Boards

BOARDS

TRULY, UNITING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

BOARD MEMBERS ON OUR MISSION

Paola Fernandez
Paola Fernandez
Board Member
SVP, Community Development Officer, Centreville Bank

"Because United Way is about community first, leveraging its resources and partners to do everything possible to advance justice and guide positive change."

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Chris Sabitoni
New England Assistant Regional Manager, Laborers' International Union of North America, New England Regional Office

"The mission of this strategic plan aligns with everything that our Union stands for. As in our motto, Justice, Honor & Strength for all individuals."

Board of Directors

Anthony Botelho, SVP Commercial Banking
The Washington Trust Company
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Lending Officer

Barbara Chernow,** Retired EVP, Finance & Administration
Brown University
Treasurer

Wes Cotter, Director, Corporate Communications
Gilbane Inc.

Joanne Daly, SVP, Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley 

Jayne Donegan, Executive Counsel
Textron, Inc.
Vice Chair, Audit Committee 

Paola Fernandez,** SVP, Community Development Officer
Centreville Bank
Vice Chair, Community Impact Committee

Courtney Hawkins, Chief Operating Officer
City of Providence

Junior Jabbie, President & CEO
Banneker Supply Chain Solutions, Inc.
Vice Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Committee

Dolph L. Johnson, Jr., Retired EVP & Chief Human
Resources Officer
Hasbro, Inc.
Board Chair

Kate N. Kishfy Esq., Founder
Sylvia & Kishfy LLC

Cortney Nicolato, President & CEO
United Way of Rhode Island

Gregg Perry, President
The Perry Group
Vice Chair, Resource & Engagement Committee

Yahaira “Jay” Placencia, SVP, Private Client Advisor
Bank of America Private Bank

Sean Edmund Rogers, PhD, SPHR, SHRM-SCP,* Dean,
College of Business
University of Rhode Island

Ramona Royal,** Assistant VP, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Christopher Sabitoni, New England Assistant Regional Manager
Laborers’ International Union of North America,
New England Regional Office
Secretary

Rena Sheehan, VP, Clinical Strategy and Implementation
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island

Suresh Swaminathan, Chief Operating Officer
Teknor Apex Company

*New member
**Re-elected member

Community Advisory Board

Jillian Balzano,** Community Relations Officer
The Washington Trust Company 

Denise Barge,** Retired Business Assistance Advisor
Commerce RI 

The Honorable Sandra Cano**
Senate Committee on Finance 

Ainsley Morisseau Cantoral,** Co-Owner
Rancho de las Tres Potrancas

Diana Capellan*
The Capellan Group

Michelle Carr,** Executive Director
Leadership Rhode Island

Charles "Chachi" Carvalho,* Chief Equity Officer
City of Pawtucket 

Elizabeth Catucci,** President & CEO
Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce

Paige Parks, EdM,* Executive Director
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Patrick Crowley,** Secretary/Treasurer
Rhode Island AFL-CIO 

Rilwan Feyisitan,** President & CEO
East Bay Community Action Program 

Frank Flynn,* Vice President
Rhode Island Federation for Teachers 

Robert Hughes,** Retired CEO
Missouri Foundation for Health 

Maryclaire Knight**
Knight Consulting 

Linda Lulli,** Community Volunteer
(SHRM member) 

Kerci Marcello Stroud,** Executive Vice President
The Perry Group

Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, JD,* Executive Director
Economic Progress Institute

Kelly Nevins,** Chief Executive Officer
Women’s Fund of Rhode Island 

Ray Nuñez,** Partner & Community Director
Nuñez, The People’s Agency 

Nina Pande,** Executive Director
Skills for Rhode Island’s Future 

Dorca Paulino-Smalley,** Director, Office of Equal Opportunity
University of Rhode Island 

Alexandra Pezzello, Esq.**
Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP 

Yahaira “Jay” Placencia,** SVP, Private Client Advisor
U.S. Trust Private Wealth Management
Community Advisory Board, Co-Chair 

Kelly Ramirez,** Director
Donald Ryan Incubator for Entrepreneurship in the Arts & Sciences, Providence College

Lisa Ranglin,** Founder and President
Rhode Island Black Business Association

Lucy Rose,** Chief of Talent & Learning
Children’s Friend 

Rena Sheehan,** VP, Clinical Strategy and Implementation
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island
Community Advisory Board, Co-Chair

John Silvia, III,** President, CHB
International Manufacturing Services, Inc. 

Juan Wilson, Jr.,** Founder & CEO
MUSE Foundation of Rhode Island 

Kasim Yarn,** Director
Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs 

*New Community Advisory Board member
**Re-elected Community Advisory Board member

All Board of Directors members are Ex-Officio members of the Community Advisory Board.

Untitled design (6)

United Way of Rhode Island impulsa la equidad y el compromiso cívico

United Way of Rhode Island impulsa la equidad y el compromiso cívico

En una reciente entrevista en 12 Informa, María Elena Wah-Fitta, Manager of Brand Voice en United Way of Rhode Island, destacó los esfuerzos de la organización para promover la equidad racial y apoyar a las comunidades más vulnerables del estado.

READ ON SITE

Headshot of Kyle Bennett.

Bennett Named Chief of Staff & Public Affairs Officer

GoLocalProv

Kyle Bennett, who has long been at the forefront of United Way of Rhode Island's legislative and policy work, has been promoted to the organization's Chief of Staff & Public Affairs Officer. Most recently, he served as senior director of public policy and equity, and joined United Way in 2006.

READ ON SITE

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Grantmakers Council of R.I. names Bourns new executive director

PBN

Courtney Bourns, who has served as a strategy and program consultant for multiple foundations across the country for the last six years, has been named the new executive director for the Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island, the financial support nonprofit announced Tuesday.

VIEW ON SITE

Paola Fernandez Appointed Chair of United Way of RI Board of Directors

United Way of Rhode Island has named a new chair of its Board of Directors, appointing Paola Fernandez to the volunteer leadership position. Fernandez is SVP, Community Development Officer for Centreville Bank and succeeds Dolph Johnson, retired EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer of Hasbro, Inc., who recently completed his three-year term as chair. Read […]

United Way Hires Tiffany Reed as Chief Development Officer

United Way of Rhode Island has welcomed a new chief development officer (CDO) to its team. The organization today announced the hiring of Tiffany Reed, who officially began her new role on Sept. 5. Most recently, Reed served as CDO for Tufts Medicine after holding the position of vice president, development, at Tufts Medical Center.

United Way Announces $1.5M in Providence Equity Fund Grants

During a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 14, United Way of Rhode Island and the City of Providence announced the recipient organizations of $1.5 million in funding from the Providence Equity Fund. In total, 15 organizations have been awarded grants to support strategies that promote racial and social equity, economic mobility, and educational opportunities for underserved populations in Providence.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Early Voting Begins October 16 - Questions? Call 211