Past Alumni and Honor Roll Award Recipients

John Nazarian Alumna of the Year

Sharen D. Gleckman '84

Sharen graduated from Rhode Island College with a bachelor of arts in 1984. Her story is like that of so many RIC graduates. At that time, she already had an established career with the Providence Public School District, and she came to RIC so she could advance in her career. She worked full-time while completing her degree, and continued to work with the school department for more than forty years before retiring in 2010.

Sharen has always had a passion for advocacy, and this shows in all of her work. Shortly before retiring, she assisted Patricia Spaziano in having a Providence elementary school renamed in her late husband Frank Spaziano’s honor. Sharen was one of the first women to be a member of the North Providence Rotary. There, she used her skills to advocate for two Latina women to join as well. She has also been a member of the Davinci Community Center board for more than thirty years Sharen truly enjoys helping people.

Sharen was a long-time member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving from 2014 until 2022. After stepping off the board, she received special recognition for her many contributions. She certainly made her mark as a board member, continuously championing for diversity among the board and its scholarship and award recipients. She also volunteered countless hours co-chairing previous alumni award selections and ceremonies just like this one. Sharen is a celebrated member of the 1854 Society at Rhode Island College, which recognizes the college’s largest donors. When informed that she would be receiving this award, Sharen shared her mantra – a quote from Khalil Gibran’s “The Profit” – “the only true giving is when you give of yourself”. Sharen, we thank you for all that you have given to Rhode Island College and to the greater community.

Charles B. Willard Professional Achievement Award

Christopher Reddy '92

Christopher is a proud graduate of Rhode Island’s public education system from kindergarten through graduate school, earning a BS in chemistry from Rhode Island College and PhD in chemical oceanography from the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island.

Christopher is a transformative leader in the fields of marine pollution, chemical ecology, and the development of more environmentally friendly industrial chemicals. A senior scientist in the Department of Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and faculty member of the MIT/WHOI joint program in oceanography, he has led numerous field operations along coastlines, in the open ocean, and bottom of the sea. 
 
His research spans the fallout of soot into the ocean, shipping accidents, major oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon, ocean dumping, and plastics. Christopher has co-authored several of the most high-impact and novel papers in these fields, garnering high-profile media coverage and honors. He is also pioneering the replacement of fossil fuels with biofuels and also personal care products with chemicals harvested from algae. He often provides context and insights on how science works in a time of crisis. He is the author of  “Science Communication in a Crisis: An Insider’s View” which is set to be released on May 10. 

He has published over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts and holds 10 US patents. Christopher has testified before Congress five times, written more than 30 opinion pieces, and given hundreds of interviews for print, radio, and television. He has also given a TEDx talk using clips from the original Star Trek television series on what science can provide during a crisis. In 2014, her was honored with the C.C. Patterson Award for his work on the impacts of petroleum in the ocean, and in 2018 the American Geophysical Union recognized his achievements as a science communicator with their Ambassador Award.

Alumni Faculty Award

Vince Bohlinger

Vince is a professor and director of the film studies program at Rhode Island College. He specializes in Russian & Soviet Cinema, East Asian Cinema, Documentary Film, Film Style & Analysis. His work has been supported by grants from the Fulbright-Hays, Social Science Research Council, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Council for Eurasian and East European Research, and Television Academy Foundation – just to name a few. In his time at the college, Vince has taught two dozen different courses on film history, theory, analysis, and production. He also serves as the Fulbright Program Advisor at RIC. He has been quite successful in this role. As of last month, RIC has had Fulbright winners three years in a row with students studying in Taiwan, South Korea, and now Canada.

Vince’s service to the college extends far beyond the classroom. He has served as the chair of the college’s faculty council, on a special committee on online learning, the union contract committee on online learning, the strategic planning steering committee, the strategic budget committee, the working group on RI Promise, several important administrative search committees, and a working group aiming to improve RIC’s political position within the state so as to ensure more funding. Vince has also most recently served on the RIC Advisory Committee.

Vince’s clear commitment to Rhode Island College is felt by his colleagues and students. One colleague shared “In all of these endeavors, Vince serves with humility that cannot disguise his supreme competence in administrative matters, his skill at navigating difficult conversations, and his deep commitment to Rhode Island College and its students.”

Alumni Service Award

Jean Salera-Vieira '97, DNP '19

Jean earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Rhode Island College in 1997 and her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2019. She has served as an adjunct professor at RIC for undergraduate students and currently serves as an adjunct for master's and doctorate level students. She is a licensed Women’s Health and Gender-Related Clinical Nurse Specialist and the Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Professional Development at Women and Infants Hospital. She received the 2021 Reviewer of the Year from MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, and was a member of the 2022 Editorial Fellowship class.

Jean stays active in the field of nursing by serving on the National Certification Corporation Board of Directors, as a member of the in-patient Obstetric Certification Exam Content Team, as well as on the Nominating Committee. Her regional service includes the sole Women’s Health CNS on the Rhode Island Pregnancy & Postpartum Review Committee, the inaugural secretary role for the CNS Association of Rhode Island (CNS-RI), and a member of the Governance Committee for Sigma Theta Tau Delta Upsilon at-Large Chapter. Dr. Salera-Vieira was recently inducted as a Fellow into the national Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute. She holds NCC certifications in Inpatient Obstetrics, Fetal Monitoring, and Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety.

Her service does not stop there! Along with her colleague Deb Owens, she started the Mary Ellen Burke Sosa ’78 Endowed Scholarship at Rhode Island College to honor one of her nursing colleagues who graduated from RIC. If that wasn’t enough, Jean is also an author and speaker focusing on safety issues in the perinatal setting and the postnatal experience of intended parents. She says her most important contributions revolve around improving safety for birthing people and their families, as well as for the nurses who care for these families.

Alumni Staff Award

Tamecka Hardmon

Tamecka has worked at Rhode Island College since 2015. As the Director of the college’s Registrar's Office, Tamecka serves as the college registrar and provides leadership for the maintenance and integrity of student academic records, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. Tamecka is remarkable and exceptional in her service and dedication to our students, faculty, staff, and the college. She is a creative problem solver and is incredibly responsive to any issues that may arise. She also has an intimate knowledge of the college’s academic policies and uses that knowledge to the benefit of RIC students.

Tamecka has given back to the college community in a variety of ways including chairing the Calendar Committee, serving on the Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures, the Scheduling and Registration Task Force, and the Academic Standing Committee, among others. As a leader, Tamecka has been praised for her ability to liaise with various offices and willingness to collaborate.

In fall of 2019, the college introduced a new course for first year students: RIC 100. This one-credit course provides students with an overview of the college. Each section of the course, which has a common syllabus, is taught by a RIC staff or faculty member, with an upper-class student serving with the instructor as a peer mentor. Tamecka was one of the first instructors of the course, and the course committee reports being very impressed by her from the moment she interviewed… “we were unanimous in our excitement about Tamecka Hardmon as one of the instructors after a very impressive interview from which we all came away with the conviction that she was wholly committed to student success. We were right, as Tamecka proved to be an excellent instructor who also provided the committee with great suggestions for improvement for future iterations of the course”. Tamecka is known for going above and beyond in all aspects of her work.

