Hello! It is with great excitement that we introduce Ramon Richardson, TFFT’s new Director of Operations! Ray’s passion for education, extensive experience working for educational equity, and legal background make him the perfect fit for the role. Our entire team is eager to work with and learn from him. The Director of Operations is critical to TFFT’s growth and success. We hope you’ll take a moment to read below to see how lucky TFFT is to have Ray on our team. Please join us in welcoming Ray to The Foundation For Tomorrow!

My name is Ramon Richardson, and I am from San Diego, California. Throughout my life I have lived in various locations within the United States. I was born in Wichita, Kansas on May 13, 1977. As a child and as an adult I have lived in many cities – from Wichita, KS to Los Angeles, CA to San Diego, CA to Washington, DC and now Charlotte, NC. I have now been in Charlotte for the past seven months with my fiancé, Rebekah, and our son, Jeremiah. My immediate family includes my parents, sister, three nieces and nephew. My extended family includes fourteen aunts and uncles, and over two hundred cousins. Family is extremely important to me! Aside from enjoying time with family, I love reading books, watching movies, cooking, going to the gym, and taking pictures of nature.

I graduated from the University of California, at Los Angeles (UCLA), in 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in History. Upon graduating from UCLA, I joined a Teach For America where I committed five years teaching elementary students in the Compton Unified School District, at Ralph J, Bunche Elementary School. After teaching for five years I decided to further my education and attended Howard University School of Law where I earned my Juris Doctorate. While attending law school, I had an opportunity to go to Cape Town, South Africa for a six-week study abroad.  During this short summer experience I had an opportunity to visit and work with orphan children infected with HIV. It was a great experience.

After completing my law degree, I was a practicing attorney in Washington, DC, for two years. I realized while practicing law that working with children and giving back to my community in some capacity was my life’s mission. With a new direction in life, I was afforded the opportunity to become the Principal of Potomac Lighthouse Public Charter School, where I served for five years. This past May of 2014, I decided that I need to do something more to impact the lives of children.

My goal for the year is to make the work that we do in both Charlotte and Tanzania seamless. We are in two locations yet the work that we do serves a common purpose. I hope to work with the both locations to make the physical separation of offices seem nonexistent.

I am so grateful for my life’s experiences because without them I would not have found TFFT or had this opportunity to work with staff and the amazing scholars that we serve. I am so excited to join the team and continue in the great work that the TFFT team has already begun. I truly believe in TFFT’s mission and working toward securing quality education and emotional support for underprivileged children. I believe that all children are capable of accomplishing great things, when access to resources and opportunities are provided.