Dr. Roderick Richmond is a highly accomplished leader and educator who embodies excellence in K-12 education. Dr. Richmond is currently the Executive Director of Student Support Services for Shelby County Schools in Memphis, Tennessee which serves more than 100,000 students, in 200 schools and employs more than 11,000 employees, with an operating budget of 1.5 Billion dollars. Dr. Richmond currently has been appointed as the President and Board Chairman for the Board of Directors for the Center for Strategic Leadership and Organizational Coherence.
 

Richmond brings an extensive skill set, level of expertise and a passion for educational transformation to each of his leadership roles. Prior to his current role, Richmond served in a number of positions where he led transformation; significantly improved student achievement;
and empowered teachers and school leaders to improve their instructional and leadership efficacy. Those roles included: Chief Academic Officer, Deputy Superintendent, Chief of School Operations, Academic Superintendent, Assistant Principal, Principal and Teacher. Richmond also chaired the creation of the Striving School Zone, a full-scale turnaround initiative for Shelby County Schools, which improved the academic standing of 20 out of 25 high-priority schools.
 

Richmond has presented on many professional organizations not only on local and state levels, but also nationally, including:

The Educational Research and Development Institute (ERDI); the National Association of Secondary School Principals; the Memphis Association of Black School Educators and the National Middle School Association. Richmond has also been a featured
panelist and speaker for numerous educational forums including serving as a panelist for The Memphis Education Fund, for the forum entitled Tipping the Scales: School Turnaround Work in Memphis and a featured speaker for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Black Enterprise Symposium entitled Today’s Business Crisis; Educating Tomorrow’s Workforce. Richmond’s work has been featured in multiple publications including the books entitled Fight-Free Schools: Creating a School Culture that Promotes Achievement (2006) and Ridgeway Middle School Anthology: Choosing to Embrace Diversity 360 Degrees (2005).
 

Richmond has not only received numerous awards for exemplary leadership, he has secured over a 100 million dollars in philanthropic dollars and formed partnerships and alliances to improve educational opportunities for students in historically underserved communities.
Richmond holds a Doctor of Education degree from Union University; an Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum and Supervision from Union University; a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi; and a Bachelor of Science in English from the University of Tennessee.
 

Richmond has a passion for using his skills, talents and competencies to significantly improve the lives of children so that they can fully realize their dreams.