Young Alumni Award

Michelle Valletta '11, '13

Michelle is an adjunct faculty member at Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, and a US History and American Government professor at Accelerated Pathways, Pearson Education. Her academic journey began in 2007 at age 43 after years of working in the corporate world. In 2011, she graduated from RIC summa cum laude, with a BA in history. Soon after, she received a Rhode Island College graduate scholarship for an MA degree in History and in 2012 she was awarded a Rhode Island College Graduate Leadership Award. Upon completing her MA in 2013 she began teaching at Rhode Island College.

In addition to teaching and mentoring RIC students, Michelle has worked on various projects that were in service to the college. From 2012 to 2019 she served as a member of the Rhode Island College North Burial Ground Project, working with colleagues and students to promote the site’s historical and educational value to the community. In 2019, she served as a faculty committee member of the Center for Research and Creative Activity.  From 2017 to 2019, she served as Project Manager and Historian for the Rhode Island State House Tour Project. In this role, she created and managed the project that mentored students and provided internships.  Over the two-year period, 40 Rhode Island College students from 12 different academic programs participated in the project.

Over the past 10 years she has presented her own research at regional history conferences and libraries, as well as published historical artifacts for ProQuest Alexander Street and Oxford University Press American National Biography. Michelle unequivocally credits her education, and even more so, the guidance and mentoring of her Rhode Island College professors as the preeminent influence in her personal and professional growth.

Honor Roll

Faculty of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Anthony Azar '83

Anthony graduated from RIC in 1983 with a degree in secondary education and in public administration. He started teaching at Bishop McVinney Regional School that same year. He was recognized as an innovative teacher on Channel 10’s "The More You Know" segment. At McVinney reunions, his former students speak warmly about being in his class and the impact Mr. Azar had on their lives. Anthony also served as a Rhode Island State Senator from 1988-1990, with a focus on education, environment, and youth/social services. Anthony was named "Educator of the Year" in 2017 by the Rehoboth Lions' Club for his dedication and accomplishments in his professional career. Anthony’s career as an educator spans 40 years, serving as a principal, administrator, and superintendent. His dedication to respecting all people has played a fundamental role in his many years as an educator and he is proud to be a Rhode Island College graduate. 

Tim Labonte '07

Tim began his creative business Stand Still Pictures in 2003 as a freshman at RIC. He graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s in film studies. His professional work in filmmaking includes directing, sound, studio work and editing in a variety of genres. Tim has been instrumental in the success of several local and national productions. His work has earned him multiple Emmy Award nominations, a Grammy Nomination, an Associated Press Award, and many other notable accolades. In 2013 Tim began as Media Producer for WaterFire Providence, producing their music and video programs. His work can still be seen in their media and television commercials. Tim gives back to his community by teaching summer film camps, running afterschool video clubs, and volunteering with the Rhode Island Marine Archeology Project. He is currently working on the documentary “Waves of Laughter” about the history of stand-up comedy in Rhode Island.

Rosenny Taveras '12

A native of the Dominican Republic, Rosenny grew up in New York. Rosenny has considered herself a true Rhode Islander since arriving in the Ocean State in 2008 as a RIC student. Rosenny graduated in 2011 with a BFA in studio art. While studying at RIC, she made a name for herself as a talented and adaptable artist and leader. In 2013, she began working at Brown University where she quickly climbed the ranks. Most recently in 2022, she was named director of the Health Equity Scholars Program within Brown’s School of Public Health. In this role, she oversees the next generation of public health leaders. Her work centers around providing equitable access to opportunities for all students.

Feinstein School of Education & Human Development

Deborah Moura '05

Deborah has been teaching sixth-grade math at Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School in Seekonk since 2009. She graduated from RIC with a BS in Elementary Education and Psychology in 2005. She then obtained her Master's degree from Bridgewater State University and is currently working to obtain her Education Specialist degree in Administration. She has one child, her 12-year-old daughter Caroline. Deborah enjoys running, walking her dog, and watching Caroline practice cheerleading.

Onanian School of Nursing

Jocelyne DeGouvenain '10

Jocelyne is a committed and talented advanced practice nurse, leader, and educator who has been an outstanding faculty member at RIC and a strong community leader. She has been recognized for her achievements multiple times, as the RI Monthly Nurse of the Year in a Non-Traditional Setting, as a RIC Graduate Student Leadership Awardee, and as the American Public Health Association Graduate Student of the Year Awardee. Jocelyne is a two-time alumna of RIC, earning a BSN in 2010 and an MSN in 2017. A lifelong learner, Jocelyne is currently enrolled as a Doctor of Nursing Practice student at Rhode Island College. Jocelyne advances the field on both a local and global scale. She has worked in her native Haiti as founder and administrator of a clinic, and currently serves as Vice President for the Child Lead Action Project.

School of Business

James Florio Jr. '02

James (who goes by Jim) graduated from Rhode Island College in 2002 with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems. As a student intern with Lifespan, his managers were impressed by his performance, and he was offered a financial analyst position with Rhode Island Hospital after graduating. Jim moved up within Lifespan holding roles in business development and operations. Currently he serves as the COO of South County Psychiatry. Jim has a holistic approach to healthcare administration and has been praised by his colleagues for his creative approach to telehealth in the midst of the covid pandemic. Jim has been recognized for his contributions as a two-time nominee for Lifespan’s CARES Person of the Year and has received their Department of Psychology Excellence Award. The programs that Jim has developed have a direct impact on members of our community who see help with a variety of mental health issues.

School of Social Work

Daniel Harvey '93

Daniel graduated from Rhode Island College in 1993 with a Master’s in Social Work degree. Since then, he has dedicated himself to providing clinical services to children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. He is a leading expert in Rhode Island and in the New England area on assessment and treatment of child and adolescent trauma. For the past thirteen years, Daniel has been a dedicated faculty member in the MSW department at RIC. He retired from full-time work in June 2022. He was instrumental in creating a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Child and Adolescent Trauma by participating in a national curriculum development project led by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Through this program, he has mentored over seventy graduates all of whom work with traumatized children and adolescents. Daniel has extensive collaborative relationships with community agencies, a list too long to include here.

John Nazarian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award

Doctor V. Michael Ferdinandi ’71 and Lucille Ferdinandi ’70, M.Ed. ‘75

Dr. V. Michael Ferdinandi and his wife, Lucille share a deep commitment to Rhode Island College. In 2021 they donated a $1.2 million planned gift to establish the V. Michael and Lucille Ferdinandi Endowed Scholarship. This is the second largest gift in the college’s history. It will support first-time, full-time freshmen who have high academic standing and financial need. The couple shared that their gift was made possible because of the opportunities they received at Rhode Island College that prepared them for the future. The couple met at Rhode Island College, where Michael was majoring in industrial arts and Lucille in elementary education. They both shared a passion for education and understood that access to opportunity can make a difference in people’s lives. Lucille taught in Johnston public schools for 20 years, earned her master’s in counseling at RIC and worked as a counselor at CCRI. Michael, too, came back to earn his master’s degree at RIC and his doctorate at Boston University. His career led him from the classroom to three of the country’s leading Fortune 20 companies: PepsiCo, the Ford Motor Company and CVS Caremark. He retired as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for CVS in 2012. Ever the educator, Michael returned to the classroom as an Executive in Residence at Palm Beach Atlantic University for seven years, where he helped prepare students for successful careers. The Ferdinandi’s life and legacy will impact the lives of Rhode Island College students for years to come.

