Richard Senese, Ph.D., L.P., is President Emeritus of Capella University. His work has expanded the university’s FlexPath offerings, which provide one of the country’s foremost direct assessment, competency-based learning formats, providing working adults the ability to have greater control setting their pace. Richard has been a leader in academic innovation, including establishing the Capella Fellows program that helps community-based organizations build the talent and leadership skills required to mitigate social and economic inequities in the communities they serve as well as serving on national efforts to improve credit for prior learning.

Richard currently serves as the treasurer of LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. He is a past board member and chair of the Center for Victims of Torture and currently serves on it Governance Committee.  In 2019 the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal recognized Richard for his commitment to the LGBTQ community. A former professor at St. Olaf College, Metropolitan State University and the College of St. Scholastica,  Richard has held leadership roles at the University of Minnesota Extension and on other boards and task forces.