Richard is a former Clinical Director of Mental Health at Austin Health and Peninsula Health and an Adjunct Professor within the Department of Psychology, Psychiatry & Psychological Medicine at Monash University. His major achievements in developing mental health services in Australia included setting up sound eating disorder programs, including inpatient eating disorder program in Austin Health, inter-regional outpatient eating disorder program BETRS and a range of consultation and advice to other programs and organisations addressing eating disorders services Australia-wide.

Richard is strongly committed to consumer and carer participation in Mental Health Service development and the provision of safe effective evidence-based interventions for all members of the community in need of mental health care. He is a Board Member of Mental Health Victoria and the Butterfly Foundation.