Richard Graham

Richard Graham

Senior Executive Assistant · Executive Operations Partner · Boston

Some leaders need scheduling. Others need infrastructure.

I provide senior-level executive support across complex calendars, communications, travel, meetings, briefing materials, confidential information, stakeholder coordination, and operational follow-through. The people I work best with are leaders who are building something, moving fast, and carrying more operational complexity than they can reasonably manage alone.

I've been trusted to do this repeatedly: support a Senior Director through the launch of a Merck research facility, support a division president and Business Development leadership during Sanofi's proposed acquisition of Genzyme, help establish a newly elected U.S. Senator's office, and today serve as executive and operations partner to a private development principal running multimillion-dollar projects.

I protect executive attention by keeping priorities organized, decisions prepared, documentation accurate, relationships strong, and follow-through visible until the work is complete.

Different industries. Same role.

Email Richard My Approach LinkedIn Résumé (PDF)

Capabilities

What I run, day to day.

Microsoft 365 — Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive · Google Workspace · Concur · Ariba · PeopleSoft · Kronos · Paychex · QuickBooks · Taleo · DocuSign · Adobe Sign · Adobe Acrobat · Box · Dropbox · Notion · Zoom · Apple productivity tools · AI tools — ChatGPT, Claude, Codex and Midpage for research, drafting, summarization, document analysis and workflow design

Selected Results

What changed because I was there.

  1. Fundraising / national campaign operations

    Delivered nationally significant fundraising events

    Owned planning and execution for major Hillary Rodham Clinton Senate campaign fundraising events from initial strategy through event completion. Coordinated fundraising operations, donor cultivation, campaign staff, venue logistics, principal movement, and U.S. Secret Service advance requirements. A Hofstra University fundraiser featuring President Bill Clinton exceeded its fundraising goal by approximately 40 percent, while a Young Professionals fundraiser featuring Bebe Neuwirth substantially exceeded fundraising projections.

  2. Operational launch / Merck Research Laboratories

    Helped launch a new research facility

    Coordinated facilities, IT, security, vendors, scientists, recruiting, travel, procurement, and executive support that enabled a new Boston research laboratory to begin operating efficiently.

  3. Business development / Genzyme and Sanofi

    Supported two executives through a contested acquisition

    Supported the President of Oncology and Multiple Sclerosis and the senior executive leading business development for the oncology, transplant, and multiple sclerosis businesses during Sanofi's proposed acquisition of Genzyme. Prepared executive briefing books and board materials, coordinated due diligence meetings and confidentiality agreements, managed document flow, and supported executives before, during, and after transaction-related meetings.

  4. Business development / Columbia University

    Built a corporate sponsorship program from scratch

    Created Columbia University's first corporate sponsorship strategy for the Columbia 250 celebration, developing an active pipeline of more than 100 corporate prospects and supporting relationships through planning and execution.

  5. Executive operations / Private development

    Turned complex records into decision-ready intelligence

    Reconstructed property histories from deeds, chains of title, covenants, affidavits, contracts, and historical records, providing principals and counsel with organized findings that supported development and acquisition decisions.

Selected Experience

Merck, Genzyme, Columbia, the U.S. Senate. One function.

  1. Executive operations/ongoing build

    Blackwater Development

    2018 – Present · Massachusetts

    Executive operations partner to the principal of a private real estate development operation spanning multimillion-dollar residential development, property operations, and financial administration. Own the calendar, inbox, and confidential communications, and prepare the briefing materials, research summaries, and action tracking that decisions run on. Reconstruct property histories from deeds, chains of title, and covenants to clarify ownership, identify development constraints, and surface matters for attorney or title review. The engagement with the principal has been continuous since October 2018; operations are currently conducted through Blackwater Development LLC.

  2. Independent business/self-employed

    Richard D. Graham, LLC

    2014 – 2018 · Florida

    Sole member of a Florida business spanning residential real estate, solar energy sales, and business consulting. Sales and leasing conducted under brokerage affiliation, first with PMO Realty and then Keller Williams Realty.

  3. HR and administrative support/seasonal appointments

    Macy's

    2010 – 2014 · Natick, MA and Orlando, FL

    Sales Ambassador, promoted to Administrative Support Team Associate. Supported store HR and management-office operations in Taleo: candidate and new-hire records, offer and onboarding documentation, interview scheduling, and hiring reports.

  4. Executive support/through an acquisition

    Genzyme Corporation / Sanofi

    Oct 2010 – Feb 2011 · Cambridge, MA

    Senior Administrative Assistant supporting the President of Oncology and Multiple Sclerosis and the Senior Vice President of Strategic Development for oncology, transplant, and multiple sclerosis during Sanofi's proposed acquisition of Genzyme. Prepared executive reports, supported budgets and vendor evaluation, and coordinated clinical-affiliation outreach with Harvard, UMass, and Boston College. Contract engagement through Randstad.

