Traci Adedeji is the Insurance Operations Program Lead at AIPSO in Johnston, RI, where she oversees residual market automobile insurance plans in multiple states. Her insurance career began on the agent/broker side of the industry in 1984, and her 30+ years of experience includes leadership roles with several national carriers. Her expertise is in personal lines underwriting and Agile project management and she is a sought-after speaker and facilitator.

Traci is the Immediate Past-President of the Rhode Island CPCU chapter where she has served as a volunteer leader for 6 years. She is a member of the Society’s Leadership Council where she was the first person to ever transition from being the President’s special one-year appointee in 2021 to being voted in for a full 3-year term. She serves on the Council’s Executive Committee and works as liaison to the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness) Committee. Her past volunteer service to the Society includes terms on the D&I and Annual Meeting committees.

In addition to her designations from The Institutes, Traci is an Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (Scrum Alliance) and a Transportation Risk Insurance Professional (IRMI). Her professional affiliations include membership in the Society for Insurance Trainers & Educators (SITE) and the National African-American Insurance Association (NAAIA) – Boston chapter where she serves as a board member. Traci serves on the board of New England Basecamp and is a proud member and class spokesperson of the Leadership Rhode Island 2021 Rho II class.

Traci is a native of Newark, NJ, where she attended Rutgers University. She currently resides in Pawtucket, RI and enjoys reading, writing, and cooking in her spare time.

Magali Angeloni is currently the Director of the Master of Public Health (MPH) online program at New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) in East Greenwich, RI. Prior to that, she practiced public health for over 24 years at a state health department, in various positions including Deputy Chief of Environmental Health, Manager of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Operations Manager of KIDSNET (RI’s childhood immunizations’ registry), and most recently Academic Center Director. As Director of the Academic Center, Magali led the public health accreditation process that ultimately accredited the health department in late 2015.

Dr. Angeloni is also a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) coach/consultant and offers training, mentorship and coaching to students and professionals in CQI tools and performance improvement. Additionally, she is President of Ecuador Cultural Alliance (ECA), a nonprofit organization that promotes education of low-income children attending rural schools in Ecuador.

Magali holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Providence College and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Her research interests include public health workforce development, interprofessional education, quality and performance improvement and online education.

Shameem has 25 years of experience in claims handling, supervision and management with Amica. She previously worked in the Claims Executive Department for 11 years and prior to that was the manager of the company’s Rhode Island Claims Department and has worked as an adjuster, assistant training instructor and held a variety of supervisory and managerial positions. Additionally, Shameem has worked in Amica offices in Wellesley, MA, Seattle, WA, Indianapolis, IN, Atlanta, GA and Houston, TX.

Current responsibilities include oversight of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Employee Engagement, Talent Management and Employee Relocation. Shameem is also a member of Amica’s Strategic Initiatives and ESG cross-divisional committees.

Shameem is a 1992 graduate of Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA and has a B.S. in Business Management with minors in Art History and Spanish from Providence College in Providence, RI. Professional insurance designations include CPCU, AIC, AIC-M, API, AINS and ACS. She is an 11 year Rotarian, a Past Assistant District Governor in District 7950 and current President of the Cumberland-Lincoln Rotary Club. Shameem is an active board member with the Nonviolence Institute (RI) and Rhode Island for Community and Justice. Shameem is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Children.

Ting Barnard graduated from Boston University in 2002 with a degree in Sociology. Upon graduation, she started her career in the Financial and Investment world as a Marketing Coordinator for firms such as Boldwater Capital Management, Deutsche Asset Management and Lehman Brothers in NYC. Ting currently owns a woman’s fashion line named after her mother Tong and works independently as a Marketing Consultant and Brand Ambassador promoting local artists and boutiques at her firm called Ting (Local Marketing Consulting Firm). She is closely involved with several local organizations locally: StyleWeek, SEED Innovation Meets Education, YearUp, Amos House, PVD Lady Project and Children’s Friend. She was also recently part of Leadership Rhode Island’s Lambda II class (2015).

