Wendi Richards

Change agent, Explorer, Foodie, Global soul, Idea generator, Performer, Project manager, World traveler

I'm originally from the faux Bavarian village of Leavenworth, WA, where we wear dirndls and yodel for the tourists. I rode horses and raised rabbits, studied six languages, and moved to Guam for six years, after eloping with my husband of now 30 years, who was born in Guam. There, I worked as a public-school guidance counselor during the day and spent my free time modeling and playing water polo internationally as the only woman on the Guam National Water Polo team. Never having been to the East Coast and knowing no one, we moved to Maine to settle down. I like history, lighthouses, and blueberries. Note - they do not kick you out for not liking lobster. I moonlight as an actress at a historical theater in the woods where Humphrey Bogart and Loren Bacall spent their summers and Betty White met the love of her life. I have two children; one is a trans woman with Aspergers and the other had to be hospitalized twice due to suicidal ideation and major depression. I turned my family's lives upside down to ensure everyone was stable and it worked. Professionally, I take neglected or abandoned departments and rebuild them from scratch. No matter what my title is when I'm hired, I'm usually promoted to a senior leadership position within 2 years. All of this creates great stories, that I will not consider successful, unless you laugh.

theater, acting, making people laugh, social justice, gender equity, autism awareness, and the environment. I love animals, travel, fantasy novels, historical architecture, art, sustainable fashion, and eating food I don't cook.

I represent a disruptor, a first-generation African American change-maker who has adapted higher education to better serve students and employers to create economic justice and social mobility. My President’s vision is to provide accessible programs to empower underrepresented communities, including people of color and those from low-income backgrounds. Partnering with employers to ensure our workforce has the skills needed for success in quality green jobs. Closing the skills gap to pave the way for career pathways out of generational poverty for marginalized communities and brings those most affected by climate change to the table.

Imagine leading a project and finding out you are being paid significantly less than your male subordinates. One of my technology graduates discovered this and was furious. She had never tried to negotiate her salary but was now ready to learn. This is my specialty. A recent study using AI showed men and women are equally terrible at salary negotiation, but our culture is much more judgmental of women. She ended up doubling her salary and later told me that I inspired her to started mentoring other young women, because we all need to help correct the gender pay gap.

Water polo, horseback riding, sewing, renaissance dance, and art.