Tom Richards

Tom Richards is a lifelong educator who has served as a teacher, administrator, coach and educational entrepreneur for several decades.

Lifelong Educator: After earning a master’s degree in Education from The University of Pennsylvania, Tom began his teaching career in various educational settings as an instructor in Mathematics, English, Latin and History at the elementary and secondary levels. Deciding to pursue the administrative path, Tom became an athletic director, upper school principal and eventually head of an elementary Quaker school in the local area.

Educational Entrepreneur: Tom founded a day camp for grades K-6 children, a camp that he also directed for twenty years. He began a soccer camp for children, ages 6-12, an afterschool program and a study skills workshop for those children who needed support and guidance in how to prepare, organize and study. Tom also was the founding Board Chair of Arch Street Preschool, a city school founded more than ten years ago.

Non-profit: Currently, Tom is founder and executive director of Nellie’s Schoolhouse, an organization he created eight years ago that connects therapy dogs to children and young adults with autism, depression and anxiety. Through learning how to approach, pet, groom, feed and walk a dog, participants improve their socialization and communication skills and increase their self-confidence.