Arianna Richard is the Vice President for Operations of the RPCV Ventures team, and remains involved with numerous RPCV groups in a volunteer capacity. Her pathway to the Peace Corps community began during her undergraduate program at Oklahoma State University where she studied Human Development and Family Sciences. As she completed her coursework, she realized she wanted to focus less on family impact and more on a larger global impact, prompting her decision to start the Masters International Program following completion of her Bachelor’s degree. She completed coursework for her Masters in International Development and left for Peace Corps service in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in 2017.

During her time in Eswatini, Arianna served her host community as a Community Health Extension volunteer. Working within the local schools, clinic, and government, she designed numerous projects to alleviate the community impacts of HIV/AIDS. Arianna’s primary project involved revamping a closed-down child care and school community center for orphaned and vulnerable children. In collaboration with a women’s business group, Arianna and the community raised the money needed to reopen the center and provide a sustainable source of funding for long-term operations. Arianna was also a founding member of a volunteer-led affinity group called Spectrum, formed to support and celebrate volunteers within the LGBTQIA+ community during their service.

Following Arianna’s service, the Dallas native moved to Washington, D.C. to start her career in 2019. Shortly after, she began working at National Peace Corps Association, where she met RPCV Ventures co-founder, Glenn Blumhorst. During her time with NPCA, Arianna managed the sprawling affiliate group network, and implemented a multi-year campaign to galvanize the Peace Corps community to take action on climate change. Her efforts to connect and engage the affiliate group network included managing communications, implementing research and data analysis, and grant procurement. Arianna remains an active member of Museum of the Peace Corps Experience, assisting with communications and events, and serves on the Board of RPCVs for Environmental Action. 

Now back in Dallas, Arianna is bringing her RPCV community connections and engagement experience to the RPCV Ventures team to support RPCV businesses with a strong social impact mission.