Richard joined Toastmasters in 2006 at the recommendation of motivational speaker Les Brown. When he joined Toastmasters, it was strictly to improve his communication skills, he had no view on leadership. Within a year he was serving in District leadership! He has since gone on to become the 2020 – 2021 International President of Toastmasters International.

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During his 33-year tenure with AT&T he served as a senior member of the Network Support leading cross-functional, cross-cultural teams to successfully deliver several high-tech multimillion-dollar projects annually. 

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He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Fairfield University in Connecticut, and an MBA in international business at the University of Texas at Dallas. 

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His volunteer work includes serving as club president and Lieutenant Governor for Kiwanis International, serving with Lions Club International, as well as serving in various capacities with the Catholic War Veterans. As a result of his volunteer work, he was a recipient of the 2018 Presidential Award for Volunteerism. 

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He currently belongs to three Toastmasters Clubs: Nutmeg Toastmasters the club he joined in 2006, Park City Toastmasters, and New England Advanced Toastmasters (N.E.A.T.)

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When he became International President, the pandemic had a tight grip on the world. He has a saying, “Opportunity does not knock on the door or ring the doorbell, it plays hide and seek. It’s up to each of us to seek the opportunities.” As a result, he implemented the International President’s World Tour speaking in over 140 countries which has allowed him to continuously evolve his communication style while learning how to communicate across cultures.

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He recently co-authored the book, “Poking The Cadaver: A Forensic Approach to Public Speaking.”