PROVIDENCE – Melissa Carden, a communication strategist who has expertise in policy, has been appointed as the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence’s new executive director, the group announced Thursday.
Carden assumes the role previously held by Linda Finn, who founded the gun legislation advocacy nonprofit in 2013 and has since retired. Carden starts her new position on Sept. 7.
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In a statement, Carden says people and their loved ones deserve to live free from gun violence and the state as a whole “must do all we can to end this preventable public health epidemic.”
“I’m looking forward to bringing stakeholders together to pass legislation, to educate the public, to center survivors and to focus on those communities disproportionately affected by gun violence, while strengthening and growing our grassroots movement,” Carden said.
The coalition says Carden previously worked as the chief public affairs officer for the R.I. Emergency Management Agency. She also serves on various community boards, such as for the Roger Williams Park Conservancy and the Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association.
Carden, the coalition says, also had served as the co-legislative lead for Moms Demand Action Rhode Island, and the legislative and communications leads for Moms Demand Action Pennsylvania.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