Chachi Carvalho is a multi-talented artist and educator who comes from a long line of musicians and singers. He is a native born-and-raised Rhode Islander with roots that stem from the islands of Cabo Verde. Throughout his music career, he’s won acclaim from Vibe magazine in its roundup of the best MCs state to state, and he was a two-time winner of the Wild Out Wednesdays competition on BET’s 106 & Park.

Chachi was also awarded the 2014 Cape Verdean Music Award for best hip-hop act. He has also received awards and citations of recognition for community advocacy from various organizations in the communities he serves. He is a registered artist-educator with Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and a registered touring artist with New England Federation of Artists. He is a former board member of AS220 and Advisory Council for the AS220 Youth program, he is a member of the Pawtucket Arts Festival Board of Directors and he is a member of the Recycle-A-Bike Board of Directors.

Chachi has a clear passion for both music and education. He is the co-owner of Beatbox Studio in Pawtucket where he has created and facilitated numerous youth mentoring programs over the years. He has been able to create opportunities to fuse the two worlds by facilitating lecture/performances at Roger Williams University, Trinity College, Providence College, UMASS Boston and Harvard. He recently taught a Master’s Class in Live Performance at Brown University. He had the extreme pleasure of delivering the keynote address at the 2017 Shea High school graduation, where he started his music career in the early 90’s, graduated from in 1995 and was recently hired to serve as the School Culture and Community Engagement Coordinator. Chachi Carvalho consistently finds a way to reinvent himself as an artist, an educator, and a man. He will continue to carve out his legacy and leave his mark on the world through musical inspiration and community organization.

Sterling Clinton-Spellman is an entrepreneur, visionary. coach, consultant, speaker, author, mentor, wife, mother, and founder of the Refine, Lead and Profit Incubator, Cultivating Visionaries to Live Profitable Lives by providing them with the tools, resources, network, and accountability.

She earned her bachelor of arts degree in Communications and Business from the College of New Rochelle in New York and then her master of science degree in education from Mercy College. After serving as an educator for many years, she pursued her dreams of becoming a “mommypreneur.”

Today, she inspires visionaries around the world through her workshops and seminars that focus on ways to hone God-given gifts and raise self-esteem, all the while becoming socially aware global citizens. She has partnered with over 180 speakers and is the author of four books.

Clinton-Spellman currently resides in Providence, Rhode Island, with her husband, Russell Spellman, and their daughters, Hasana and Harmony. She and her husband also deliver delicious meals to their community through the Incredabowls Food Truck.

Jenica Reed Conley has nearly 10 years of experience working and volunteering for nonprofit organizations in the area. She has led marketing, special event, and education efforts for Rhode Island Housing, The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, and The Providence Singers. As a singer herself, she has an extensive performance history in musical theater, opera and choral singing.

Originally from Florida, Jenica holds an MA degree from Florida State University in Arts Administration and a BM degree from Shorter College (University) in Vocal Performance. Currently, she manages rental properties on the West Side of Providence where she resides with her husband Dylan and their son Copeland. Jenica also serves on the board of the West Side Neighborhood Association (as Treasurer) and The Providence Singers, and is a 2016 Mu II graduate of LRI.

While I have a proven track record in real estate, to me, it’s my uniqueness as an individual that sets me apart.

I took an unusual path to real estate, but once I entered the profession, I knew it was the right place. And a recent Clifton StrengthsFinder® test I took proves it. When I reviewed my results, it was no surprise that many of my talents enable me to best serve clients, including:

WOO: I know it may sound cliché but I truly love making personal connections with new people. And the diverse group of clients I meet – many of whom I now call friends – is why I enjoy real estate so much.

Adaptability: I’m able to go with the flow and, no matter what arises during a transaction, I react calmly and quickly to keep my client-focused and the deal on track.

Self-Assurance: I trust my instincts, the facts and my skills as a facilitator to guide clients with confidence and avoid getting drawn into “drama.”

Maximizer: I strive for excellence in everything I do and use my knowledge and skills to help clients solve problems and achieve their goals. Only when we reach that destination do I celebrate.

Relator: I forge genuine relationships based on mutual sharing of goals, fears, and dreams. As a realtor, I know that when a client trusts me, we can achieve the best results.

