Cecile Richards

Background

As president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Cecile Richards is a leader in the field of women’s health and reproductive rights. Since joining the organization in 2006, Richards has expanded its advocacy for access to health care and ensured that Planned Parenthood played a pivotal role in shaping health care coverage and services for women under the Affordable Care Act. Under her leadership, the number of Planned Parenthood supporters has doubled, reaching seven million. Before joining Planned Parenthood, Richards founded the Texas Freedom Network in 1996, a Texas organization formed to counter the Christian right. She served as deputy chief of staff for Nancy Pelosi. In 2004, she founded and served as president of the grassroots organization America Votes, a coalition of organizations working to maximize registration, education, and voter participation. She began her career organizing low-wage workers throughout California, Louisiana, and Texas. She is trustee of the Ford Foundation and the daughter of Ann Richards, the 45^th governor of the state of Texas. This past speaker page shares her podium presentation as well as the Q&A.