Talicia serves as the former Executive Director of 64.6 Downtown, a non-profit organization specializing in creative placement in downtown Fort Smith. Under her leadership, she led the effort to rebranding 64.6 Downtown as Main Street Fort Smith, increased the activation of Riverfront Park with the Levitt AMP Fort Smith Music Series, built community awareness of arts & cultural impact of various communities through Black, Asian Pacific Islander, and Hispanic-Latino Heritage Months, and obtained National Main Street accreditation. In addition, her tenure was launched when The Arkansas Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) granted the Achievement in Comprehensive Plan Development Award to the Propelling Downtown Forward Plan.
Talicia understands business and the keys to success in the workplace and marketplace. She has acquired a wealth of knowledge crossing multiple business disciplines possessing over 20 years of experience in operations, quality control, and counseling in the industries of hospitality and health care. Her experience and infectious enthusiasm engages all levels of an organization, from CEO to line employees. She is committed to passing the knowledge she has attained over the years to others. A graduate of a private historically black all female institution Spelman College majoring in Sociology, Talicia attained a Master’s of Science from the University of Arkansas in Counseling. Talicia is a Professional Community Economic Developer Certification and recently expanded her journey into the private practice setting of mental health therapy and business consulting.
Her love for Fort Smith and downtown is known across the State and beyond. She has shared the story of Fort Smith in North Little Rock’s Argenta, Vancouver, Canada, Boston, and Tampa. In 2023, Talicia was named one of the Top 100 Women of Impact in Arkansas by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, Little Rock Soiree and Arkansas Business Publishing Group.
Talicia is serving her third term on the Fort Smith School Board, an advisory board member with the UCA Community Development Institute, Arkansans for the Arts, former Advertising & Promotion commissioner, DEI committee member with Fort Kids Museum, and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Her philosophy simply stated, “how can we work together with kindness and respect while sustaining a greater a place for all to coexist”. Talicia resides in Fort Smith with her husband of 30 years, State Representative Jay Richardson. They have two children Yuri and Jag.