Exhilarated by a zest for my job and the opportunities each and every transaction promises, I bring a fresh approach. To find out more about how I’ll put my unique abilities to work for you, let’s connect.

Senior executive and strategic thinker who specializes in harnessing the creative energies of start-ups and high-growth organizations to bring products and programs to market. Twenty-five-plus years of leadership and marketing expertise with high-tech startups, groundbreaking sports teams, educational programs for nontraditional learners, consumer goods and services, and workforce development programs. Recognized for an ability to take big ideas with broad impact and create a targeted plan to manage and integrate all aspects of marketing and sales functions in pursuit of business objectives—including strategic planning, opportunity identification and market analysis, partner acquisition and management. Effectively builds and motivates teams of individuals and alliances amongst organizations (including a mix of public- and private-sector groups) by providing clear objectives and strategies. Ability to thrive in high-risk environments that require creative thinking and an inventive approach. Specialties: Strategic planning and implementation; positioning; market research and analytics; integrated marketing (online, offline, social); new business and new product development; client relationship management; sponsorships.

Sara Stephenson-Donley is the Operations Manager at Hudson Street Deli, RI's first Strengths based deli. She is a certified Strengths Coach, and also received her certification in Holistic Health Coaching from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sara specializes in on on one coaching with individuals, combining Strengths and Holistic Health Coaching to support clients in applying their unique Strengths to empower them in the areas of life that matter to them the most. She also specializes in working with small businesses and organizations to discover and apply their Strengths.

She is the founder of FutureFestRI, and a co-organizer of SNAP Fest (a music festival to benefit local non-profits and artists) and volunteers to coach individuals who are creating non-profit projects in their communities.

Kimberly Conway Dumpson, Esq. CFRE currently serves as Vice President for College Advancement and External Relations at Rhode Island College. An attorney and certified fundraising executive (CFRE) with progressive leadership in higher education, fundraising, marketing and communications, she has comprehensive campaign experience ($16M) and a proven track record in the solicitation of major and planned gifts.

She is an effective communicator with an authentic and approachable leadership style, who creates strategic alliances and relationships across a broad spectrum of stakeholders. She is a passionate advocate devoted to issues of educational access and affordability for those from diverse racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. A Maryland native, she earned her undergraduate degree from Towson State University, and a juris doctor degree from Ohio Northern University.

Jorge will inspire you. He’s a coach to many of Atrion's engineers and helps them find their own strengths, nurture them, and empower them to reach their maximum potential. He’s exactly the kind of guy you’d want to work for. But other than encouraging others to use their attributes to achieve greatness; Jorge is always seeking the opportunity to have an impact in a positive way. As Atrion's Senior Director of Professional Services & Workforce Agility, Jorge is responsible for managing the vision and strategy of these growing practices, the engineering teams that support Atrion’s projects and service offerings, and bringing top 1% engineers to Atrion's client’s businesses.

Jorge’s passion to lead the best engineering team in the business is exciting, but his passion is nothing new to Atrion. One his proudest accomplishments is from when he was a Health Policy Director, and he helped get the law passed in Rhode Island prohibiting smoking in public places. He’s also on the faculty of Alex and Ani University, teaching professional development, leadership skills, and of course, helping people find their personal strengths.

Amy Gravell is the Managing Director of the The Sandra Feinsteim-Gamm Theatre. She has more than 20 years’ experience in Rhode Island’s nonprofit sector, including the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket since 2005. As the club’s associate executive director, Gravell led the 119-year-old youth development organization in a historic $8 million capital and endowment campaign to renovate and expand the facility.

Previous positions have included marketing and development director for Tockwotton Home senior living community, and director of admissions for The Prout School, a college preparatory high school. Gravell serves as president-elect to the board of directors for the Rhode Island Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Additionally, she is a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Professional Association, for which she was named 2015 Northeast Professional of the Year.

Other professional affiliations include Shri Service Corps, providing free yoga and wellness programs to underserved populations in Rhode Island, and the City of Pawtucket’s Advisory Commission on Arts and Culture. Gravell has a B.A. in sociology from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., with a concentration in women and family studies. She is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island and Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Advanced Leadership Program.