Charles B. Willard Professional Achievement Award

Captain Octavio Borges, M.D. ’88

Capt. Octavio Borges, M.D. has had a 25-year military career as a Navy physician. He graduated from Rhode Island College in 1988, with a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry. He then enrolled in the Brown-Dartmouth Medical Program in 1992, specializing in ophthalmology. After graduating from med school, Borges joined the U.S. Navy in 1995 and was assigned to both the Naval Hospital Pensacola as staff ophthalmologist and to Fleet Hospital 15 as an eye surgeon. He then enrolled in the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute and Naval Flight School. Upon completion of flight training, he was assigned to Patrol Squadron Eight, a Navy squadron tasked with reconnaissance, intelligence and antisubmarine warfare. Following his tour of duty, Borges was assigned to Naval Health Clinic New England, where he continued to rise in rank and position, his highest rank being that of Navy captain. He has extensive experience in deployed operations and humanitarian assignments and was a major contributor to the President’s initiative in the Partnership For the Americas mission where the crew of the USNS Comfort provided medical and surgical care to the people of Central and South America nations. His expertise has also been utilized by the Navy and Air Force Medical Support Agency, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Armed Services and NASA. In his final tour of duty, Borges served as chief Navy liaison and chief of aerospace medicine at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. In addition to his military duties, Borges has engaged in clinical research, published in major peer-reviewed journals, and was a clinical instructor in ophthalmology surgery at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the Providence VA Medical Center. Though Borges officially retired from active duty, he continued to offer his services as a consultant at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Alumni Service Award

Donna Lennon, ’75, M.Ed.’01

Lennon is a two-time graduate of Rhode Island College, having earned her B.S.N. in 1975 and her M.Ed. in 2001. For the past 26 years, she has worked as school nurse teacher for Matunuck Elementary School in Wakefield, R.I., and nursing coordinator for the South Kingstown School District. On the frontlines of three pandemics – AIDS, H1N1 and COVID-19 – Lennon has demonstrated a deep commitment to the health and safety of others. During the AIDS pandemic, she was head nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center in San Francisco, developing nursing standards of care for AIDs patients. During H1N1, she administered vaccines to children. And during COVID-19, she triaged and cared for sick children at Matunuck Elementary School. She also developed district guidance for safe in-person learning, contact tracing and school safety standards along with spearheading the asymptomatic testing of staff and students in all South Kingstown schools and the vaccination of staff and students. Her community service truly knows no bounds. She is involved in food drives, coat drives, peanut butter express drives, cell phones for soldiers, pennies for patients and many others. Dedicated to health education, Lennon served for over 20 years as coordinator of Matunuck's Healthy Schools! Healthy Kids! program and co-chaired the Matunuck Elementary Health Fairs. She also gives back to RIC by taking on the role of preceptor to graduate nursing students. Much deservedly, Lennon is the recipient of three Leadership Awards from the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Young Alumni Award

Doctor Melissa Marcotte ‘12

Assistant Professor Melissa Marcotte earned her B.A. in psychology and B.S. in chemical dependency and addiction studies at Rhode Island College. She went on to earn her master’s degree and Ph.D. in behavioral science at URI, with focus on multicultural psychology and research design and statistics. Marcotte was honored with the Graduate Student Excellence Award by URI’s Department of Psychology for her teaching, research, and initiatives around social justice, diversity, and inclusion. As a first-generation college student from Woonsocket, Marcotte credits RIC’s Department of Psychology and the research opportunities and mentorship she received at RIC for inspiring her love of research and statistics and for preparing her for graduate school. Marcotte returned to RIC in 2017 to begin teaching in RIC’s Department of Psychology, with the intention of giving her students, particularly first-generation and other underrepresented students in STEM, the opportunity to learn about, participate in, and develop a love for statistics and research methods. As a Buddhist and Kingian Nonviolence trainer, Marcotte’s research focuses on experiences that lead to cognitive dissonance, which result in inter- and intrapersonal acts of aggression. She is also interested in potential interventions and practices to prevent such violence. Marcotte runs the Department of Psychology’s Social Cognition Lab, where both undergraduate and graduate student research assistants gain invaluable research experience. Marcotte has mentored McNair scholars, honors students, and graduate students and has proudly taken students to regional conferences to present their own research.

Alumni Faculty Award

Professor Mark Motte

Professor of Geography Mark Motte has been a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Rhode Island College since 1995. He is also a recipient of the Paul Maixner Award for sustained excellence in teaching. Motte earned his Ph.D. in urban planning and policy at Rutgers University. In addition to teaching courses in urban planning, policy and geography, Motte has served in a number of administrative positions at RIC, including special assistant to the president for community affairs; assistant vice president for the Office of Academic Affairs; director of Graduate Studies; director of the David E. Sweet Center for Public Policy; director of the Feinstein Institute for Philanthropic Leadership; acting director of the Office of Research and Grants Administration; interim director of the Bureau of Government Research and Services; founding director of the Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone World Studies; acting director of the College Honors Program; director of the Study Abroad Program and Geography Program; and co-founder and director of the Undergraduate Certificate Program in Nonprofit Studies. Motte has also served in a voluntary or consulting capacity at several public, private and nonprofit organizations. He’s been involved in many statewide and regional applied research projects sponsored by government agencies and private foundations; he was commissioner on the Cranston City Planning Commission; he has served on the board of many organizations; and he has co-authored a book on the political history of Providence, numerous articles, monographs and book reviews. 

Alumni Staff Award

Nancy Bessette ’10

Nancy received her undergraduate degree in Communication from Rhode Island College in 2010 and a masters in Adult Education from the University of Rhode Island. She is a first-generation financial aid professional who has worked in the Financial Aid Office at Rhode Island College since 2000. During the past 22 years, Bessette has worn many hats within the financial aid office leading to her current role as Interim Director of Financial aid.  She serves on multiple professional committees and organizations associated with the financial aid profession and works with her team to recognize and meet the financial needs of currently enrolled and prospective RIC students. Bessette shares that she is passionate about working with her colleagues at the college to support our students by making continuous improvements to help them reach their goals. She has been married to her husband, Eric, for 26 years and has two beautiful daughters and an amazing granddaughter. 

Honor Roll

Faculty of Arts & Sciences

Nicholas Hardisty ’13, M.A. ’17 History

Nicolas Hardisty is program manager and historian at Tall Ships America, the national body for sail training and tall ships. Upon earning his master’s degree in history at Rhode Island College, Hardisty served as lead coordinator for the RIC/Rhode Island State House Tour Project and as adjunct instructor at RIC and CCRI. He then transitioned to his role at Tall Ships America, where he has supported the educational efforts of America’s traditional sailing fleet and helped develop a national certification program for early-career mariners. Hardisty has compiled a virtual archive documenting 50 years of American sail-training history and maritime heritage. He co-founded Global Empire & Resistance Scholarship, an international academic collective that promotes interdisciplinary scholarship, with the goal of supporting early-career academics across BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and gender spectrums. He has presented articles at numerous historical conferences and was recently named to the New England Regional World History Association’s executive council.
 

