Theresita Richard leads Capital One’s Global Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (DIB), driving the company’s work to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across the company. Previously, she served as Head of Human Resources for
Capital One’s Staff Groups including the Audit, Finance, HR, Legal and Risk functions. She also serves on the board of Out & Equal, a global convener, thought leader and catalyst actively working to embed equity and achieve workplaces of equality and belonging.
Theresita brings over 20 years of experience in diversity & inclusion, organizational effectiveness, operations leadership and human resources. She is committed to unlocking potential to be bold, think big and inspire innovation. She is passionate about creating meaningful experiences that shift the dynamic, enabling individuals, teams, and organizations to thrive and deliver amazing results. As a collaborative and transformational leader, Theresita considers herself a disruptor
and a catalyst for change, approaching problems with curiosity, creating sustainable solutions
for the future and challenging the status quo to solve needs in new and relevant ways.
Theresita started her career in operations after earning her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from
Cornell University. It was there that she discovered her passion for creating experiences around people and went on to pursue her M.A. in Human Resource Development from George Washington University. Over the years, she has worked with various Fortune 500 companies in a mixture of operations and HR roles including Procter & Gamble, Target, Home Depot and
Starbucks. Prior to joining Capital One in November 2020, Theresita led the Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging and Workforce Innovation functions for Nordstrom.
On a personal note she loves great quotes, all things creative, impromptu dance breaks and real live books (there’s nothing like the smell of a new book). Her family is one of the best parts of her and they (husband Frank, sons Fredrick & Francois and daughter Talia) inspire her to be better every day. One of her favorite quotes that she strives to live by is “As you think about your own path to daring leadership, remember Joseph Campbell’s wisdom: ‘The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.’ Own the fear, find the cave, and write a new ending for yourself, for the people you’re meant to serve and support, and for your culture. Choose courage over comfort. Choose whole hearts over armor. And choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid. At
the exact same time.” – Brené Brown, Dare to Lead