Melissa Richmond
About Melissa Richmond
Melissa Richmond serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Running Start, where she focuses on empowering young women in politics. With a background in political science and law, she has extensive experience in training and advocacy, having conducted sessions across multiple states and countries.
Current Role at Running Start
Melissa Richmond serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Running Start: Bringing Young Women to Politics since 2013. In this role, she focuses on empowering young women to engage in politics and leadership. She spearheads training programs that reach over 2,500 young women annually through more than 100 events, supported by over 500 speakers, trainers, and mentors. Richmond also leads initiatives that place fellows with Congresswomen, successfully placing 99 fellows with more than half of the women in Congress.
Previous Experience in Massachusetts Government
Prior to her current position, Melissa Richmond held internships at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Office of the Governor and the Office of Operations in 2004 and 2005, respectively. These internships lasted for 11 months each and provided her with foundational experience in government operations and public service.
Experience with Romney for President
Melissa Richmond worked at Romney for President in two capacities. From 2007 to 2008, she served as the Executive Assistant to the Senior Advisor and National Finance Director. Following this role, she was the Director of Donor Relations from 2011 to 2012. These positions allowed her to develop skills in political fundraising and donor engagement.
Educational Background
Melissa Richmond has an extensive educational background. She studied Political Science at Brigham Young University, earning a Bachelor of Science (BS). She furthered her education at The George Washington University Law School, where she obtained her Doctor of Law (JD). Additionally, she attended Yale University, completing the Women's Campaign School in 2015.
Advocacy and Public Speaking
Richmond frequently speaks to external groups about the importance of electing more women to political office, engaging in almost weekly speaking engagements. She has also conducted training sessions for young women at over 30 colleges across more than 15 states and internationally in countries such as Jamaica, Mexico, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia. Her advocacy efforts include creating the #ILookLikeAPolitician campaign, which aims to combat sexist media coverage and inspire young women to view themselves as political leaders.