Brig General Marcus Jannitto, USAF (ret) is passionate about making people think differently about leadership. He is a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach for Leadership Rhode Island and worked with more than 40 businesses and non-profit agencies here in RI to increase their leadership capacity. He recently served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Adjutant General for the Rhode Island National Guard. Before retiring he served on the Air National Guard’s Strategic Planning System steering committee and on the Chief of the National Guard Bureau’s Joint Diversity Executive Council. He was the Director of the Air National Guard Commanders Development Course, a 9-day leadership course for new Group and Wing commanders taught 3 times per year in Washington, DC. Brig Gen Jannitto has accumulated 5200 flying hours and more than 50 combat missions in the C-130 aircraft and is a veteran of numerous deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar and Bosnia. After 35 years of coaching volleyball and soccer at the high school and NCAA level, he recently retired from coaching as the head boys and girls volleyball coach at La Salle Academy in Providence, and spent 10 years as an athletic administrator, coach and adjunct faculty member at both Roger Williams University and Salve Regina University. He currently serves as a keynote speaker and conducts leadership workshops nationwide for the Air Force, Army and National Park Service and works with local high school and college athletic teams on peer leadership, team culture and captain development.

Patrice is an independent Social Media Brand Visibility Strategist. Her passion is to help her clients grow their brand exposure worldwide. She is currently the Recovery Specialist for the City of Providence where she oversees the equitable distribution of programs that disperse federal COVID-19 recovery funds.! She has over 15 years of banking & finance experience prior to entering the nonprofit world and continues to help clients in this arena. She is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Patrice earned her Master of Business Administration degree in Global Leadership and Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Communication from Johnson & Wales University. She is also an alumnus of the 2018 Xi II Class Leadership Rhode Island (aka G.O.A.T. greatest of all time).

Karen King has been actively involved in the management of DiPrete Engineering since 1991 in the areas of human resources, facility management, office management, and as a lean change leader. Outside of work, Karen is involved with the Girl Scouts of Southern New England and runs programs that provide leadership and community service opportunities for girls. She is Service Unit Manager for North Kingstown and Jamestown which keeps her actively involved in the community. She connects girls to the organizations in town so they can provide service and can learn from the experiences. She is actively involved as an LRI Alum of the Iota II class (2013) using her Includer and Responsibility Strengths to keep the class connected. When LRI was considering a Strengths coaching program, Karen jumped at the opportunity to get involved. From an HR Perspective, she can see where Strengths can create a more engaged workforce and improve well-being. If you take these positive outcomes and apply them throughout the state we could truly “Make RI Stronger”.

Val has over 25 years as an organizational leadership professional with a record of success in both Human Resources and Information Technology. She is known for her ability to anticipate change and develop strategies to maintain a competitive advantage in the business. Val has strong skills in the areas of talent selection and development, aligning organizational systems/processes to enhance quality, and using a structured approach to managing projects to achieve success. She is at her best as a strategic business partner offering executive coaching services to help drive business goals to success.

Val is a Certified Professional Coach from the International Coach Federation and a Certified Project Manager.

Dana Long is a professional business coach specializing in leadership development and founder of, 3:6:7: BizSolutions, where she uses her passion to partner with executives and achieve successful business transformations. Dana has a well-rounded background, a broad business perspective, and 30+ years of organizational change and transformation experience in both small and large Fortune 100 companies. She has traveled to more than 50 countries and all 50 states ensuring business initiative successes which has given her an appreciation for diverse cultures and thinking. As a business transformation leader, Dana has experience in global executive and management development, sales training, and organizational effectiveness which make her uniquely qualified as a “plug and play” partner businesses count on to give them a jumpstart of energy needed for leadership excellence and business success.

At the core, Dana is:
Integrity oriented - Open, honest, real and does whatever it takes
Innovative and entrepreneurial - Driven to take clients to the next level
Self-aware - Leverages her strengths to make a positive difference
Helps first – Gives value before expecting anything in return
Laughs often and loves always - Passionate and playful

Dana obtained a Bachelor of Administration at Westminster College from Fulton, MO. She is certified as a MBTI facilitator, DISC, DDI, 360 Benchmarks, 100+ Achieve Global sales, service and leadership courses, SellXL, Aslan training, MIT mentor of entrepreneurs through RI HUB/ Venture Mentoring Services.