Alex Nunes ’07 Sociology

Alex Nunes is bureau chief and South County reporter for The Public’s Radio. He covers stories in Southern Rhode Island and manages the NPR affiliate’s news bureaus in Newport and New Bedford. Nunes was among staff reporters at The Public's Radio to receive a First Place Award from the national Public Media Journalists Association for their coverage of racial justice issues in 2020; and in 2019 he received a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his 30-part podcast series “Mosaic,” which aired on The Public’s Radio. Co-hosted and co-produced by Nunes, “Mosaic” explores the history of immigration in Southern New England through stories told by the immigrants and their descendants. Prior to joining The Public’s Radio, Nunes was an editor at The Westerly Sun and The New London Day. He holds an M.A. in journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in sociology from Rhode Island College.

Jessica Vega ’10 Psychology

Jessica Vega is city councilwoman for Central Falls and the first Dominican American council president in the city’s history. After earning a B.A. in psychology at RIC in 2010, Vega went on to earn an M.A. in community development at Roger Williams University in 2019. Elected to city council in 2018, Vega has been a fierce advocate for children, youth and families. She’s been a leader on the issue of criminal justice reform, both serving as president of the Central Falls Juvenile Hearing Board and as a member of the Policing and Use of Force Commission, which led to significant reforms in the Central Falls Police Department. Vega sponsored an ordinance that repealed the youth curfew and an ordinance that prohibited the police department from cooperating with ICE. In 2019 she co-sponsored an ordinance to create the city's first affordable housing fund. Jessica is currently the Dunamis Synergy Initiative Director for the West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation.

School of Business

Benjamin Silva ’11

Benjamin Silva graduated summa cum laude, with a B.S. in accounting, in 2011. That same year, he completed the CPA exam for which he was awarded the Nicholas Picchione Gold Award for achieving the highest score in Rhode Island. Silva continued his education at Bryant University, where he earned an M.P.Ac. in public accountancy in 2012 and an M.S. in taxation in 2016. His career began at DiSanto, Priest & Co., one of the largest regional accounting firms in Southern New England. He moved on to Oliveira & Associates, Ltd., where he held the role of manager. And in 2019 Silva co-founded his own C.P.A. firm – ClarkSilva, where he specializes in tax planning and compliance for privately held businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Silva credits Rhode Island College for providing him with the foundation, skills and opportunities he needed to achieve success in the accounting field.

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Plinio "Edward" German ’05

Ed German credits the wrestling team at Mt. Pleasant High School for his becoming a man and for teaching him that he was capable of success in academics as well as athletics. He went on to wrestle for Rhode Island College and was awarded for his academic work in special education. Today, German is the Head Wrestling Coach at Hope High School, a Bilingual Special Education teacher at William D'Abate School, where he instills in his student-athletes the same inner drive to be successful. German, diligently follows his student-athlete's school attendance, grades and overall well-being; he’s in constant communication with their teachers, guidance counselors, and parents; he funds their participation at summer wrestling camps, college visits, and private lessons; and he’s there to support them throughout their lives. Awarded Coach of the Year three times over and Assistant Coach of the Year two times over, German is a recipient of the Lisa Bonaventura award, the NAACP Leadership Award, and was honored with multiple citations from the mayor, governor, state treasurer and senator.

Zvart Onanian School of Nursing

Kerin Da Cruz B.S.N. ‘93

Kerin Da Cruz, who earned her B.S.N. at RIC in 1993 and her M.A. in nursing administration at URI, is a consummate leader in the nursing field. In 2020 she was appointed senior vice president and chief nursing officer for L+M Healthcare which is a member of the Yale New Haven Health system and consists of L+M Hospital, Westerly Hospital and the VNA of South Eastern CT.   In this role, she leads teams in nursing, patient care services, laboratory, and care management and oversees the organizations two Smilow Cancer Centers in Waterford and Westerly. Da Cruz is also a per-course faculty member at URI, where she teaches leadership in the College of Nursing. Her areas of expertise include executive leadership, labor negotiations and culture change in healthcare organizations. In 2021 Da Cruz was honored with URI’s Luminary Award for her contributions to professional practice, education and the College of Nursing. Da Cruz is board certified as a nurse executive in nursing administration and is a fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives where she served on the editorial board. She currently serves on the boards for the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce and Mitchel College in CT.   She is a member of the American Nurses Association, the American Hospital Association, the Organization of Nurse Executives, and the Organization of Nurse Leaders for New England where she is a past board member representing the state of Rhode Island.

School of Social Work

Walter Orellana M.S.W. ’10

Walter Orellana is a licensed independent clinical social worker, a chemical dependency professional and assistant professor in the Department of Human Services at CCRI. He has provided counseling services for adults, children and families and clinical supervision to staff and graduate student interns. Orellana is passionate about social justice, equal rights and service to the community, and he takes pride in giving back. He served as adjunct faculty member in RIC’s School of Social Work, has served on the board of directors at Segue Institute for Learning, was a member of the Continuing Competence Committee for the Association of Social Work Boards and was a subject matter expert for the Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor exam development. Orellana also contributes to the social work field as a member of the Rhode Island Board of Social Work Examiners. In 2017 he was awarded Social Worker of the Year in Health/Mental Health by the NASW Rhode Island Chapter.

John Nazarian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year

Professor Dr. Sandra Enos '71 earned her B.A. from Rhode Island College, a Master's from Brown University and a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, spending the last twenty years of her career as a sociology professor at RIC and Bryant University. In that career, Dr. Enos was a national leader in the field of service learning and community engaged teaching. She is the author of Mothering from the Inside: Parenting in a Women’s Prison (2000) and Service-Learning and Social Entrepreneurship in Higher Education: The Pedagogy of Social Change (2015), along with other publications on race, incarceration, and gender and community-engaged teaching. Prior to earning her doctorate, she worked in the fields of child welfare and corrections, and served as a policy aide to the Governor of Rhode Island. Dr. Enos started her career as a VISTA Volunteer in rural Alabama. She is the recipient of many awards for outstanding teaching and service to the community and serves on the boards of the Jonnycake Center and the Thundermist Community Health Center. She also serves as a mentor in the Rhode Island College Alumni Association’s Career Empowerment Opportunity (CEO) mentoring program. Just after retiring, Dr. Enos founded Giving Beyond the Box, a social enterprise that curates gift boxes that feature products that carry social missions, showcase meaningful gift giving and share inspiring stories about people who are doing good in our community and beyond. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 John Nazarian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award Honorees.

Charles B. Willard Achievement Award

Maria Ducharme '87, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, is president of The Miriam Hospital. Dr. Ducharme has spent her entire professional career at The Miriam Hospital, where she began as a cardiovascular medical/surgical nurse. Her impressive breadth of experiences has included leadership roles in inpatient nursing, respiratory therapy, and rehabilitation services. In 2010, Maria was named senior vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer of The Miriam. Maria has led some of The Miriam’s most ambitious and successful efforts to achieve excellence in the quality of patient care at the hospital. She helped lead the hospital’s response to COVID-19, directly overseeing the refinement and deployment of new safety protocols developed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Under her stewardship, The Miriam attained four-year Magnet recognition — considered the gold standard for nursing excellence — six consecutive times, which is a feat accomplished by only three other hospitals in the United States. Maria earned a doctor of nursing practice from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, a master of science degree in nursing from the University of Rhode Island, and a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Rhode Island College in 1987. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Charles B. Willard Professional Achievement Award Honorees.

