Dr. Richard Venezky was chair of the department of computer science at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and since 1977 Unidel Professor of Educational Studies and Professor of Linguistics and of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Delaware. He was also the past-director of computing for the Dictionary of Old English at the University of Toronto and was Co-Director for research and development for the National Center on Adult Literacy.

Venezky earned a degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in linguistics from Cornell University. He held a Ph.D. in linguistics from Stanford.

He served as the national research director for the U.S. Secretary of Education's Initiative on Reading and Writing; director of computing for the Dictionary of Old English at the University of Toronto; and co-director for research and development for the National Center on Adult Literacy.

He also was a consultant to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) in Washington, D.C. and supervised a multimillion-dollar grant for a five-year study on adult literacy.

He authored several books, including “The American Way of Spelling: The Structure and Origins of American English Orthography,”

He wrote many journal articles on the design of computer-assisted instruction, English orthography, reading instruction and the psychology of reading, including "A History of the American Reading Textbook," in The Elementary School Journal, Vol.87, No. 3

Venezky developed computer-processing systems for two major dictionary projects, in addition to serving in consulting roles for other dictionaries, including The Oxford English Dictionary.

Venezky used his skills with computers to design computer tablets as aids to children learning to read that are sold by LeapFrog.