PROVIDENCE – Jason Baker, the now former Lifespan Corp. employee who was arrested and charged with video voyeurism, has also been ousted as manager of a local nonprofit that oversees competitive bowling across the state.
The Rhode Island Bowling Association, a nonprofit arm of the United States Bowling Congress, announced March 28 that its board of directors voted to remove Baker as its manager, effective immediately. The board cited its decision based on “recent legal issues [that] have come to light” involving Baker.
The association board has appointed Kristie Barszcz as its new manager.
Baker, who was the senior support services coordinator for Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital, admitted to police he planted a camera inside a locked staff bathroom within Hasbro Hospital, and was immediately fired by the health care institution, according to local media reports.
Baker pleaded not guilty at a March 28 arraignment and was issued a non-domestic no-contact order, according to WPRI-TV CBS 12. Baker is due back in court on June 27.
Baker’s role with the Rhode Island Bowling Association included overseeing compliance of competitive bowling leagues and tournaments across the state, as well as ensuring events were sanctioned with the USBC. The association said appropriate reports about Baker and the incident were filed with USBC’s national headquarters in Texas and with SafeSport, the nationally governed body for safety in sports.
“The Rhode Island USBC [Association] is committed to upholding integrity, transparency and legal compliance,” the association said in a statement. “In doing so, we must take decisive action in response to this matter.”
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.