Alumni Faculty Award

Professor of Social Work Frederic Reamer has been a respected member of the Rhode Island College School of Social Work faculty since 1983. His research and teaching have addressed a wide range of human service issues, including mental health, health care, criminal justice, public welfare, and professional ethics. Dr. Reamer received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He has also taught at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Reamer has served as Director of the National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; senior policy advisor to the Governor of Rhode Island; a member of the State of Rhode Island Parole Board; and a commissioner of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation. Dr. Reamer has conducted extensive research on professional ethics. He has been involved in several national research projects sponsored by the Hastings Center, the Carnegie Corporation, the Haas Foundation, and the Scattergood Program for the Applied Ethics of Behavioral Healthcare at the Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Reamer has published 24 books and more than 160 journal articles, book chapters, and encyclopedia articles. He has also served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Social Work Education, and associate editor of the National Association of Social Workers Encyclopedia of Social Work. Watch the video honoring the 2021 Alumni Faculty Award Honorees.

Professor of Social Work Deborah Siegel Ph.D., LICSW, DCSW, ACSW is a professor in the School of Social Work at Rhode Island College. She came to the college in 1983 after serving as director of field instruction in the B.S.W. program at Auburn University, administrator and faculty member in the School of Social Work at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and the Edith Abbott Teaching and Research Fellow at the University of Chicago, where she earned her master’s and Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Siegel’s research and publications have examined how clinical social workers integrate research, evaluation methods and logic into their practice of psychotherapy; the experiences that children who are adopted have when they grow up with ongoing contact with their birth families; policy and clinical interventions for homelessness; ways to work effectively with struggling teens; and a range of other issues. She teaches inter-professional education for health care providers and students from institutions of higher education across Rhode Island and is developing the integrated behavioral health program at the Rhode Island Free Clinic. Dr. Siegel provides consultation and training for adoption agencies regionally and nationally. Her community organizing and legislative advocacy focus on adoptees’ rights, immigration issues, housing and homelessness, reproductive freedom, public health measures to reduce gun violence, and undoing voter suppression of communities of color. Watch the video honoring the 2021 Alumni Faculty Award Honorees. 

Alumni Service Award

Elizabeth Warburton Rochefort ’10 is a principal architectural historian at the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission (RIHPHC). Her career in historic preservation began while she was a student at RIC, where she double majored in history and anthropology and received the Evelyn Walsh Prize in History and the Phi Alpha Theta Excellence in History Award. During her time as a student, Elizabeth worked as an intern at the RIHPHC and as a special collections assistant in the college archives at James P. Adams Library. After graduating from RIC, she earned a master’s degree in historic preservation from the University of Vermont. She then served as the collections manager at the Preservation Society of Newport County (Newport Mansions), where she managed the fine and decorative arts collection at ten of the country’s most beloved historic house museums. Elizabeth now serves as principal architectural historian at RIHPHC, the state agency that identifies and protects Rhode Island’s historic resources. Her accomplishments include preparing the 2021-2027 Rhode Island Statewide Historic Preservation Plan and writing nominations that resulted in hundreds of properties being listed in the National Register of Historic Places. All roads lead back to RIC: one of those nominations was based on research Elizabeth began as a student. In 2020, the State Home and School for Dependent and Neglected Children Historic District on RIC’s East Campus was listed in the National Register. Elizabeth is the president of the New England chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians (NE/SAH), a trustee of Providence Preservation Society, and a former board member of the RIC Alumni Association (2017-2020). She and her husband Denis are the new owners of an old house in Pawtucket. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Alumni Service Award Honorees.

Alumni Staff Award

Janet Phillips has worked for the State of Rhode Island for more than 36 years, the past twenty years of which have been at Rhode Island College. Food Service has always been her passion. She started as a cook and moved up to the position of assistant director of catering and production, which she has been for the last eight years. Janet is a quick learner, a hardworking individual with the ability to manage 40 employees on the Donovan Dining Center staff team. She is highly respected and trusted by her staff, student employees, faculty, and the college community. Her dedication and hard work has not gone unnoticed and that is why she is part of the management team of Arthur Patrie, the director of Dining Services. Among Janet’s responsibilities, she works to ensure the operations of the dining center meet expectations each and every day. She is committed to making sure every student, faculty, staff, and member of the general public that comes into the dining center and has a positive experience. Her attention to detail and her dedication to her job shows in every aspect of the dining center. Janet’s service to Rhode Island College has been rewarding on so many levels: the friends she has made over the years, watching student employees receive their diplomas every May, and the respect she is given by her peers, to name just a few. Her door is always open to the campus community. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Alumni Staff Award Honorees.

Young Alumni Award

Nick Lima '16  is serving a third term as registrar/director of elections for the City of Cranston Board of Canvassers, where he has administered six elections since 2017. He manages the canvassing department staff, poll workers, logistics, voter registration, cybersecurity, early voting, and other related operations. A U.S. Army veteran, he earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from RIC in 2016. Along the way, Nick was active on campus as president, secretary, and speaker of Student Community Government, Inc., general manager of WXIN radio, and managing editor of The Anchor newspaper, amongst his involvement in numerous other campus organizations. He also contributed feature stories for What’s News at RIC and the Alumni Magazine. Nick also found time to meet his wife, Hillary Lima ’14, at RIC; they were officers in many of the same student clubs, and both volunteered summers for the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, where Nick was the team’s media relations director and broadcaster from 2004-2016. Growing up in Tiverton, Nick spent most of his adult life in Cranston, until he and Hillary purchased their first home together in Coventry in 2020. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Young Alumni Award Honorees. 

Honor Roll

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Ann Corvin '08 was the first in her family to earn a college degree, working full time while balancing classes and volunteer work. After graduating in 2008 with her degree in psychology from Rhode Island College, she became the Director of the Warwick Animal Shelter working to improve antiquated policies and practices within the shelter. Working alongside the Mayor of Warwick, Ann’s remarkable reputation amongst the city’s leadership and council members has provided her with platforms to work on budget reform, public education, health and safety issues within shelters, providing routine care for animals that are sick or injured, optimizing the shelter environment to reduce stress for animals, and fostering a solid working relationship with volunteer groups. Her leadership and expertise within her field has been recognized by Rhode Island Monthly, the Warwick City Council and the City of Providence, where she served as a consultant to assist in revising policies and procedures in their shelter. Ann’s work has served as a shining example for the state; the Warwick Animal Shelter was one of the first municipal shelters to implement changes to shelter operations and policies making it a more humane environment. Over the years, the Warwick Animal Shelter has also been considered to be one of the best municipal shelters in the state. Ann credits her achievements and leadership skills to her education at RIC, having applied the foundations of her course studies to animal behavior and her field, as well as her interactions with colleagues and members of the community.  Ann has made the animal shelter the high quality facility that it is today. Watch the video honoring the 2021 Faculty of Arts & Sciences Honor Roll.

Joseph Pari '94 is a co-founder and owner of TEN31 Productions, a performing arts company specializing in event entertainment based in Pawtucket, RI. He is a visual artist and costume designer residing in Providence. Graduating from Rhode Island College in 1994 with a degree in psychology, Joe followed his interest in mental healthcare and spent nearly a decade as a social worker. In 2000, along with his business partner, he created the first iteration of “The Living Gargoyle” a performance art piece at WaterFire; it was from these early performances that an idea for a company and new career path was born. Joe currently serves as the chair and founding board member of the Roger Williams Park Conservancy, as well as advisor at the Providence Public Library for the LGBTQIA+ Collection and chair of the Special Collections Committee. As a lifelong resident of Rhode Island, he is committed to his community, historic preservation and the local arts community. Joe has also personally restored two historic properties in Providence, an 1890s three-family home on the East Side and his current residence, a former neighborhood commercial bakery from the 1910s in the North End. Currently, he is enjoying speaking engagements and guest lecturer opportunities at businesses and academic institutions and hosting tour groups to the TEN31 Studios to share his unique experience. Through his talks on the creative process, Joe hopes to encourage and inspire others in exploring various interests, as well as their own creative talents. Additionally, this past year, Joe wrote and directed a short film, Unalienable, responding to commemorative works in the United States. The film was a project of TEN31 featuring performers from the company. Watch the video honoring the 2021 Faculty of Arts & Sciences Honor Roll.

