Get to know Richelle

Love of words, scholarship and art

My love of words led to a career in journalism and teaching. For more than a decade I worked as a journalist and university professor in the United States and Europe. I taught journalism at the prestigious Missouri School of Journalism and taught political science at Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany.

I worked as a reporter for American newspapers in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. I co-hosted a community affairs television show on a local PBS affiliate and hosted a radio show highlighting the cultural arts in the Philadelphia area; I worked as a reporter/photographer for the Stars and Stripes newspaper in Germany, where I deployed with U.S. troops to cover international peacekeeping missions and conflicts.

I am a creative who loves to write, research, paint and run. I am the author of Running for your life! A devotional for women who run slow, walk fast or jog with reckless abandon. I ran half marathons in Germany and Portugal. Writing and running are two ways I share my faith and connect with others. I am a slow runner who doesn’t expect to break any speed records, but I encourage others take up running so that it can help break strongholds in their life — especially those that whisper, “Your dreams are not possible.”

I know a bit about resilience and working to reach goals. As a child growing up in Southwest Philadelphia, I dreamed of visiting Paris so I could retrace the steps of inspiring African American artists, writers and entertainers, like Josephine Baker, James Baldwin and Richard Wright. I mistakenly thought the golden era of art and culture and creative scholarship had died shortly after World War II. But art and culture continue to thrive everywhere — if you look for it.

Journalism took me to Paris and many other places around the globe: the ornate, yet simple Tavna Monastery in Bosnia and Herzegovina; war-torn villages in Kosovo; U.S. military security patrols in the Albanian countryside; tasting beer and visiting castles in the Czech Republic; to U.S. crack houses awaiting demolition. All of these experiences, foreign policy and nature's beauty and simplicity encouraged me to explore the intersection between creativity, writing and scholarship. I sought to learn more and create more.

I have a doctorate in History, Studies of Security and Defense from ISCTE-IUL in Lisbon, Portugal, a Master’s Degree in International Relations from St. Mary’s University in Texas and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia.

When I'm not running or writing, you can find me painting in my SheShed. I use oil and acrylic paints, pastels and mixed media to create works on life, love, social justice, the beauty of nature and the chaos of world politic.

If you are interested in purchasing my devotional, please visit my Amazon page at: https://www.amazon.com/Running-Your-Life-Devotional-Reckless/dp/0615526683

Experience and Education

I worked in the United States and Europe. Here is a snapshot of my experience:

U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. — I worked as an intern in the Public Affairs Front office of the state department and was able to see first hand how the U.S. government crafts its foreign policy messaging.

Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany — I was an adjunct professor who taught two classes in this part-time position. I taught an introductory Political Science class and Writing for International Relations.

NATO Joint Force Command Library in Oeiras, Portugal — I shelved and sorted book, computed overdue fines, assisted patrons with book searches and created Children’s Story Hour programs.
The Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri — I worked as a City Editor and Adjunct Instructor, teaching students about journalism, news writing and advanced news writing. I worked as a liaison for the university’s convergence program with a local NPR affiliate. The program allowed news students to rewrite their print articles for radio broadcast. I also served as editor in charge of business, health and the environment.

The Stars and Stripes in Germany — I worked as a reporter/photographer for the Stars and Stripes in Wuerzburg, Germany, writing about the U.S. Army, breaking news and had extended reporting assignments in Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. I managed the Wuerzburg bureau

Gannett Newspapers The Jackson Sun in Jackson, Tennessee— I worked as a staff reporter, covering the Tennessee General Assembly. I previously worked as the newspaper’s religion and ethics reporter.

Thomson Newspapers — I worked as a staff writer covering city government, boards and commissions, deadline news stories and state government through the Georgia General Assembly.