PROVIDENCE – Howard Dulude, a former Lifespan Corp. executive who has been vice president of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island for the past year, will now serve for one year as the association’s interim president, HARI announced Thursday.
Dulude is temporarily filling the position left by Teresa Paiva Weed, who announced her retirement as president in July after seven years in the position. Paiva Weed is a former longtime R.I. state senator from Newport who also was the Senate president from 2009 through 2017.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to support the Hospital Association of Rhode Island during this important time,” Dulude said in a statement. “I look forward to working with HARI’s board of trustees, members and staff to continue to advance the health care needs of the people in our community.”
Dulude was previously vice president of human resource operations and Lifespan Health at Lifespan Corp. before joining HARI in 2019 as its new finance director. He also served as the association’s senior vice president before becoming interim president.
HARI says Dulude will help maintain the association’s long-term strategic direction, and he will foster leadership development. Also, HARI Senior Vice President Lisa Tomasso will continue to lead the association’s advocacy, government and public relations efforts, the association says.
Also, the association’s board of trustees will form a search committee early next year to help find a permanent president. Dulude will not be a candidate for the permanent job, the association says.
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.