Eric J. Auger '92, is a mixed media artist and costume designer living and working in Pawtucket, RI. He graduated from Rhode Island College in 1992 with a B.F.A. in photography and a minor in graphic design. He expresses his unique style in a variety of media including acrylic paint on canvas, pastel, colored pencil, photography and electronic images. The world of commercial photography welcomed Eric after his graduation, but his strong eye for visual arts and color led him down the path to fashion and window design. After his 14-year career as a visual merchandiser for one of the country's top retailers, the show business bug bit Eric and he became a performance artist. As co-founder and creative director of TEN31 Productions for the past 21 years, Eric has traveled around the world showcasing the company’s one of a kind unique imagery, created hundreds of handcrafted costumes, manages their 8,000 square foot studio space, and edits sound and video for their YouTube page and seasonal events. He has recently returned to his first love of painting on canvas and photography. Since 2011, Eric has been a featured artist in several group exhibitions, as well as solo shows that have showcased his iPhone images. He is also the volunteer curator for the Forget-Me-Not Gallery in Pawtucket, which raises money to support the Samaritans of RI. Watch the video honoring the 2021 Faculty of Arts & Sciences Honor Roll.

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Stacey Aguiar '12 has more than 16 years of diversified experience and skill sets in continuous quality improvement (CQI) and data analysis, as well as five years in education. She received her B.S. in health education with a concentration in community health from Rhode Island College in 2012 and a Masters in Public Health from Grand Canyon University. She then went on to become a certified health education specialist and certified professional in healthcare quality. Since Stacey’s time as an undergraduate at RIC, she has become an early childhood project and quality improvement manager at the Rhode Island Department of Health and Learn the Signs Act Early Ambassador for Rhode Island at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She then went on to become a quality consultant at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island. Stacey is currently the senior director of clinical quality at UnitedHealthcare, where she oversees all quality improvement initiatives.  She is also an adjunct professor at RIC, where she teaches performance improvement in health care in the health care administration program for graduate students. Stacey’s passion for teaching came to fruition during her time as an undergraduate at RIC. Since then, she has mentored and provided internships for students. Stacey has also provided support for faculty by guest speaking and teaching classes in resume building and career development. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Feinstein School of Education and Human Development Honor Roll

School of Business

Jonathan Macomber '17 graduated with magna cum laude honors from Rhode Island College in 2017 with B.A. in health care administration. He currently serves as a public health and public policy analyst for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the nation's health protection agency. Within the CDC, Jonathan is working for the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), a collection of about 30 programs that form the foundation for the nation's health infrastructure. His responsibilities include managing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and inquiries from U.S. Congress members seeking insight from public health subject matter experts. In 2010, Jonathan, a Westerly native, was deployed to fight another type of crisis: the U.S. war in Afghanistan, where he spent nine months working as an Army medic. When he enrolled at RIC as a student veteran in 2014, Jonathan decided to change his focus to health care policy working with Professor Marianne Raimondo from the health care administration program. After RIC, he moved on to earn a master's degree in public affairs at Brown University in 2018, specializing in public policy analysis. Later that year Jonathan landed a position as a staffer in the office of late Congressman John Lewis, leading outreach efforts on behalf of the congressman to military constituents in his district in Atlanta. Jonathan credits his time with Lewis for helping to obtain his current position with the CDC. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 School of Business Honor Roll

School of Nursing

Associate Professor Dr. Claire Creamer '80 has served as an associate professor and is the current chair of the undergraduate department in the School of Nursing at Rhode Island College. After receiving her undergraduate degree in nursing from RIC, she continued expanding her education by receiving multiple degrees and certifications from Regis College, Rutgers University, and the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Creamer has been a registered nurse in Massachusetts and is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse specializing in Pediatrics in Rhode Island. She began her career at Women and Infants Hospital, and continued serving at Hilo Hospital in Hawaii, Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Roland Green Preschool, and Bald Hill Pediatrics. She also served as adjunct faculty at her alma maters Regis College and Rhode Island College where she joined the faculty in 2005. Dr. Creamer’s accolades includes being honored with the Caring Award from the University of Rhode Island. She has served for multiple years as a consultant for pediatric education and a peer reviewer for seven published works, while also publishing two of her own works from her master’s and doctoral program. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 School of Nursing Honor Roll

School of Social Work

Joise Garzon '12, M.S.W. '13 has experienced the transformational power that mental health support and access to postsecondary education can have on people’s lives and is passionate about increasing access to both. She is the director of Learning for Life (L4L) at Rhode Island College. L4L helps retain students by providing them with case management services to overcome obstacles they encounter in their lives while working towards their academic goals. In this role, Joise provides leadership to a team of social work interns, graduate students, and staff to ensure unity around guiding principles for student-centered practice. Prior to L4L, Joise worked as an independently licensed clinical social worker at Stevens Treatment Programs and the Inner You Counseling Center. There, she provided trauma-informed care to children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples of diverse backgrounds and needs. Joise received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rhode Island College and gives back to RIC by serving as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Social Work and through her involvement in the School of Social Work Diversity Task Force. She is also currently in the RIC/URI Ph.D. in education program and is in the process of opening her private practice, Courageous Hearts Counseling Center, which will serve the Latinx/a/o community in Rhode Island. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 School of Social Work Honor Roll.  

John Nazarian Alumnus of the Year

Frederick Harrison ’07 after 36 successful years in the field of manufacturing, specifically in pharmaceutical, fine chemicals and biotechnology-based products, working as the Director of Manufacturing, Chromatography Consumables at Waters Corporation, Director of Clinical Production at Biogen and a Senior Consultant at Arthur D. Little management company, Fred transitioned into the world of education. Fred found his missing passion for teaching when he learned about the Rhode Island College teacher certificate program. After graduating, he went on to teach mathematics to 7th and 8th graders at Warwick Public School. His love for the art of teaching and what Rhode Island College provided him, evolved into a scholarship he created to assist other first-generation students pursuing their dream careers in the field of math or math education. His scholarship, the Professor Helen Salzberg Endowed Scholarship, was created to honor his math professor Helen Salzberg, for her profound impact in his journey returning back to school. Fred’s previous education included his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and a MBA in Finance from the University of Connecticut. His contributions in the field of manufacturing, specialized in cost reduction, creation of quality systems, developing policies for human resources and creation of new technologies. Fred currently gives back to Rhode Island College by also serving as a Board of Trustee member for the RIC Foundation. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 John Nazarian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award Honorees.

