Mapping a Greener Future for Louisville: Geography Alumna Leads Brightside, Inc.

By Stephanie Godward, Communications and Marketing Director, College of Arts & Sciences 

Angela Richardson’s lifelong fascination with maps, people, culture, and places has shaped a wide-ranging career with Louisville Metro Government, most recently leading her to the role of interim director of Brightside, Inc. 

“I've always been very analytical and naturally curious. I'm also a visual learner, so I thought that mapping technology was a good fit for me,” she said. 

An alumna with a BS in Geography with a concentration in GIS, Richardson is excited to make an immediate, visual difference for Louisvillians.  

“There's something extremely gratifying about being able to see instant and tangible results, whether that be from litter cleanups or educational outreach programs, or from beautification efforts,” Richardson said. “I think the work that I do impacts every single person in Jefferson County. I'm hoping that I can continue to pair volunteer action with long-term investments in hopes of building lasting pride in the places that we share.” 

During her 14 years with Louisville Metro Government, Richardson has held a range of leadership roles spanning GIS analysis, emergency response, performance improvement, and business intelligence. Now at Brightside, Inc., she will contribute to a mission that brings Louisville residents together to create a cleaner, greener city through volunteer-driven and donor-funded programs. Its community cleanups have mobilized thousands of volunteers, removing more than 300 tons of garbage from Louisville’s streets and parks in the past five years alone. 

Brightside also advances sustainability through environmental education and planting initiatives, operating as a public-private partnership supported by private donations. 

Richardson’s experience in UofL’s Geographic and Environmental Sciences Department prepared her for the career she has now by providing the foundation for data-driven decision making. Completing an undergraduate thesis specifically showed her how to approach problems from a data standpoint. 

“By collecting and analyzing and turning location-based data into insights, that enabled me to make smarter decisions in business,” she said. "It really gave me different methods to apply in my problem-solving approach.” 

The education and experience she received at UofL greatly shifted the way Richardson approaches her work and decisions today.  

“I try to use mapping technologies, GIS, as much as I can in my government role and I'm always analyzing data, I'm always looking to find trends and patterns and use those trends and patterns to answer questions or, I turn that data into insights for better decisions,” Richardson said. “That was really honed in during my time at UofL, through the different courses that I took. When you go through the GIS concentration, there's heavy emphasis on data analysis. So those skills, I think, allowed me to bring new perspectives to my career in government, meaning not a lot of people are familiar with GIS and using spatial data to help draw conclusions and answer problems about the world or the environment.” 

Her advice for students today: never limit yourself. 

"Find something you are passionate about and then bring those skill sets that you learn from geographic and environmental sciences to that passion,” she said. “Also, don't be afraid to change and continue to grow. Technology is ever changing. It's imperative to keep learning skills and keep trying to grow, whether that be with new systems or just anything in general. “ 

She also encourages students to embrace community and connection. 

“Don’t think that you have to do everything alone,” Richardson said. “When I got out of UofL, I thought I could face the world alone but soon learned that connections and networking are very important for having a successful career.” 

Looking ahead, Richardson is excited to advance Brightside’s mission, continuing to put her education at UofL into action through her career. 

“I'm hoping my impact will contribute to making Louisville a cleaner and greener city,” she said.