Charleita M. Richardson was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI) in October 2022. She is responsible for leading DCI in expanding its vision while maintaining its roots to the community. Additionally, her expertise in administration and programs will help build out the organization’s collective impact model.  

Before joining DCI, Charleita served as the Executive Director of the Florida College Access Network (FCAN) where she was responsible for the operations and management of this social impact organization committed to boosting educational opportunity and success beyond high school. FCAN’s history dates to 2007 where the organization was first established as ENLACE Florida. Under its new name, the Florida College Access Network leads the collaborative movement around the state’s SAIL to 60 initiative where 60% of the Florida population would have a high-quality degree, certificate, or credential. 

Prior to joining FCAN, Charleita served at Partnership for the Future (PFF), a college access and success service provider. Charleita joined PFF in 2006 as the Director of Programs. In this role, her responsibilities included implementing and redesigning a program curriculum that targeted the areas of college preparation, critical thinking, community service, and workforce development. In late 2007, she became President & CEO of the organization. Under her leadership, PFF added leadership and life skills components to the curriculum to distinguish PFF students from others preparing to enter college and the workforce. Through her ability to build relationships, the program grew its volunteer base from 30 to 300 volunteers annually and its outside funding. PFF was able to win the only $200,000 Neighborhood Builders 2012 Grant in the Richmond/Hampton Roads market from Bank of America, the inaugural grant from the Ujima Legacy Fund (and the only organization to win the award twice), the SisterFund grant, and many others. By 2014, she was able to grow the organizations individual campaign by 94%, the largest percentage growth and individual giving amount on record for the organization. 

Before becoming an integral member of Partnership for the Future team, after graduating from college, Charleita worked as a Financial Analyst at DuPont and an Internal Auditor at Genworth Financial (formerly GE). After several years working in the financial field, she redirected her focus to youth programs. With that change in direction, she worked for the City of Richmond responsible for establishing the workforce training program for area high school students. She later transitioned to the Capital Area Workforce Investment Board as the Youth Programs Manager of the seven counties surrounding Richmond, VA. Additionally, Charleita also utilized her skills and training as a Faculty member with the University of Phoenix, where she taught Cultural Diversity and a course on adapting to the online learning environment for over seven years. 

Charleita holds a B.A. in Accounting from Randolph-Macon College, where she was the 1st black female in the history of the college to serve as the graduating class’s commencement speaker and received the 2007 Outstanding Alumna Award. She also holds an MBA in Management and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management. In addition to her educational endeavors, Charleita has dedicated her time to community involvement because she believes in the scripture that states, “To whom much is given, much is required.” She has served on Randolph-Macon College’s Society of Alumni, Randolph-Macon’s Racial Equity and Opportunity Commission, the Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital Community Advisory Board, the SwimRVA Board of Directors, and the inaugural board of RVA CDC. She is also a member of the Leadership Metro Richmond Class of 2008, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a member of The Links, Incorporated. She has also completed Leadership Triangle as a Goodmon Fellow. 

Over the years, Charleita has earned numerous awards, to include the National Emerging Leader award from INROADS, Inc, metropolitan Richmond’s Top 40 under 40, and the Stettinius Fund for Nonprofit Leadership Award. As a graduate of Richmond Public Schools, Charleita was proud to be named a Richmond Public Schools Living Legacy in 2016 and later that year earning the UN Sustainable Goals Quality Education Award. By 2019, Charleita was named a Richmond History Maker and a Richmond Times Dispatch Person of the Year Honoree. In 2022, Charleita was nominated and accepted into the Kresge Foundation’s Thrive Leadership Network and the Wells Fargo’s Nonprofit Leadership Training Program at Boston College. She also earned the Nonprofit Executive of the Year Award from Randolph-Macon College in 2022.