Tricia Richards-Service, PhD

Tricia Richards-Service, PhD has more than 20 years’ experience as a communication professional. She has served organizations that range from billion-dollar, international Fortune 500 companies to local non-profits, leading teams in marketing, corporate communications, advertising, public relations, media relations, and fundraising. 

Since 2003, Tricia has served as principal for The PR Dept., Inc., a boutique public relations firm, and has held multiple faculty appointments. She is the founder and owner of I Need A Speaker, an online platform that connects speakers with audiences. Tricia has spoken at multiple international, national, and regional conferences on the subjects of marketing, communications, education, and healthcare. To date, she has led presentations and workshops in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, and multiple locations in the United States.

Tricia earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications/journalism, a master’s degree in healthcare administration, and a doctorate in strategic leadership and business administration with a focus on health promotion. She is a two-time Fulbright grantee who has conducted research through Trinity College Dublin (Dublin, Ireland) and the University of Economic Studies (Bucharest, Romania). Her work has won multiple awards.



A native of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Tricia is active in her community. A member of the board of directors of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, she lives in Clarks Summit with her husband, Kevin Service, and their two children. In her free time, Tricia enjoys kayaking, traveling, reading, cooking, attending concerts, and spending time with family and friends.