Richard Steele
Bio
Richard Steele is a seasoned technology and project management leader with over 25 years of experience. He has driven transformational change across financial services, healthcare, and consulting, with a proven track record in enterprise-level project delivery, scaled Agile transformations, portfolio governance, and organizational change management.
Education
Rich holds a Master of Arts in Education and a Master of Arts in Political Science from The Ohio State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bradley University.
Professional Background
Rich currently serves as the Enterprise AI Practice Leader at Execution Specialists Group (ESG), where he partners with C-suite executives to align AI initiatives with business strategy and organizational readiness. Previously, he was Director of the Central Portfolio Management Office at Charles Schwab, leading enterprise project delivery for a $450M portfolio of strategic initiatives. He has also held senior PMO leadership roles at DaVita and JPMorgan Chase, specializing in project management frameworks, Agile adoption, and risk management.
Motivation for Teaching
Rich is passionate about developing future project leaders and helping students apply Agile methods to real-world challenges. His early career as a teacher and corporate trainer, combined with his experience leading training and onboarding programs as a PMO leader and guest lectures at the Colorado School of Mines and Syracuse University, have equipped him to create engaging and practical learning environments for adult learners.
Helping Students Be Successful
Rich’s teaching style combines theory with hands-on application, helping students develop confidence in using project management and Agile practices. He values creating a classroom culture where all students feel seen and supported, drawing on his lifelong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rich uses case studies, interactive exercises, and real-world scenarios to bring concepts to life. He also maintains open lines of communication, offering feedback, guidance, and one-on-one support to ensure each student can achieve their goals.