WARWICK – When Alisha Bourdeau began her career at CODAC Behavioral Healthcare 14 years ago, it was with the genuine desire to do meaningful work at the local health services organization.
Bourdeau, CODAC’s chief financial officer and human resources director who was named the 2025 Career Achiever in Providence Business News’ annual C-Suite Awards program, said Wednesday she also didn’t have a “grand master plan” to reach executive status at the organization. What she did have, she said, was curiosity, determination, a strong work ethic, and a desire to grow and excel.
“I learned quickly that leadership is not about your title,” Bourdeau said. “Rather, it’s about willing to listen, to evolve and to lift others as you grow. If this journey taught me anything, is that you never climb that ladder alone.”
Bourdeau and Dominic Skrajewski, JPS Construction and Design Inc.’s chief operating officer – the 2025 Rising Star – were among 10 top C-level executives from the private and nonprofit sectors recognized Wednesday in a ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick for their efforts as innovators, community leaders and role models.
Skrajewski’s accomplishments and successes with JPS include piloting the hybrid designer-project manager role the company is implementing to involve designers in their projects beyond the drafting table to the construction site. He also helped review, update, streamline and enhance JPS’s operations manual of best practices and processes and on-boarding, which trains project managers and new employees to educate and unify them around this common approach
Approximately 125 people attended Wednesday’s event. A special section highlighting each honoree will publish in PBN’s April 25-May 8 print and digital editions.
The other 2025 C-Suite honorees, based on category, are:
ENTERPRISE PRIVATE COMPANY
- Michelle DeRoche, University Orthopedics Inc. chief operating officer
LARGE PRIVATE COMPANY
- Josh Varone, Centreville Bank executive vice president and chief human resources officer
- Maureen Terranova, Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank senior vice president and chief information officer
SMALL PRIVATE COMPANY
- Chris Integlia, Pariseault Builders Inc. chief operating officer
- Molly Stach, Sweenor Builders Inc. chief marketing officer
NONPROFITS/SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES
- Pamela Verklan, Children’s Friend & Service chief of philanthropy
- Jack Blatchford, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island chief financial officer
- Dawn Allen, Thrive Behavioral Health chief of staff
The United Way of Rhode Island Inc. and CODAC Behavioral Health are partner sponsors for PBN’s 2025 C-Suite Awards program.
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 X at @James_Bessette. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
