Penne Lynne Richards, MFA

Penne Lynne Richards, MFA, is an accomplished engagement and communications professional with extensive experience spanning healthcare recruitment, academic leadership, and storytelling. She currently serves as Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Texas Tech University, where she provides strategic leadership for lifelong learning programs across multiple Texas communities. In this role, she oversees program development, community partnerships, and outreach initiatives designed to enrich the lives of adult learners aged 50 and better Her work reflects a deep commitment to education, access, and meaningful community engagement. She brings a unique career journey that bridges healthcare and higher education. Penne transitioned from nearly 15 years in physician and medical staff recruitment—where she specialized in healthcare engagement, relationship management, and talent acquisition within a local health system—into academia following her graduate studies in creative writing. Her early career began in healthcare engagement and relationship-building with medical staff, which evolved into a long-standing role in physician recruitment and organizational development. Later in life, she pursued her MFA in Creative Writing, an experience that sparked a renewed passion for higher education and led to opportunities as a graduate assistant and contributor within academic settings. This path ultimately led to her appointment as Director of OLLI at Texas Tech University, a role she describes as both transformative and deeply rewarding. Penne holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts from the University of California, Riverside, and a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Texas Tech University. In addition to her leadership work, she is an active writer whose work spans nonfiction, poetry, and literary publications. She is known for her strengths in storytelling, public speaking, outreach, and stakeholder engagement, and continues to blend her professional experience in healthcare and academia to foster inclusive, engaging, and impactful learning environments.