R.I. Foundation promotes executives

FRANK CERILLI is now director of human resources at the Rhode Island Foundation. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION
FRANK CERILLI is now director of human resources at the Rhode Island Foundation. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Foundation has promoted two executives in strategy and community investments and human resources, a move the foundation president says is intended to enhance its capacity to partner with donors and grantees to meet Rhode Island’s needs.
Jessica David, of Providence, is now senior vice president of strategy and community investments. She joined the foundation in 2006 and oversees strategy, communications, evaluation and learning, grant programs and the economic security sector. Her previous title was vice president of strategy and community investments. She earned a bachelor’s degree at American University, and a master’s degree in 2010 in business administration at Bryant University.
Frank Cerilli, of Cranston, formerly human resources manager, is now human resources director. Cerilli, who joined the foundation in 2011, is responsible for human resources policies and compliance as well as payroll, compensation, benefits and staff development and training. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Rhode Island, and a master’s degree in 1977 in counselor education at Rhode Island College.
“Frank has helped build our workforce, and Jessica has demonstrated real leadership internally and externally to meet our mission,” Neil Steinberg, the foundation’s president and CEO, said. “They will help us leverage our resources to do even more to move Rhode Island forward.”
Last year, the foundation awarded a record $34.8 million in grants to more than 1,400 nonprofit organizations, chiefly in the form of discretionary grants, which are awarded by foundation staff and directors. The foundation’s competitive strategy grant program targets seven sectors: arts and culture, children and families, education, economic security, environment, health and housing.
The foundation also last year raised $33.7 million in new gifts from individual, organizational and corporate donors. At the end of 2014, total assets stood at more than $800 million.
In community leadership, the foundation raised a record $308,843 in 2014. Last year was the third year of its annual Civic Leadership Fund, which enables the foundation to go beyond traditional grant-making to provide leadership and a forum for dialogue on critical community issues. Among the fund’s ongoing projects are the Make It Happen economic development initiative, an ongoing “Community Conversations” series and the “It’s All In Our Backyard” campaign.

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