Joyce Ruppell was recently appointed director of early-childhood initiatives at Connecting for Children & Families Inc. Ruppell will now be responsible for the nonprofit’s Early Reading First and Parents as Teachers programs. After earning a B.A. from Barrington College, Ruppell went on to receive an M.Ed. from Rhode Island College. She is currently working toward a doctorate in educational leadership at Johnson & Wales University. more

John Bulman, a founding partner of Little Bulman Medeiros & Whitney PC, was recently elected to the board of governors of the American College of Construction Lawyers. Bulman, whose practice areas include construction law, business-dispute resolution and neutral arbitration, and mediation services, originally joined the college as a fellow in 2006. He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. more

Jane Williams recently attended the White House’s Joining Forces event, held at the University of Pennsylvania. Williams, who is the dean of Rhode Island College’s School of Nursing, was one of only 20 nursing deans nationwide invited to the event. While there, she also participated in a nursing-leadership summit. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in education from New York University and a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Rhode Island. more

Steven Lohrenz was recently elected to the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s board of trustees. Lohrenz is the dean of the School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He has held the position since January 2011, and previously served as chair of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Department of Marine Science. Lohrenz earned his Ph.D. in biological oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program. more

Cheryl A. Dugas Ethier recently received the certified divorce-financial-analyst designation by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts. Ethier is a financial planner at SK Wealth Management LLC and has a master’s of professional accountancy degree from Rhode Island College. In addition, she holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University and has several other professional certifications. more

Fred Sullivan Jr. was recently awarded the Independent Reviewers of New England’s award for best actor in a drama. Sullivan received the award for his performance as Walter Burns in Trinity Repertory Company’s production of “His Girl Friday.” Since joining Trinity in 1984, Sullivan has acted in more than 100 productions as a resident acting-company member. He has directed two productions for Trinity and also teaches acting at the Rhode Island School of Design, The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre and Trinity. more

Claudia Lowe was recently honored as the 2012 outstanding advocate by the University of Rhode Island’s Council for Exceptional Children. After her daughter, Katie, now 32, was born with Down syndrome, Lowe and other parents and families founded the Down Syndrome Society of Rhode Island in 1982. At the time, no other parent support groups existed. Lowe went on to serve as the organization’s president for three years before becoming the organization’s coordinator. In addition, she’s served on several other boards focusing on disability advocacy. more

Cari P. Orsi LEED AP-project engineer for Pare Corp., was recently named 2012 Young Engineer of the Year by the Rhode Island Society of Professional Engineers for her achievements in education, employment and professional and public-service activities. Since joining Pare in 2004, Orsi has received her master’s degree in engineering and construction-project management, become a LEED-accredited professional and served as a board member and the first female president of the Providence Engineering Society. more

Brewer Rowe was recently named director of specials events and assistant tournament director at Newport’s International Tennis Hall of Fame. In his new role, he is responsible for all aspects of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, which were held last week (July 9-15). Rowe has more than 10 years of experience marketing and managing large-scale sports events, including road races, triathlons and professional golf tournaments. Most recently, he was the executive vice president of Eident Sports, a Providence-based event management firm that saw a 150 percent growth in corporate revenue under his leadership. more

David Olsen, Warwick treasurer, was recently elected to the executive board of the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada. Olsen will serve a three-year term on the 17-member board. He has been a member of the association for 15 years and is currently the only board member from New England. He holds bachelor’s degrees in history and accounting from Barrington College and Bryant University. Olsen has worked for Warwick since 1993. more