Charles B. Willard Achievement Award

Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier ’73, M.Ed. ’74 has recently returned to the Education Strategy Group (ESG) as a Senior Advisor, after being appointed for the last two years as the Rhode Island Postsecondary Commissioner. Her passion to give back reflects in her other involvement, currently serving on the Board of Trustees for Johnson and Wales, serving as a board member for the National Skills Coalition and a board member for the Rhode Island’s Commerce Corporation. Among her accolades, she worked under the Obama Administration as the Assistant Secretary of Career, Technical and Adult Education from 2009-2014. She previously served as a coach for the JPMorgan Chase Career Readiness initiatives, served as the President of Dorcas Place Adult and Family Learning Center for ten years and directed two TRIO programs at the Community College of Rhode Island in her tenure. As a nationally recognized leader, Dr. Dann-Messier has stated, “I’ve always viewed education as the great equalizer in our society,” continuing on to state, “my entire career has focused on eliminating whatever obstacles or barriers are in place so that adults and youth who didn’t think postsecondary education was an option for them could achieve it. That’s been my life’s work and it started at Rhode Island College.” Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Charles B. Willard Professional Achievement Award Honorees.

Alumni Faculty Award

Dr. Charles McLaughlin ’78, M.Ed. ’84 dedication to the advancement of the Technology Education Program at Rhode Island College has not gone unnoticed by his peers and students alike. Dr. McLaughlin has been working as a professor at Rhode Island College since 2000. After completing two degrees from Rhode Island College and his PhD in Technology Education from the University of Maryland College Park, Dr. McLaughlin has worked diligently to ensure continuous innovation in his field. He has published 17 scholarly articles, presented at over 18 national conferences, and worked on seven grants to continue his progressive works. He has been a leader in his field and here at Rhode Island College. Charlie was instrumental in the development of the Langevin Center for Design, Innovation, and Advanced Manufacturing and the RI Mobile Maker Lab, which put Rhode Island College at the forefront of the STEM world. He has been a part of the revolution of using 3-D printers and laser scanning to assist in problematic orthopedic cases for bone replacement. He was elected as the President of the Council for Technology and Engineering Teacher Education for three years, served on the Research and Scholarship Committee for the Council on Technology and Engineering Teacher Education, ITEEA Board of Directors, chairperson for the Editorial Board for ITEEA’s Technology and Children, 2nd Vice President for the Technology Educators of Indiana, and was named the Council for Technology and Engineering Teacher Education's Teacher of the Year in 2016.  He was the Chairperson for the Department of Educational Studies.  His service to Rhode Island College is astounding, serving on over 14 committees to further the development of the college and the field of STEM. Watch the video honoring the 2020 Alumni Faculty Award Honoree.

Alumni Service Award

Dayna Gladstein ’83, M.S.W. ’87 is serving as the Clinical Director of the Gifford Street Wellness Center at Acadia Healthcare, Dayna’s journey into the field starting as a Clinical Social Worker and then was promoted to the Program Coordinator working with hospital-based substance abuse programs at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Providence. After eight years at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dayna continued on to become the Program Director at Eastman House for two years, the Unit Director at The Kent Center, the Vice President for Community Services at Child & Family Services, the Vice President for Emergency Services at Pine Street Inn and a consultant for The May Institute. Her work assisted these organizations in specialties of homeless services, veteran services, outpatient psychiatric services, and institutional care for women and children. Dayna has previously served on the Drug & Alcohol Treatment Association, the RI Counsel of Community Mental Health Centers, RI Coalition of Alcohol and Drug Dependent Women & Their Children, Child Welfare Advisory Committee and was elected on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Social Workers. She has also served as an instructor for the Psychology Department here at Rhode Island College, an instructor at the Vermont School of Corrections and a speaker/trainer at multiple conferences and trainings throughout Rhode Island. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Alumni Service Award Honorees.

Alumni Staff Award

Jessica Silva Cimorelli ’00 has worked over the last 21 years at Rhode Island College and is currently serving as the Director of Purchasing. Hired to assist the Purchasing and Accounting departments with the implementation of a new financial system to avoid the Y2K computer flaw. Upon completion of this project she was moved into various roles, eventually becoming the Director of the department. Amongst her responsibilities, Jessica works to ensure the needs are met for the Rhode Island College Upward Bound Program to ensure the federal funding continues to successfully maintain the program. She has assisted with major projects and streamlined the Purchasing Office’s operations by implementing online requisitions and approvals. She has been involved with many strategic initiative committees with the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration, the Division of Purchases, and the Office of Post-Secondary Education. Jessica’s colleagues describe her as “knowledgeable, efficient, effective, dedicated to the mission of Rhode Island College, hard-working and highly well-respected.” Her attention to detail and dedication to ensuring all processes are running proficiently allows for the continued success of her department and the future of the college. Her door is always open and she will always assist anyone who needs guidance and understanding of the state procurement regulations. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Alumni Staff Award Honorees.

Young Alumni Award

Brittany Richer Ahnrud ’13, M.Ed. ’16 graduated magnum cum laude obtaining her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education while balancing countless student leadership opportunities on campus, including being a Resident Assistant, a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program, President of the English Educators Network and a student-athlete. She was honored as a student with the Alan Chille Student Leadership Award, the Campus Spirit Award, RIC Alumni Honor Roll Student Scholarship, DeStefano Fund Award for Undergraduate Research and the Alice Grellner Award for Excellence in Student Teaching. Brittany pursued her Masters in Education and quickly began teaching at The Lawn School as a 6th grade teacher while also serving as an Adjunct Faculty at RIC for multiple courses. Brittany’s service to RIC continued as she served as an instrumental role in bringing the Rhode Island Writing Project back to Rhode Island College. She also serves as the program director for the Advanced Studies of Teaching and Learning graduate program and the Middle Level Education program in the Education Studies Department at RIC.  Brittany has been published in multiple scholarly articles, is currently contributing to a chapter in the book, Re-forming Literacy Education: History, Effects, Advocacy and has presented at multiple national conferences. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Young Alumni Award Honorees. 

Honor Roll 

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Marcela Betancur ’12 earned her degree in Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration and a minor in International Nonprofit Organization Studies. From there she jumped into her advocacy work starting at the Providence Housing Authority and transitioning into the Director of Homeownership & Asset Building for NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley. Marcela’s other work included serving as the Vice President of the Rhode Island Latino Political Action Committee & Civic Fund, program committee alumni chair for the New Leaders Council and a policy associate for the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island. In 2018, Marcela was selected as the new Director of the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University. The Latinx-led research institute works to show the impact and importance of the Latinx community, ensuring the public’s understanding and policies reflect the social, economic and civil contributions of the Latinx population for Rhode Island. Marcela has been awarded the Young Leaders SPARK! Award through the United Way of Rhode Island and YWCA’s Women of Achievement Award. Watch the video honoring the 2020 Faculty of Arts and Sciences Honor Roll.

Kim Clark ’95. Carefully curated, unique and locally owned, Kim Clark’s Rhody Crafts is only one of her many accomplishments. Kim began jewelry designing at Luckybird Studios and then opened Rhody Crafts to bring a specialized and all locally handmade art and crafts to Hope Street. Through her work, she has been responsible for the operations of Craftopia, an affordable art festival and craft fair which broadens vendor’s opportunities and continues to bring new products to the local community. Kim’s involvement goes beyond her business, she is a member of the Hope Street Merchant’s Association and the Summit Neighborhood Association. Kim has been profiled by local media for her blog entitled, Bad Manners Cancer, which chronicles her journey after being diagnosed with stage-three triple-negative breast cancer. Kim has been called an asset to her community, and a shining example of her liberal arts education preparing her to become her own entrepreneur. Watch the video honoring the 2020 Faculty of Arts and Sciences Honor Roll. 