Francisco Lovera, P.E. has over 13 years of transportation engineering experience specializing in traffic engineering and highway safety. He has lived in Providence, Rhode Island since 2005 with his wife Amy and two daughters.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, where we grew up. While in college, he performed in several plays as part of the School of Engineering’s drama club. In 1998, he participated in the US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Buen Vecino Program working as an intern for American Science and Engineering in Billerica, MA. He met his wife Amy during this internship.

After obtaining his degree, in 2003, he moved to Littleton, MA to marry his fiancé. In 2004, he began working for the District 3 of the Massachusetts Highway Department (Massachusetts Department of Transportation now) in Worcester, where he reviewed traffic engineering projects and proposed improvements in accordance with Massachusetts State Regulations and Federal standards and provided MEPA review coordination for the District Office. During this time in Littleton, MA, he formed a Spanish conversation group at the local library, which remains active to date.

In 2005, he moved to Providence with his wife as she began her Master’s Program at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). In 2006 he began working as a Civil Engineer Associate at the Traffic Engineering Section with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) where he managed traffic engineering projects and served as traffic engineer for highway and bridge projects. He moved up the ranks and in 2012 he became responsible for managing the state’s Highway Safety Programs (NHTSA). While at RIDOT he became involved in several key infrastructure projects such as the I-95/I-195 interchange relocation (I-Way), Pawtucket River Bridge, the first Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon in New England, and was the Department’s modern roundabout advocate. He had the opportunity to represent Rhode Island in regional and national conferences. From 2013 to 2014, he was the president of the Rhode Island Chapter of Institute of Transportation Engineers (RIITE) and is a founding board member of the RIITE Roundabout Task Force. In his early years at RIDOT, Mr. Lovera worked as a docent in the RISD Museum leading tours in Spanish. He also used his spare time to teach conversational Spanish to community members.

In 2016, Mr. Lovera joined McMahon Associates, a transportation engineering consulting firm, where he serves as project manager for transportation projects throughout New England. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board of The Avenue Concept and the Board of Trustees of the International Charter School.

Mary Ellen is an educator, consultant and social entrepreneur. She has over 10 years of experience working in the non-profit field specializing in community engagement. Mary Ellen has merged her professional experience with her international education background in her role as adjunct professor. She teaches community development, global migration and public speaking courses at Community College of Rhode Island, Quinebaug Valley Community College and Roger Williams University. As Founder of Mary Ellen Lynch Consulting, she brings her passion for global education beyond the classroom by helping individuals and communities integrate global citizenship into schools, businesses and organizations to enhance impact. Mary Ellen is actively engaged in the community and serves on the boards of Providence Student Union and Women's Refugee Care.

Giselle Mahoney brings more than 13 years of marketing, public relations, and communications experience to the RDW Group team as Sr. Account Executive/Partner. In her role, she is entrusted with building client relationships, developing and aligning strategy, and leading day-to-day project execution. She has worked with non-profit, private, and government organizations in areas particularly focused on public service, healthcare, and workforce development. Clients include the RI Department of Health, Rhode Island Medical Imaging, RI Division of Motor Vehicles, Ageless Innovation, Epilepsy Foundation New England/The Matty Project, Bristol County Water Authority, and the Governor’s Workforce Board RI.

Giselle is a member of the Leadership Rhode Island Pi II class (2020). She has served on the Board of Directors for the Public Relations Society of America Southeastern New England chapter since 2013 and currently serves as its President. Giselle also co-leads an annual holiday giving program for nursing care community residents.

Hugh has more than two decades experience in planning and implementing Strategic Communications for nonprofit organizations including Fundraising, Marketing, Public Relations, Web Content/Social Media Promotion, Speech Writing, and Crisis and Internal Communications.

He has dedicated my career and personal life to working within nonprofit organizations to help them better communicate their mission to improve awareness increase engagement and raise funds. His work is often rooted in a cause that is meaningful to his life whether it be international development resources for LGBTQ youth or food security.

As a lifelong Rhode Islander he is committed to making this state a better place to live for everyone.

