Sensory Engagement Strategist

Nancy Richards, ADC,EDU  Author,Founder, CEO and Possibility Leader

Activity Pathways, a healthcare, recreation focused education company on a quest to push back stigma around mental illness and aging. Nancy, a healthcare catalyst, promotes the benefits of purpose, exploration and play, elements of human wellness.  A devoted Activity Practitioner for over 30 years, designs, and delivers products and speaks nationally.

Here’s how founder Nancy Richards describes her motivation for launching Activity Pathways:

“In 2009, I decided to take the post-it note off my computer about the 3 Cs of life and put them into action. What are the three Cs?  Choices, Chances, and Changes.  You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change. Having been in the field of Long Term Living Activity Services for over 20 years working for other people, I found my values were not in harmony within the corporate setting. I made the choice to take the chance to fulfill a lifelong goal to open my own business, Activity Pathways knowing engagement empowers people and cultivates well being.

Having lived a dual life, working as an Activity Professional by day and by night providing care for family members, Nancy has learned how to navigate the complex landscape of health care and strives to inform others how to make sense of it all. Each situation demands and receives individual honor and support.  Embracing, the WHOLE person model of care Nancy :

• Enjoys working all levels of long-term living, including physical rehabilitation, Memory Care and acute, inpatient mental health services—her subspecialty since 2001
• Designs and delivers live and virtual workshops nationally, keynote presentations and published two activity engagement workbooks.
• Graduated Wesley College &  Gwynedd Mercy University, emphasis in Gerontology
• Recipent of the 2024 NAAP Award of Excellence
• Certified through the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP)
  • Activity Director Certified(ADC) with Education specialization
  • Retired, Instructor for the  Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals (MEPAP)

Additional Training

• Certified Chair Chi Instructor

Find more information about Nancy on LinkedIn.

Based in beautiful Montgomery County, Activity Pathways is a health care, recreation based education service with an owner who is inspired by Xerox CEO Ursula M. Burns who said “Fearlessness is seeing an opportunity even though things are not broken.” Nancy is a voracious reader who loves sitting in her Grandmother’s white wicker chair; she also enjoys gardening, lover of farmer markets, pairing dark chocolate with a good Merlot, collecting seashells, cooking, exploring local parks, power walking and Teardrop Camping adventures.

Professional Activities & Memberships

• NAAP Education Council projects
• PA Activity Professional Association