PROVIDENCE – A former gubernatorial candidate, Rhode Island’s current treasurer and the local president of Citizens Financial Group Inc. are among the new members named to Crossroads Rhode Island’s board of directors.
The homeless support and advocacy nonprofit announced Friday that former CVS Health Corp. executive and gubernatorial candidate Helena B. Foulkes, Citizens Rhode Island President Keith Kelly and R.I. Treasurer James A. Diossa are among nine new board members for Crossroads. The organization said five members were voted in Thursday during Crossroads’ annual meeting, while the other four were voted to the board earlier this year.
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Foulkes, who was also earlier this year appointed as executive chairwoman of Follett Higher Education Group Inc.’s board of directors, is among the most prominent members given her recent run in possibly becoming governor. She lost in a close Democratic primary to Daniel J. McKee last September.
According to Crossroads CEO and President Karen A. Santilli, the organization’s current $15 million capital campaign was a “big factor” in choosing Foulkes as a board member. Santilli said the campaign, looking to raise private funds to support Crossroads, is in its “quiet phase,” but raised more than $10 million to support the organization to date.
Santilli said the campaign is expected to go more public soon to raise the balance of the goal. With Foulkes on the board, Santilli said the organization could benefit in utilizing Foulkes’ network to support the campaign.
Diossa, who was previously mayor of Central Falls, replaces Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., on the board. Magaziner was the previous state treasurer before being elected to the U.S. House this past November.
Santilli also said Greg Almeida, Global View Communications CEO and founder, being part of the board brings experience in diversity, equity and inclusion. That, she says, has been an effort Crossroads has been investing more in with staff over the last couple of years.
The other new board members are:
- Stacie B. Collier, Nixon Peabody LLP chief talent officer
- Jill DeShiro, Centreville Bank executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer
- Eugenio Fernandez Jr., Asthenis founder
- Brian J. Murphy, Home Loan Investment Bank F.S.B. chairman and CEO
- David Nastro, Morgan Stanley head of the global power, utilities and renewables group
Overall, Santilli says it is unusual for a large amount of individuals joining the board all at once, particularly with some members – including Magaziner – now working in Washington, D.C. But, Santilli said the organization was also looking for individuals from the financial services sector to help with the house-building processes. Brining aboard Kelly, Murphy, Nastro and DeShiro will help with that, she said.
“A lot of the housing we build is very complicated financially, so [financial services] was an area [of need],” Santilli said. “But [the new members] are a matrix of matching needs and experiences in the community.”
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.
Foulkes and Murphy are excellent choices!