Richard is an energetic force who exemplifies what it is to lead with love. He joined Project Angel Food in May 2016 after serving as Interim Executive Director for six months. He is the Chair of the California Food is Medicine Coalition (CalFIMC) and is on the Advisory Council of the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), a national association of medically tailored food and nutrition service providers. He is also a member of Blue Shield Promise Health Plan Community Advisory Committee and Provider Relations Advisory Committee for LA Care Health Plan. During Richard’s tenure at Project Angel Food, he has more than doubled the amount of clients served from 1,050 to 2,700 a day! He has grown the budget from $3.8 million a year to $14.5 million and is ushering in a new era with a “Rise to The Challenge” Capital Campaign raising more than $46.2M of the $51.5 million.
He won the Dedication award from LA Blade in 2024. He is a 2021 Los Angeles Business Journal Award nominee for Nonprofit Executive of the Year, a KNX Hero, and was awarded Executive of the Year by Los Angeles Blade Magazine. In 2018, he also received an LGBT Leadership Award by the Los Angeles City Council, was named a Stratiscope Impact Maker, received the 2018 Community Service Award by the Rotary Club, and the Humanitarian of The Year Award at The Sue Wong Academy Gala.
His leadership propelled Project Angel Food to be selected Good Food Champion by LA City Council Member Hugo-Soto Martinez in 2024 and Nonprofit of The Year by State Senator Ben Allen and Assembly Member Richard Bloom, the City of West Hollywood, and LA Blade readers in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. With his guidance, commitment to excellence, and to their clients, Project Angel Food earned the highest rating on Charity Navigator — 4 Stars and received a Platinum Transparency rating from Candid formerly GuideStar.
Richard was born in El Paso, Texas, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in El Paso. He is an Emmy-award winning television and news producer, who has run newsrooms in Texas, Arizona, Florida and Los Angeles, in addition to the syndicated magazine show Extra.
In July 2020, he used those skills to executive produce Project Angel Food’s Lead with Love Telethon on KTLA 5. Richard is a hands-on leader who frequently delivers meals, sometimes on his own, and sometimes with elected officials like Congressman Adam Schiff, Mayor Karen Bass, or celebrities such as Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Adam Lambert, or the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — Harry and Meghan. But Richard says that the real stars are Project Angel Food’s clients.
