Meet Rysheema

Seasoned Business Owner, Former City Council Member At-Large, Adjunct Professor, Expert Speaker

Rysheema Dixon is the Chief Executive Officer & Founder of RD Innovative Planning with over 10 years of experience in the field of Community Development and Social Entrepreneurship. RD Innovative Planning is a community development consulting business that she founded in September 2011 after completing her two terms of service in Public Allies Delaware, an AmeriCorps program of the University of Delaware Center for Community Research and Service. RD Innovative Planning is working toward creating a sustainable future for community members through organizing, projects and events to address their concerns and issues. She is originally from Philadelphia, graduated in 2009 from University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and in 2013 graduated with a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development/International Policy and Management from School for International Training.

Rysheema is a former elected official in the City of Wilmington, Delaware, where she served for five years as the Youngest and First African American female At-Large Member. Rysheema is on the Board of Directors for Connecting Generations, Conscious Connections Inc., Great Oaks Charter School, Leading Youth Through Empowerment (LYTE) and Just BE Media. She has participated in many speaking engagements across the area including the BE Expo in Philadelphia and New Politics Service to Politics Conference in Washington, DC. She is an Award Winning Entrepreneur; her accolades include 2014 Women in Business Honoree, 2018 Her Story Our Story Women’s Business Center and 2022 RealList Connector Technical.ly Delaware a name a few.