Media Contact:
Mike Ritz
401-273-1574×103
mritz@leadershipri.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leadership Rhode Island Announces New Class & Theme
“Positively Rhode Island!”

January 11, 2010 (Providence, RI) – Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) has selected 58 Rhode Island leaders and emerging leaders for its 10-month core program, starting with a two-day retreat followed by the first session day on the economy, featuring Al Verrecchia, on January 27, 2010.

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“We’re pleased to announce this year’s Zeta II class, a wonderfully energetic group of leaders and emerging leaders from the for-profit, non-profit and government sectors – all of whom have demonstrated a desire to improve the lives of everyone in Rhode Island. This is the latest wave of servant leaders*!” said Mike Ritz, Executive Director of Leadership Rhode Island.

Uniquely positioned to influence many of Rhode Island’s leaders through its 10-month core program, its college leadership program and its over 1600 alumni, for the first time, Leadership Rhode Island is announcing a theme for 2010 titled, “Positively Rhode Island!”

“We will make every effort to expose our classes and our members to innovative solutions occurring in the state, successful models from which other leaders can learn and apply to their own specialties,” said Ritz.

The “Positively Rhode Island!” year will kick off on the first session day (Jan. 27th) at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket with a talk given by Al Verrecchia, Chairman of Lifespan and Hasbro. The class will also meet with local small successful business owners operating in the new mill development as well as hearing from Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Director, Sandra Powell.

Zeta II Class Members
-Rebecca Baruzzi, Owner, Hudson Street Delicatessen
-Carolyn E. Belisle, Director of Community Relations, Blue Cross Blue Shield RI
-Timothy Bigelow, Director of Human Resources, Butler Hospital
-Sarah Cahill, Executive Director, RI After School Plus Alliance
-Sheila A. Cardente-Capece, LCSW, Director of Victim Services, Institute for the Study & Practice of NonViolence
-Denise Choquette, Senior Legal Counsel, Gilbane Building Company
-Michele Cinquegrano, Regulatory Director of External Affairs, Verizon
-Joseph M. Confessore, Team Leader, Vice President, Washington Trust
-Michael Criscione, CPA, Principal, Lefkowitz, Garfinkel, Champi & DeRienzo, P.C.
-Florence Crisp, Esq., Associate, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, LLP
-Loriana DeCrescenzo, Director of Development & Communications, The Met School
-William J. Delaney, Member, Delaney & DeMerchant LLC
-Gerald DeLomba, Lieutenant, Providence Police Department
-Matthew Ericksen, Associate Professor, Providence College
-Gary J. Friedmann, VP, Portfolio Management, Washington Trust
-Stephanie L. Federico, Esq., Chief of Staff, Providence Public School Department
-James Gallagher, AVP, Marketing, Blue Cross Blue Shield RI
-Molly Garrison, Planned Giving Officer, RI School of Design
-Patricia Germani, Business Development Manager, Herman Miller
-Sheri Ispir, Director of Experiential Education & Career Services, Johnson & Wales University
-Junior Jabbie, Sales & Marketing Manager, Banneker Industries
-Carmen Diaz Jusino, Program Manager, Center for Women & Enterprise
-Brandon Keough, Manager of Community Relations, Hasbro
-Scott Kettelle, Captain, North Kingstown Fire Department
-Ewa King, Ph.D., Associate Director of Health, RI Department of Health
-Abby Klieman, Development Director, RI Foster Parents Association
-Jason Knight, Special Assistant Attorney General, RI Department of Attorney General
-Michael Kumar, Finance Director, GTECH
-Kara Lachapelle, Controller, RI Housing
-Anthony Nguyen Layton, Interim Executive Director, Socio Economic Development Center for Southeast Asians
-Barbara Lee, Development Associate & Fundraising, Women’s Center of RI
-Anthony R. Leone, II, Esq., Member/Attorney, Leone Law LLC
-Ian Lester, Lead Info Technologist, URI College of Pharmacy
-Valerie Littlefield, Organizational Quality Service Manager, AIPSO
-Melissa Long, Esq., Senior Legal Counsel, RI Department of Transportation
-Jennifer Luxmoore, Owner, Sin Custom Cakes
-Jane Maaia Cotter, Operations Manager, Full Channel
-Rajani Mahadevan, Director of Info Systems, Beacon Mutual Insurance
-Caroline Naughton Rumowicz, CEO, Cathleen Naughton
-Neal Pandozzi, Associate, Nixon Peabody LLP
-Colleen M. Pelletier, Attorney, Risk Management, Women & Infants
-Ann F. Rogan, VP Property Management, Gateway Health
-Kelly J. Ross, Corporate Operations Officer, Navy – NUWC
-Chris Sanford, Owner, PuroClean Disaster Restoration
-Karen A. Santilli, VP of Marketing & Development, Crossroads Rhode Island
-Elder William Scott, ACT Training Program Director, Amos House
-Sandra Seltzer, Communications Director, Moses Brown School
-Samuel Suls, CPA, VP Finance, McLaughlin & Moran
-John E. Surrette, Jr., CPA, CFE, Audit Manager, Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co
-John Taraborelli, Assistant Editor, Providence Media
-Jeffrey Techentin, Shareholder, Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C.
-John W. Thompson, IV, VP Retirement Plans, JW Thompson Investments
-Scott Warsheski, Senior Director, OSG, Fidelity Investments
-Sean F. Welch, Senior Assistant, VP, Amica
-Christine Malecki West, AIA, Principle / Vice President, Kite Architects
-David A. White, Partner, Butler & Messier Insurance
-Elizabeth Wiedenhofer, Day Program Assistant Administrator, L.I.F.E. Inc.
-Jeshua A. Zapata, President, Xzito Creative Solutions

About Leadership Rhode Island
Leadership Rhode Island is a 501(c)3 non-profit, established in 1981, whose mission is “to provide leaders and emerging leaders with knowledge and access to resources which will enable them to positively affect their communities”. For more information about Leadership Rhode Island’s mission, programs and activities, please call 401-273-1574 or visit www.leadershipri.org.

*Servant Leadership refers to a term coined by Robert K. Greenleaf described as, “The servant-leader is servant first…It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choise brings one to aspre to lead.” Servant Leadership has been the backbone of Leadership Rhode Island’s mission since its establishment in 1981.

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