  5. Executive support/at facility launch

    Merck Research Laboratories

    2006 – 2007 · Boston, MA

    Executive Assistant to the Senior Director of Molecular Oncology during the launch of a new research facility and laboratory. Managed complex calendars, multi-leg international travel, site budgets, and procurement. Coordinated scientists, facilities, IT, AV, security, vendors, and visitors while the team stood up operations. Contract engagement through Kelly Services.

  6. Institutional development/program built from scratch

    Columbia University — Columbia 250

    2003 – 2004 · New York, NY

    Director of Corporate Sponsorship for Columbia's 250th anniversary. Established the corporate development program from scratch, built a pipeline of more than 100 corporate prospects, and managed relationships through university events, symposia, and performances.

  7. Public affairs/newly elected office

    New York State Senate — Office of Senator Liz Krueger

    2002 – 2003 · New York, NY

    Director of Public Affairs and Communications for a newly elected senator. Directed media relations, maintained community and government relationships, conducted confidential issue research, and helped establish the office's public-facing operations. Completed Emily's List training in campaign planning, press secretary work, and fundraising.

  8. Finance & operations/campaign into new office

    Clinton Senate Campaign, U.S. Senate Office & HillPAC

    1999 – 2002 · New York and Washington, D.C.

    Five roles of increasing responsibility across Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign, the transition into the new Senate office, and HillPAC. As Deputy Finance Director, managed a portfolio of more than 1,000 donor prospects. In the newly established Senate office, worked with the Sergeant at Arms on IT systems, constituent databases, and official Senate mailings, helping build operational infrastructure at launch. Completed U.S. Secret Service advance training through the Office of the First Lady.

Research and Academic Background

Trained to find out what is true.

My approach to operations was shaped by scientific training. That is where the habits come from: define the question, gather what is observable, resist the conclusion you were hoping for. It is also why complex technical environments have never intimidated me.

Publications and Conference Presentations

Graham, R.D., Menge, J.A., Terry, L.M., & Hall, W.G. (1998). The effects of isolated maternal cues on ultrasonic vocalizations in neonatal rats [Abstract]. Developmental Psychobiology, 32(2). Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, New Orleans.

Graham, R.D., Blandino, P., Johanson, I.B., & Terry, L.M. (1997). Repeated maternal deprivation: effects of concurrent odor exposure [Abstract]. Developmental Psychobiology, 30(3). Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, Washington, D.C.

Graham, R.D., Johanson, I.B., & Terry, L.M. (1996). Effects of cocaine on memory for odor-milk pairings in young rats [Abstract]. Developmental Psychobiology, 29(3). Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, San Diego.

Graham, R.D., Terry, L.M., & Johanson, I.B. (1996). The Developmental Psychobiology Laboratory Manual. Florida Atlantic University.

Research

Laboratory work at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, examining neural and behavioral control of ultrasonic vocalizations and serotonin receptor knockout models. Trained in surgical procedure, behavioral testing, microscopy, histology, and statistical analysis.

Projects included Maternal-Infant Interactions in 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B Knockout Mice with Dr. Daniela Brunner; Respiratory Distress in 5-HT1A Knockout Mice with Drs. Myron Hofer, Harry Shair, and Rene Hen; Rat Pup Respiratory Behavior Correlated with Ultrasonic Production with Drs. Hofer, Michael Myers, and Susan Brunelli; and Implicit Memory Research with Dr. Martin Chodorow at Hunter College. Field studies in Animal Behavior at the American Museum of Natural History Southwestern Research Station in Portal, AZ.

Teaching

Teaching Assistant, Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Hunter College.
Teaching Assistant, Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University.

Selected honors

Science Fellowship, CUNY Graduate Center. CUNY Tuition Scholarship. Outstanding Research in Psychobiology Award, Florida Atlantic University. Ellisa Pollock Memorial Scholarship for Academic Excellence. Charter member, Parliament of Owls Student Leader Honor Society.

Where the pattern started

Elected Senate President of the Florida Atlantic University Broward Student Government, overseeing an annual budget of approximately $5 million. Treasurer of the Psychology Association. Registration Coordinator for the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology annual meeting.

Beyond the Work

Different industries. Same person.

In the late nineties I was running graduate research at a Columbia lab, working a Senate campaign, teaching experimental psychology, and playing in a softball league in New York. Holding several complicated things at once turned out to be the whole job description.

Since then: a background role in an episode of Burn Notice. Field research on ants, spadefoot toads, and lizards in the Chiricahua Mountains with the American Museum of Natural History. Voter outreach and field operations on a string of campaigns from Florida to Colorado. Enough campaign finance work to know what a fundraising deadline feels like at midnight.

Building something complex? Let's talk.

I'm currently pursuing Senior Executive Assistant, Executive Business Partner, and Executive Operations roles in the Boston area or remote. Open to onsite, hybrid, permanent, and contract opportunities.

Email Richard My Approach LinkedIn Résumé (PDF)