Sulina Mohanty, a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and Arizona State University, has spent her career working in education in a variety of capacities supporting students, families, and schools in low-income communities. She currently works for Boston Public Schools running a leadership development and problem-solving program for schools. Additionally, Sulina is on the North Kingstown Juvenile Hearing Board, the Chairwoman of the North Kingstown Democratic Town Committee, and on the University of Rhode Island Alumni Association Board. In her free time, she loves working with local youth, teaching dance, traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Tekla Moquin serves as the Associate Vice President of Workforce Partnerships at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) where she provides oversight for workforce development programs and partnerships at the college. Tekla joined CCRI in 2018 to help lead the reorganization of the college’s Division of Workforce Partnerships. Since 2018, the Division has established partnerships with over 150 employers across advanced industries and sectors and developed new programs in healthcare, software development, data analytics, cybersecurity, financial securities, customer service and business essentials. Prior to CCRI, Tekla served as the founding Director of Client Services for Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (Skills RI) where she helped launch the workforce intermediary nonprofit and build their employer partner portfolio throughout the state. Prior to joining Skills RI, Tekla served in multiple roles across development, operations, program, influence and corporate engagement at Year Up Rhode Island and Director of Systems Change for Year Up’s national organization. Tekla holds a BA from Salve Regina University and MBA from the University of Phoenix.

George Nippo is the Site Director at Year Up RI where he has worked since 2010. Prior to working at Year Up he was the director of the L.I.F.E. School in Panajachel, Guatemala where he lived for nearly ten years in the Western Highlands. He holds an MS degree in College Student Personnel as well as BA degrees in Spanish and Elementary Education from the University of Rhode Island. He studied in both Spain and Argentina and has a love for travel, playing/coaching his daughters in soccer and hiking. He was a member of the 2017 Nu II LRI class.

Some may recognize Margie O’Brien for her role in Governor Gina Raimondo’s daily press briefings. She assisted in getting the latest information on the COVID Crisis out to Rhode Islanders. Others know Margie for her career as a journalist. She has been telling stories for over 25 years as an award winning news reporter and anchor in the Providence and Boston news markets. Her “beat” changed in 2015, when she began covering the Rhode Island Legislature and political news as Host of RI Capitol TV.

Margie is also the founder of IMAGE, a communications consulting company assisting organizations and individuals with media skills, messaging and strengths implementation. Margie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from St. Anselm College and her Master’s degree in Communications/Broadcast Journalism from Emerson College.

Margie is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island and proudly sits on the board of the LRI Women’s Network whose mission is to empower, support and inspire women to connect more concretely on professional, personal and policy interests, and to create meaningful and positive change in the community. Margie lives in Barrington with her husband, Todd Reed, and three children, Camden, Cole and Delaney.

Adam Olenn has been helping companies identify and articulate their core identity – their brand essence – since 1995. He began his career in the first wave of digital agencies, where he discovered an aptitude for using structure as the most important element for making websites effective and easy to use.

In addition to his agency and management consulting experience, he has led in-house marketing teams at the university and K-12 level, developing an insider’s perspective on how non-profit organizations mirror – and differ from – corporate counterparts.

As CEO of the strategic creative firm Rustle & Spark, he leads a federation of senior talent that quickly and efficiently help companies communicate clearly and emotionally to move their customers to action.

Janice Olsen is a hands-on marketing, business intelligence and project management professional with extensive experience helping companies successfully build revenues, manage brands and launch new products, programs and applications. During her tenure at AAA Northeast, she developed and managed teams in market research, analytics, modeling, reporting, project management, product development, product management, customer experience, data management and strategic planning. In her most recent role, Janice oversaw project management efforts for strategic, enterprise-wide initiatives.

Prior to joining AAA Northeast, Janice was the founder and principle of JLO Research Associates, a full-service market research and product development consultancy serving a wide variety of clients - from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups – to define and explore markets, develop successful product and service innovations, evaluate marketing communications, explore brand imagery, and drive customer and employee satisfaction.

Earlier in her career, Janice served as the Director of Market Research for Honeywell’s Consumer Products Group and as the Manager of Worldwide Market Research at GTECH Corporation.

