Meet the 2024 Upsilon II Class

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

30% of class members work in the Government sector, 36% work in the Non-profit sector, and 34% work in the Private sector

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

The Upsilon IIs represent 22 unique industries

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

36% of class members identify as BIPOC, 63% as White, 1% preferred not to answer

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

The oldest class member is 80, the youngest is 29

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

The median age of class members is 45

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

47% of class members were born outside of Rhode Island

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

Those born outside of the United States represent Bahrain, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, Haiti, India, Liberia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Ukraine, and United Kingdom

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

The Upsilon IIs represent 28 RI, 1 CT, and 2 MA cities and towns

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

65% serve on a board or commission

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

74% of class members serve as coaches or mentors

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

Collectively, the class directly manages 445 people, and more broadly oversees 2,109 employees in their workplaces

Upsilon IIs by the Numbers

As a cohort, their Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: Achiever - Learner - Responsibility - Relator - Strategic

Lance Altizer

West Greenwich, RI

Amgen

Dawn Apajee

Cranston, RI

City Personnel, Inc.

Lisnel Arias

Cranston, RI

AAA Northeast

Katherine Baker

North Providence, RI

WinnCompanies

Michael Baker

Jamestown, RI

Amica Mutual Insurance Company

Jessica Barry

Foster, RI

United Way of Rhode Island

Nancy Bianchi

Providence, RI

Lockheed Architectural Solutions, Inc.

Brian Bicknell

North Kingstown, RI

General Dynamics Electric Boat

Marc Blankenbicker

Barrington, RI

United States Marine Corps

Melissa Boyd

Wakefield, RI

University of Rhode Island

Enrique Cepeda

Providence, RI

Care New England Health System/ Women & Infants Hospitals

Francine Connolly

Warwick, RI

Retired

Ellis Cooper

Woonsocket, RI

Boys and Girls Club of Northern Rhode Island

Britney Crisafulli

Swansea, MA

Taco Comfort Solutions

Shana DeFelice

East Greenwich, RI

Meals on Wheels of RI, Inc.

Julissa Disu

Central Falls, RI

RI Governor's Workforce Board

Christopher Doepper

Narragansett, RI

Dimeo Construction Co.

Ancita Dsilva

Bristol, RI

The URI Research Foundation

Cassandra Earle

Jamestown, RI

Discover Newport

Melissa Feid

Providence, RI

Coastal Medical Physicians, Inc.

Marisol Feliciano

Warwick, RI

Mentor RI

David Ferreira

Providence, RI

Bristol County Savings Bank

Eve Formisano

Barrington, RI

Sail Newport, Inc.

William Foulkes

Providence, RI

Rhode Island School of Design

Jennifer Freitas

Lakeville, MA

Marcum LLP

Rose Gabriel-Leandre

Barrington, RI

RI Department of Human Services

Saikon Gbehan Isijola

Johnston, RI

Law Office of Saikon Gbehan, LLC.

Deborah George

Warwick, RI

Molina Healthcare, Inc.

Carrie Gill

North Kingstown, RI

Rhode Island Energy

Jenifer Giroux

Cranston, RI

Rhode Island College

Teondra Gomes

Providence, RI

Amos House

Harrison Grigsby

Providence, RI

Hope Scholars Initiative

Candace Harper

East Providence, RI

West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation

Ryan Hurt

Richmond, RI

Rhode Island Air National Guard

Matthew Jennette

Warwick, RI

Providence Police Department

Joseph Kayata

Cranston, RI

(add)ventures

Kelly Kincaid

Cumberland, RI

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC

Sarah Knott

Wakefield, RI

Hasbro, Inc.

Kiley Krafve

Providence, RI

Amgen

Bethany Lyons

Mystic, CT

The Washington Trust Co

Sendurai Mani

Barrington, RI

Brown University

Shannon Massaroco

East Providence, RI

Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families

Calvin Matthes

Providence, RI

Gilbane Building Company

Michael Mattone

Lincoln, RI

Navigant Credit Union

Jim McAssey

Cranston, RI

Brave River Solutions

Jennifer McCarthy

Pascoag, RI

Eleanor Slater Hospital

Maribel McLaughlin

Pawtucket, RI

Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc./CCA Health RI

Kerci Marcello Stroud

East Greenwich, RI

Rhode Island School of Design

Suzanne Mello-Stark

Newport, RI

Rhode Island College

Luis Mendez Barajas

Woonsocket, RI

Triple J Drywall & Carpentry

Jenny Mercado

Providence, RI

Hasbro Emergency Department

Jason Minter

Providence, RI

Justice Assistance

Jason Mollo

Cranston, RI

IGT

George Morse

North Scituate, RI

IGT

Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies

North Providence, RI

The Economic Progress Institute

Matthew Netto

Cumberland, RI

AARP

Erica Norcini

Pawtucket, RI

State of Rhode Island

Joanna Pallini

Cranston, RI

State of RI Office of Veterans Services

Tammi-Marie Phillip

Barrington, RI

Care New England

Steven Panza

North Kingstown, RI

Cox Communications

Michael Primiani

Barrington, RI

Loring Advisory Group

Ellen Puccetti

North Smithfield, RI

Wrights Dairy Farm and Bakery

Omar Reyes

Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner

Andrew Rogers

Wakefield, RI

Westerly Community Credit Union

Charon Rose

Pawtucket, RI

Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner

Mark Salisbury-Thompson

West Warwick, RI

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island

Deanna San Antonio

North Providence, RI

KLR

Catherine Schultz

Hope, RI

State of Rhode Island

Michelle Sheehan

Providence, RI

State of RI, Department of Environmental Management

Paul Silva

Chepachet, RI

Greenwood Credit Union

Erin X. Smithers

Providence, RI

Citizens Bank

Marquis Taylor

Bristol, RI

Coaching4Change

Herbert Tilson

North Providence, RI

Rhode Island State Police

Jason Vlaun

Cranston, RI

Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island

Inna Walker

East Providence, RI

Berkshire Bank

Matthew Watson

Narragansett, RI

Polaris MEP

Nancy Wolanski

Pawtucket, RI

United Way of Rhode Island

The Upsilon II Program Committee

Each year, the LRI team selects 8-10 alumni to serve on the Program Committee. Led by two co-chairs, participation on the committee is a prestigious volunteer role that benefits the breadth and depth of the Core Program experience. Alumni are selected based on their expertise, connectivity to issues, relationship to the annual theme, and for their collective diversity of perspectives, opinions, and backgrounds. The committee, which formally meets bi-monthly, is tasked with providing insights and ideas that lead to session day design. This input ensures that the class is better informed of the most critical issues currently facing our state.