Gorbea names senior leadership team

SECRETARY OF STATE-Elect Nellie Gorbea has announced her senior leadership team. / COURTESY HOUSINGWORKS RI
SECRETARY OF STATE-Elect Nellie Gorbea has announced her senior leadership team. / COURTESY HOUSINGWORKS RI

PROVIDENCE – Secretary of State-Elect Nellie Gorbea has announced her senior leadership team, which includes members of Providence Mayor Angel Taveras’ staff.

She said that Steve Gerencser will serve as deputy secretary of state/chief of staff; Melissa Long will serve as deputy secretary of state/director of administration and Gonzalo Cuervo will be her senior advisor/communications director.
“I am excited to work with a talented and dedicated team who share my commitment to increasing transparency, accountability and trust between the people and their government,” Gorbea said in a statement. “Together we will work to transform government to better serve the people of Rhode Island.”
Gerencser is president of Gerencser Public Strategies, at which he advises public and private sector organizations and members of Congress on policy, strategy and communication decisions. He is also Gorbea’s transition director.
In his new position, Gerencser will develop the overall strategic plan for the office and will be responsible for the department’s legislative agenda.
Long is the administrator for policy and government relations at the state Department of Transportation and is its Title VI coordinator. A lawyer by training, Long oversees and advances the department’s legislative and strategic agenda, and provides counsel to the department’s senior leadership team on issues related to nondiscrimination.
As deputy secretary of state/director of administration, Long will manage elections, business services – including the First Stop Business Information Center, state library, public information, state archives, as well as finance and personnel divisions.
Cuervo is Providence Mayor Angel Taveras’ chief of staff.
As Gorbea’s senior advisor and communications director, Cuervo will manage strategic communications and media relations for the office and each of its divisions. He also will oversee the eGovernment & Information Technology Division and lead efforts to develop e-government solutions aimed at making state government more interactive, user-friendly and transparent.
Gorbea also named Jason Hernández as her community relations director and Elizabeth Sepe as the office manager and scheduler.
Hernandez is currently director of advance for Taveras. Sepe served as scheduler and office manager on Gorbea’s campaign and holds those positions on Gorbea’s transition team.

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