BOARDS
TRULY, UNITING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
BOARD MEMBERS ON OUR MISSION
Paola Fernandez
Board Member
VP Community Development, 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."
Chris Sabitoni
Board Member
Laborers' International Union of North America
"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
Alden Anderson
Senior Vice President/Partner
CBRE/New England | Brokerage
Vice Chair, Board Governance, Ethics,
and Nominating Committee
Marcela Betancur
Executive Director
Latino Policy Institute
Brian Carroll
Senior Managing Counsel & Senior Vice President
Citizens Capital Markets
Barbara Chernow
Community Volunteer
Treasurer
Wes Cotter*
Director, Corporate Communications
Gilbane, Inc.
Joanne Daly*
First Vice President, Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley
Jayne Donegan
Executive Counsel
Textron, Inc.
Vice Chair, Audit Committee
Paola Fernandez
Community Development and Charitable Foundation Officer
Centreville Bank
Vice Chair, Community Investment Committee
James Galloway
Executive Vice President, EMEA/AP Operations and AFM
FM Global
Junior Jabbie**
President and CEO
Banneker Supply Chain Solutions, Inc.
Vice Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
Dolph Johnson
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Hasbro, Inc.
Board Chair
Wendy Kagan
Executive Vice President, Director of Employee and Community Engagement
BankNewport
Vice Chair, Compensation and Benefits Committee
Robert R. Kent
Senior Vice President and Team Leader Commercial Banking
The Washington Trust Company
Dr. Barbara A. Mullen
Assistant Superintendent
Cambridge Public Schools
Cortney Nicolato**
President and CEO
United Way of Rhode Island
Gregg Perry**
President
The Perry Group
Vice Chair, Resource and Engagement Committee
Joseph Pierik
Vice President, Retail Leasing & Acquisitions
Carpionato Group, LLC
Betsey A. Purinton**
Managing Partner and CIO
StrategicPoint Investment Advisors
Vice Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
Ramona Royal*
Assistant Vice President, Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Christopher A. Sabitoni
International Representative
Laborers’ International Union of North America
New England Regional Office
Dr. Frank D. Sánchez**
President
Rhode Island College
Secretary
Rena Sheehan*
Vice President, Clinical Integration
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
Suresh Swaminathan*
President
Teknor Apex Company
*New Board member
**Re-elected member
Community Advisory Board
Donna Sowa Allard
Tomas Ávila
Denise Barge
Elizabeth Burke-Bryant**
The Honorable Sandra Cano
Ainsley Morisseau Cantoral**
Claudia Cardozo
Michelle Carr
Elizabeth Catucci
Amanda Cantrell
Patrick Crowley*
Erin Donovan-Boyle
Lisa Guillette**
MaryClaire Knight**
Linda Lulli**
Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos
Margaret A. Holland McDuff
Kelly Nevins*
Ray Nuñez*
Ashley Gingerella O’Shea
Nina Pande*
Laura Pedrick
Alexandra Pezzello
Yahaira “Jay” Placencia
Kelly Ramirez*
Lisa Ranglin
Lucy Rose
Genevieve Schultz
Nancy Serpa**
John (JJ) Silvia, III
Susan Stenhouse
Ed Tavarez
Rev. Chontell N. Washington
Kasim Yarn
*New member
**Re-elected member
Form Symbiotic Nonprofit Relationships
Forbes Nonprofit Council
"If not done carefully, a business relationship has the potential to hinder rather than help the work being done by both organizations. To prevent collaborations that hinder nonprofit work, 11 members of Forbes Nonprofit Council, including Cortney Nicolato, United Way of Rhode Island's president and CEO, share how nonprofit leaders can form mutually beneficial relationships with a partner or another organization."
Nonprofit Center Design Team Announced
GoLocalProv
"United Way of Rhode Island announced on Tuesday the... members of a 'Design Team' that will be tasked with co-creating a vision and plan for... a Nonprofit Resource Center... 'We had a strong application response, and [these] individuals particularly stood out for their collection of unique insights and commitment to collaboration,' said Cortney Nicolato, president and CEO of United Way."
401Gives raises $3.09M for 507 nonprofits
Providence Business News
"This year's 401Gives Day raised the bar, once again, in supporting the state's nonprofit sector. As of Monday afternoon, the annual online fundraising initiative raised $3.09M, breaking last year's record total by close to a million dollars. It also saw a record number of donors – 12,850 in total as of 2:15 p.m. Monday – and number of organizations supported at 507, exceeding last year's mark by 87."
Seeking Input for Nonprofit Resource Center
“The Design Team working with United Way of Rhode Island to create a vision and plan for a statewide Nonprofit Resource Center is seeking input from the community to help guide what the center could offer. The first virtual session will look at current nonprofit capacity, followed by a number of visioning sessions focused on brainstorming strategies to strengthen nonprofits.”
Olneyville Community Fund RFP Released
“Continuing its commitment to strengthening the neighborhood it calls home, United Way of Rhode Island has released a request for proposal (RFP) for funding from its Olneyville Community Fund. More than $100,000 in grants is being made available to nonprofits located in Olneyville and those whose work specifically serves the Olneyville community.”
11 Leaders Selected for Design Team
“Work to create a Nonprofit Resource Center to support Rhode Island organizations is picking up steam with the selection of the members of the Design Team that will be tasked with cocreating a vision and plan for what the effort will look like. United Way of Rhode Island… has named 11 nonprofit leaders to the team.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
Children’s Book Drive 2022
United Way of Rhode Island's Children's Book Drive is back! From April 1 - May 25, we're teaming up with Women United and Books Are Wings to help Rhode Island children build their own libraries at home. Want to donate books or host a drive with your family, friends, or coworkers? View our Children's Book Drive 2022 Frequently Asked Questions at the link below.
Visioning Session: Capacity Building Effort
United Way of Rhode Island is partnering with local nonprofit leaders to design a nonprofit resource hub for organizations across the state. Join us for a virtual, 90-minute visioning session to brainstorm strategies to address the needs of Rhode Island nonprofits and structural inequities in the sector. There will be five sessions — choose the one that best fits your schedule.
Day of Action
Join United Way of Rhode Island for Day of Action on Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m at United Way in Providence. We'll be sorting, labeling, and preparing books collected during our Children's Book Drive 2022 for distribution to kids in afterschool and summer learning programs. Three shifts are available — 9 - 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., and 2 - 4 p.m. This is a family friendly volunteer opportunity.
The Night Is Young
Don't miss the largest young professionals event of the year! Join United Way's Young Leaders Circle for The Night Is Young on Saturday, June 18 from 7 - 11 p.m. at Skyline at Waterplace. Register now to get early bird tickets for $45.