Our Board of Directors is proud to present this year's Community Changemaker award to Xavier Richardson. In 2015 our team at the Dr. Yum Project had a vision to upgrade our website to be a state-of-the-art resource that physicians in our community could share with their patients. We met with Xavier to share our vision and he gave us guidance on how to take the steps to make our vision come true. Years later, doctoryum.org continues to be a resource for health care providers in our community but also for providers in 32 states and four countries. We are grateful for all of Xavier's support over the years proud to call him a friend.

Xavier, a native of Fredericksburg, has served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Mary Washington Healthcare since 1989. In this capacity, he also serves as President of Mary Washington Hospital Foundation and President of Stafford Hospital Foundation. He is also responsible for MWHC’s Community Benefit efforts and legislative affairs. He is the founder and executive director of The Partnership for Academic Excellence which has assisted over 7,000 minority students over the past 32 years in their quest for a college education. He is also well known in the community for work with mentoring young adults as well.

Xavier is a member of numerous local, state, and national boards, including the boards of Fredericksburg Academy, ArtsLive, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Moss Free Clinic, Children’s Home Society of Virginia Foundation, the University of Mary Washington Foundation, University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development, The Gladys P. Todd Scholars Program at Germanna, Central Rappahannock Regional Library, HOSPAC, the Truist Community Advisory Board, and the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF).

He is also a member of and the Charter President of the Fredericksburg Education Foundation. Xavier has been the recipient of numerous awards. The City of Fredericksburg proclaimed April 24, 2021, Xavier Richardson Day, in honor of his numerous contributions to the greater Fredericksburg Region.

A graduate of James Monroe High School, he is also a graduate of Princeton University where he received his Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude and the Harvard Business School from which he earned his MBA. He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Saint Paul’s College.

Xavier has been a long-time supporter of the Dr. Yum Project’s efforts to help our community overcome the barriers to eating well. Congratulations, Xavier!