Meet Dr. Chelsea Richard

I grew up in Massachusetts, the daughter of a human services professional and a landscaper. My mother always told me, "If you can read, you can do anything." It was a simple lesson in self-reliance that has guided me ever since.

Navigating my early 20s and undergraduate studies in Boston taught me how to pivot when things go sideways and how to find a path forward using the resources at hand. It is also how I discovered my passion for public health, which eventually brought me here to Columbia.

Testifying at the Statehouse about Importance of Integrating Early Childhood Data across State Agencies (2022)

Bringing Data to the Table

I moved to Columbia thirteen years ago to pursue a masters and later a PhD in epidemiology at the University of South Carolina. Since 2015, I have dedicated my career to making South Carolina work better for its people.

At the Department of Health and Environmental Control and later as the Chief of Research and Strategy at South Carolina First Steps, I did not just look at spreadsheets; I looked for solutions. I have led data strategy for $70 million+ investments in early childhood programs, educated legislators on how to get a real return on taxpayer dollars, built a culture of listening to families and service providers, and helped every county in this state build a roadmap for the future of their early childhood system. I am not interested in "politics as usual". I am interested in what the data tells us will actually move the needle for our communities.

Rooted in Richland

Enjoying Mays Park! Photo by Tonya Palmer Photography

My husband Drew and I have called the Rosewood neighborhood home since 2017, and we are deeply invested in this community. Drew serves as the Deputy Assessor for Richland County, and we are raising our two-year-old daughter here. Whether I am working in my role as Vice President of Operations at Central Carolina Community Foundation, serving on the Richland Library Board of Trustees, or teaching the next generation of public health leaders at USC, I believe in showing up and doing the work.

I am running for County Council District 5 because I believe Richland County deserves leadership that listens and is proactive, innovative, and open. I have spent the last decade fixing complex problems at the state level. Now, I want to put that experience to work for my neighbors.

Democracy is at its best when voters have a choice. I am running for County Council because I believe District 5 deserves a representative who is as proactive as they are practical; someone who brings a fresh, results-driven perspective to the table.

I have spent the last decade in state government fixing complex systems and ensuring taxpayer dollars actually move the needle for families and communities. But as a mom raising my daughter in Rosewood, I know that the decisions made at the county level are some of the ones that hit closest to home.

We do not need more "politics as usual"; we need a strategist who listens to the community and uses real evidence to drive our future. I have spent my career bringing people together to build roadmaps for success across South Carolina, and now I want to put that experience to work for my neighbors here in District 5.