Nissa Richardson

Nissa Richardson is the Deputy Director for the City of Richmond’s Parks Department & oversees the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) division, currently working to implement over $150,000,000 in capital projects. Nissa brings over 25 years of experience working in the field of Chesapeake Bay restoration to her role with the City’s Parks department, with work ranging from new park design and development to construction of new community centers, playgrounds, as well as basic infrastructure improvements projects. The CIP team she leads also works with the Parks and Recreation divisions on projects that will ensure all Richmonders are within a 10-minute walk to a park and have equitable access to our programming and green space, as well as realize a vision of connectivity throughout Richmond’s Park systems.

She has routinely sought innovative projects with local partners to not only make tangible improvements to the environment and water quality, but to demonstrate to the public and elected officials that Chesapeake Bay goals can be achieved by local projects. This has translated into her current work as every park project is achieved through the lens of environmental sustainability and restoration.

Nissa enjoys seeing live music, camping, hiking and wading trout streams with her husband in the mountains of VA, western NC, and PA. She is immensely proud of her children (who are now young adults!) and loves spending time with family and friends.