In 2015, Janice was selected to be a member of Leadership RI’s best class ever – the Lambda IIs. She and her classmates helped build and strengthen connections among local communities across our state through their Recasting Rhode Island efforts. In 2016, Janice joined the LRI cadre of Gallup Clifton StrengthsFinder coaches and is an active supporter of the Make Rhode Island Stronger initiative. She is also a member of the New England Insights Association and the Association of National Advertisers.

Janice and her husband Chris live in Warwick, where she serves as a volunteer for her local parish and community. Their adult son, Eric lives in Boston. In their free time, Janice and her family enjoy boating, golfing and traveling.

Training language instructors from multiple cultures while studying applied psycholinguistics in Mexico City sparked Mike's lifelong interests in human behavior and communication.

Over 25 years, Mike served as a Tri-lingual interrogator in the U.S. Army, established his first company by the age of 25, motivated people to excel at his fitness Boot Camps, and served as a Regional Manager for an international healthcare company based in the United Arab Emirates. A former on-call interrogation analyst for CNN, Mike has been interviewed hundreds of times for TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. He participated in nine documentaries in the past 15 years; "Songs of War" won an International Emmy.

Under Mike's leadership for the past 10 years, Leadership Rhode Island has received numerous accolades, including the Excellence in Public Service Award by Common Cause RI, two National Innovation Awards from the Association of Leadership Programs and three Community Outreach Awards from the RI Press Association for public forums in partnership with The Providence Journal and Rhode Island College. LRI’s innovative Make RI Stronger social enterprise is recognized by Gallup as an inspiration for the global strengths movement.

On the heels of serving as the Rhode Island Chairman for the Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve since 2012, Mike spearheaded the national transformation from an executive strategic subcommittee to ESGR's first board of directors since its inception in 1972. He was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service before being recruited to serve on the board of FORGE, a national nonprofit focused on decreasing veteran suicides.

Mike is also the Director of Cultural Food Initiatives for PCEI and a board member for the national Association of Leadership Programs. @MikeRitz

Nathaniel is a first-generation college graduate from the University of Rhode Island. He is from Providence, RI, and of Dominican descent.

He has experience in business, career, leadership, and writing development, ran my own exterior painting business, is an avid dancer, and believes in the importance of community service for social and educational change. His entrepreneurial spirit that spills over into his level of creativity. In addition, his love for personal and professional development drives his ambition to work towards becoming a better version of himself, all while helping others do the same

His dream is to become a public figure, motivating and inspiring a positive change to set examples for others that were never set for him.

Michelle Saunders leads Learning Solutions at International Gaming Technology (IGT) and also consults as a Strengths Coach for Leadership Rhode Island. Before IGT, she brought e-learning and classroom facilitation to Ocean State Job Lot and had consulting opportunities at Sensata Technologies, Fidelity, Bryant University and Roger Williams University focused on learning and development and employee engagement. She spent ten years as the Director of Workforce Development for AAA Northeast. In 2017 she was honored by Providence Business News as a Business Woman: Woman to Watch.

She is an avid volunteer and guest speaker with the Year Up Program and has run two marathons to raise money for the program and was honored as their 2019 Outstanding Volunteer. She is the Board Chair for Youth Pride RI, and also currently serves on the board of Family Service of RI. She has previously served on the boards of the Newman YMCA, RI Society of Human Resources Management and Foster Forward. She received her B.S in Marketing from Johnson and Wales University and an M.A. in Adult Education from the University of Rhode Island.

For over 30 years, Cindy has immersed herself in exploring and practicing two things -- HR leadership in growing wellness businesses and Strengths-based people development. She believes that understanding your own talent and building on that talent is key to not only building a better workplace, but a better world.

Cindy has served on leadership teams, developing HR strategy and systems for high growth organizations. She has recruited over a thousand talented people and has compassionately helped hundreds move on to their next opportunity. But her favorite place to be is Coaching & facilitating conversations and workshops with employees, managers, teams and executives to improve performance. Cindy is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and leads with Strategic Thinking themes. Her Top 5 Strengths are Achiever, Input, Strategic, Activator & Woo!

