boy, Cassius.