Richards, the iconic face of Planned Parenthood for over a decade, will officially step down from helm of the organization in May, just after the April release of her new memoir, Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead — My Life Story. The search committee for Richards’ replacement will be led by Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and novelist Anna Quindlen, whose mother died of ovarian cancer at the age of 40.
“Anna’s unique voice on behalf of women has motivated us for decades,” said Naomi Aberly, chair of the board at Planned Parenthood. “The board is grateful for her willingness to help us find our future leader.”
The search committee, a group of nine women and one man of diverse backgrounds, includes Dr. Luz Towns-Miranda, activist and mother of “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda; Dominican television journalist Carmen Wong; Democratic fundraiser Aimee Boone Cunningham; and various leaders and board members at Planned Parenthood. The board has specifically instructed the committee to seek candidates who reflect Planned Parenthood’s patients, most of whom are women and roughly 40 percent of whom are people of color.