Cindy launched her own consulting business, Grow with Strengths, in early 2018. She is excited about working with small to medium sized businesses, helping them support their people development. When people grow, companies also grow. One of the top three things that employees want from their employer (Gallup 2019) is the opportunity for unlimited growth and Cindy is helping companies provide that important benefit. Some of the organizations Cindy has been engaged with over the past few years are Pet Food Experts, Virgin Pulse, Lose It!, Nail Communications, Preventure, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, The Thoreau Club, SIM Boston, SheSpeaks, and Women in Leadership Nexus. Cindy is very proud to be a part of the Make RI Stronger movement as a Leadership RI Strengths Coach, making a positive difference in workplace engagement in RI and partnering with Gallup.

Cindy’s coaching and facilitator style is energetic and thoughtful. She believes that we learn through practice and that learning is best when it’s enjoyable.

She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a BA in Interpersonal Communications and French. Cindy and her husband live in Barrington, RI and have two millennial daughters. Her main goal in life is to continue to have the ability to do cartwheels when she is a grandmother.

Donovan was born and raised in Harlem, NYC. He came to Rhode Island in 2014 to attend college at Johnson & Wales University (JWU).

During his time at JWU he held the positions of Resident and Orientation Assistant. He graduated from JWU in 2018 and obtained his Bachelors in Advertising & Marketing Communications.

After graduating he decided to stay in Rhode Island and began working for a local educational non-profit called the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE). As CLEE’s Senior Coordinator of Communications & Operations Donovan executes the organization's strategic marketing and recruitment efforts.

His professional interests include supporting teens and young adults adjusting to adulthood and creating equitable spaces for students and professionals of color. A few of Donovan’s personal interests are genealogy, cooking, traveling and dancing (Salsa, Merengue and Bachata).

Robert Vincent coordinates Leadership Development for the Center for Student Leadership Development at the University of Rhode Island and teaches a variety of academic courses in leadership studies. In addition to his coursework on Introduction to Leadership, other course topics include Strengths-based Personal Leadership Development, Strengths-based Mentor and Teaching, Leadership for Social Justice and Social Change and Leadership Practicums and Internships. Robert has over 20+ years of experience as a training and development facilitator and specializes in designing and conducting training programs for small to large groups within organizations on both the national and international stage.

In addition to an MA in Counseling, Robert has multiple professional development certificates enhancing his perspective which include a focus on Strengths-Based Leadership, Positive Energy Leadership, and Professional Coaching in Leadership Development, Authenticity and Self- Perception. Robert promotes leadership that is grounded in transformational development and that is values-based with a goal towards supportable resolutions for the common good. Robert serves as a member of the Programming Committee for College Leadership Rhode Island.

Bethany works with organizations to optimize the configuration and platform management of Learning Management/Talent Management systems to achieve strategic business objectives and increase end-user engagement. Her experience includes leading stakeholder engagement/communication, project planning/management, business analysis, business process improvement, system governance, system support model development, change management, reporting and analytics, and system integration. She is skilled at connecting business process analysis, requirements definition, and business case development to produce holistic and detailed project planning (scoping, schedule & budget), as well as risk analysis. Bethany leverages her training as a Gallup certified strengths coach as well as her studies of Appreciative Inquiry to ensure that the strategic business objectives of projects are met through a people-centered approach. It is her belief that Learning and Talent Management systems should fundamentally provide points of engagement between employees and the organization.

Kira's first introduction to the professional work world set her on a path to live and work with diverse individuals and groups consistently and continually. The realization and weight of understanding the benefits of diverse talents, skills and abilities connecting to complete actions and reach objectives became an essential part of her work process.

In the corporate, nonprofit, post-secondary education and community-based organizations she has engaged with individuals and groups to increase educational attainment, personal and professional development as well as community development. She is experienced with administering assessments and providing evaluative information for application of existing skills while also encouraging acquisition of new skills. She designed and facilitated workforce and professional development training to multilingual and single language participants. Her experiences include training and facilitating relationship and community engagement programming with multigenerational families to empower individuals and communities.

She is a member of the first team to successfully solicit and gain multi-year financial and resource supports for juvenile hearing boards from state and nonprofit institution for a multiyear urban pilot.