Richard Townsell is a Chicago native and thought leader in community development. In Richard’s 20+ years, he has developed hundreds of residential and commercial properties (which have totaled over $100 MM in the communities where he’s worked), created countless public service programs, and designed comprehensive community plans for affordable housing, education and more.
Richard is currently the Executive Director at the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation and a consultant to FEED (Fellowship Educational & Economic Development Corp.). Richard has taught community development courses at Northwestern University's Asset-Based Community Development Institute and been an adjunct professor at Wheaton College's Wheaton in Chicago program. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University in Mathematics Education and a Master of Science from Spertus College in Nonprofit Management. Richard has received many awards for the work including the Fellow of the Year at Leadership Greater Chicago’s 20th anniversary and a Leadership for a Changing World Award from the Ford Foundation.
Richard has been married to his college sweetheart Stephanie for 27 years. They have two adult children, Lena and Gabriel. Richard also coaches youth wrestling in his spare time.