PROVIDENCE – During a Zoom meeting Wednesday morning, Gov. Daniel J. McKee appeared upbeat and eager to begin serving as Rhode Island’s 76th governor. He said he was “feeling great” after being vaccinated on Tuesday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and was ready to get to work.
On his first official day in office, McKee greeted his staff and the state’s agency directors, including the newly appointed members of his leadership, on the Zoom platform.
Those appointments included naming Anthony Silva, chief of staff, Christopher Abhulime, deputy chief of staff, Antonio Afonso, senior deputy chief of staff, Thomas Mullaney, senior advisor, Kevin Horan, director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs, Kim Ahern, policy director and senior counsel, Alana Cerrone-O’Hare, press secretary, and Eileen Cheng, deputy counsel, among others.
McKee’s team said that other staff appointments will be announced in the coming days, and includes having his staff interview applicants to fill the lieutenant governor seat.
During the Zoom meeting, McKee asked his administration to do its best. “I promise to do my best,” he said, noting that it will require “hard work” to address the issues facing the state.
McKee said the key things his administration needs to focus on are COVID-19 issues and its impact on health, the economy, schools, and small businesses. “It’s important that we play a leading role in handling these issues for the state,” said McKee.
McKee continued his call for more “shots in the arms” of Rhode Islanders, saying that vaccinations should be made more available to a greater pool of people. “We need to build capacity,” he said, while echoing President Joe Biden’s announcement of delivering more vaccine to the states and having every adult in America vaccinated by May.
That, McKee said, will include having the state’s teachers vaccinated, while touching on the importance of education and opening schools. “We need to make sure that we invest in that,” he said. “We have to be prepared for a fall opening in September.”
“I get to say now as governor that this is the direction we are going in,” said McKee, who was sworn in as governor on Tuesday evening after former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo was confirmed as the 40th U.S. secretary of commerce in President Biden’s cabinet.
McKee said he will draw from his experience as the mayor of Cumberland, and begin working with the state’s 39 cities and towns, as “every community is important. Everyone is important – all will play a role.”
“This is day one,” said McKee. “We’re going to do some tremendous things for Rhode Island. Each of you will play an important role.”
McKee’s schedule for Wednesday called for him to visit some vaccination clinics, as well as a small business.
Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Shuman@PBN.com.