Yvette Mendez ’99 graduated with a double major in Spanish and Justice Studies, a certificate in Nonprofit Studies and then continued on to attain her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Rhode Island. Yvette currently serves as the Deputy Director at the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, where she is responsible for the developing, planning and coordination of management and fiscal services of the entire agency. Before taking on the role at the Department of Human Services, Yvette served as the Health Grants Program Officer at the Rhode Island Foundation, she oversaw the Rhode Island Education Loan Repayment Program for Primary Care Providers, worked on the Fund for Healthy Rhode Island, was a RI Health Care Leader, served as a visiting faculty at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and was the Executive Director of the Northern Rhode Island Area Health Education Center. Yvette’s other honors include the Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award, Community Champion Award by Northern RI Community Services and the Champion of Nursing Award by the Future of Nursing Rhode Island Action Coalition. Watch the video honoring the 2020 Faculty of Arts and Sciences Honor Roll.

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Ronald Beaupre ’96 has been working in the Pawtucket Public Schools for the last 22 years, currently serving as a 4th grade teacher at Agnes Little Public Elementary School. Graduating with his degree in General Science and Biology for Elementary Education, Ronald’s passion and advocacy for students is reflected in his work and by his peers. Ronald also was elected as the President of the Pawtucket Teachers Alliance for the past 10 years and serves as a Vice President of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. Ronald was the inspiration and driving force to bringing Community Schools to the state, where now three reside in the city of Pawtucket. Ronald has been honored as the Educator of the Year for the RI Audubon Society and the Outstanding Service Award for the RI Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 Feinstein School of Education and Human Development Honor Roll

School of Business

Olalekan Adeduji ’08 graduated Magnum Cum Laude with a double major in Finance and Economics, Olalekan completed his degree while maintaining a full-time night shift job and never missing a class. He continued his education earning his Masters of Business Administration from Johnson and Wales in 2011 and started at Citizens Financial Group as a Trade Desk Brokerage Service Specialist in the Wealth Management Department. Rising through the ranks, Olalekan received multiple promotions at Citizens Financial Group, ending his tenure as the Senior Compliance Examiner, leading him to his current role as the Vice President, Senior Compliance Analyst for The Washington Trust Company. Faculty of the School of Business remember Olalekan fondly, and are delighted to see his hard work, dedication and modesty be awarded. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 School of Business Honor Roll. 

School of Nursing

Valerie Almeida-Monroe ’11 serves as the Nurse Manager at Clinica Esperanza/Hope Clinic in Providence. Clinica Esperanza provides health care to uninsured community members and provides linguistically and culturally appropriate medical care for physical and mental health issues. Valerie engages in her community serving on the RI Public Heath Association, the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, the American Nurse Association Rhode Island, the Advisory Board for Clinica Esperanza/Hope Clinic and the Board of Director of the Olneyville Health Collaborative. Valerie has received notable recognition, as she has been awarded the Nurse Leader of the Year by the RI Nurse Excellence Awards, the American Nurses Association of RI Improving Public Health Award, and the Ronald McDonald House Providence Women’s Leadership Award. Valerie has also co-authored four scholarly publications and presented multiple national conferences for the continued advancement in her field. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 School of Nursing Honor Roll 

School of Social Work

Marcia Cimini ’02, M.S.W. ’05 is a two time graduate from RIC, Maria received her degree in Political Science and Masters of Social Work. Maria has dedicated her life’s work to social change and public service, focusing on the needs of low-income populations, economic inequality, homelessness, veteran services, health care, environmental sustainability, LGBTQ rights and reproductive choice. Currently, Maria is the Associate Director of Policy Analysis, Research & Development for the RI Department of Human Services. Previously, Maria served as the SNAP Outreach Coordinator at the URI Feinstein Center for Hunger Free America, Coordinator for the RI Coalition for the Homeless, served as a legislator in the RI General Assembly serving on the Health, Education and Welfare Committee the Commission on Child Care, the Commission to Study the Affordability and Accessibility of Public High Education and the Environment and National Resources Committee. Maria gives back to RIC, serving as an Adjunct Faculty member in the School of Social Work. Watch the video honoring the 2020 & 2021 School of Social Work Honor Roll.

John Nazarian Alumnus of the Year

Mark Mancini ’90 and Pamela Mancini ’86

Charles B. Willard Achievement Award

Dr. Joyce Stevos ’65, M.Ed. ’97, Ph.D. ’05 

Alumni Faculty Award

Quenby Hughes ’95 

Alumni Service Award

Vanessa Volz 

Alumni Staff Award

Sandra Langlois  

Young Alumni Award

Reverend Dante Tavolaro ’11 

Honor Roll 

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Patrick Doyle ’07, Ana Cruz ’02 and Dr. Hector Pardo ’05 

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Maureen Pinksaw ’80, M.Ed. ‘87, Pail Bain ’84 

School of Nursing

Joan Walsh ’83, M.S.N. ’11 

School of Social Work

Doris Norman M.S.W. ’12 

John Nazarian Alumnus of the Year

Robert Berlam ’58 

Charles B. Willard Achievement Award

Donald Deignan ’72 

Alumni Faculty Award

Judith Lynn Stillman 

Alumni Service Award

Makna Men ’90 

Alumni Staff Award

Patricia Nolin ’84, M.A. ’87 

Young Alumni Award

Marcy Reyes ’12 

Honor Roll

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

David Johnson ’85, Christopher Soley ’06 and Anthony Tomaselli ’76 

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Christine Noel ’00 

School of Business

Thomas Fitzgerald ’99 

School of Nursing

Diane Brady ’84 

School of Social Work

Melissa Neri O’Donnell M.S.W.

John Nazarian Alumnus of the Year

John J. Smith ’63, M.Ed. ’67, C.A.G.S. ‘67 

Charles B. Willard Achievement Award

Lisa Zapatka ’81 

Alumni Faculty Award

Jane Williams 

Alumni Service Award

Daniel Castro ’85 

Alumni Staff Award

Antoinette Gomes  

Young Alumni Award

Lisa Bradley ’12 

Honor Roll

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Kelly LaChance Guertin ’02, Luke Sutherland ’82, M.F.A. ’08 and Russell Gusetti ’88 

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Alexander Lucini ’09 

School of Business

Jeff Barbara ’97, CPA 

School of Nursing

Kathleen Lehmann ’77 

School of Social Work

Jayeson Watts, M.S.W. ’10 

John Nazarian Alumnus of the Year

Betsy C. Balzano ’56 

Charles B. Willard Achievement Award

Alan Tenreiro ’98, M.Ed. ’05 

Alumni Faculty Award

Ellen Bigler 

Alumni Service Award

Ann C. Morrill ’56 

Alumni Staff Award

Gregory Gammell 

Young Alumni Award

Travis Escobar ’13 

Honor Roll 

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Al Gomes ’86, Ashley Sadlier ’07 and Jason Rainone ’98 

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Melinda Smith ’80 

School of Business

Danny Saccoccio ’99 

School of Nursing

Mary Leveilee ’87 B.S.N., R.N., PMHCNS BC 

School of Social Work

Michael Norde ’12, M.S.W. ’13