PROVIDENCE – Thirty-one business individuals were selected by the Rhode Island Foundation to be part of the nonprofit funder’s inaugural class of its Equity Leadership Initiative, the foundation announced Monday.
The initiative will seek to identify, cultivate, mentor and seek access and opportunity for Asian, Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous or multi-racial individuals representing multiple sectors to help build a pipeline of future leaders in established influential positions across the state. The program is part of the foundation’s broad $8.5 million commitment to address racial disparities and inequities across the state.
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The foundation said the 12-month leadership development initiative will have monthly work sessions, regular one-on-one coaching sessions, mentor matching and networking with high-level connections across multiple business and organizational sectors. The cohort was selected from close to 100 applicants, the foundation said.
“I am excited to get to work to cultivate the next generation of industry leaders – bank presidents, hospital CEOs, leaders in academia and kindergarten through 12 education, corporate executives, policy-makers, judges and more – who are people of color,” Rhode Island Foundation Vice President and ELI Executive Director Angela Bannerman Ankoma said in a statement. Neil D. Steinberg, the foundation’s CEO and president, said in a statement that eliminating disparities and inequities is among the nonprofit funder’s core values, and is a major focus across all of its work in the community.
“We use a racial equity lens while making decisions about allocating resources to improve health, educational success and economic security among other critical issues,” Steinberg said.
The individuals selected for the initiative are:
- Adetola Abiade, JPMorgan Chase executive director of organizational effectiveness
- Adewole Akinbi, half full llc facilitator
- Rose Albert, Rhode Island for Community and Justice youth programs director and Salve Regina University Multicultural Programs and Retention Office associate director
- Janelle Amoako, The Miriam Hospital nurse
- Ana Barraza, Brown University Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center & Student Activities assistant director
- Doris Blanchard, R.I. Commerce Corp. director of small business programs
- Madeline Burke, Community College of Rhode Island interim director of special projects
- Michael Cancilliere, Meeting Street School executive director of Massachusetts programs
- Krystal Carvalho, R.I. State Police Community, Diversity & Equity Unit trooper
- Angelyne Cooper, R.I. Department of Labor and Training legal counsel
- Steve Craddock, TruRay 44 LLC principal and managing partner
- David Dankwah, Empowerment Temple Assembly of the International Central Gospel Church in Pawtucket associate pastor
- Rupa Datta, Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island manager and state director of the Office and Human Resources Operations
- Nwando Egbuche Ofokansi, R.I. Department of Health Health Equity Zones initiative project officer
- Yvonne Heredia, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island a senior manager of care management
- Teddi Jallow, Refugee Dream Center co-founder
- Stacy Jones, William M. Davies Career and Technical High School English teacher
- Silvermoon Mars LaRose, Tomaquag Museum assistant director
- Francisco Lovera, McMahon Associates project manager
- Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Community Legal Aid Worcester County offices managing attorney
- Ray Nuñez, Nuñez, The People’s Agency co-founder
- Monsurat Ottun, City of Providence associate city solicitor, and chief information security, data privacy and risk management strategist
- Alisha Pina, R.I. Department of Human Services chief public affairs officer
- Manuela Raposo, Rhode Island Welcome Back Center president
- Victoria Rodriguez, Rhode Island Parent Information Network assistant director of the care management program
- Juan Rodriguez, Winners Circle XR Academy executive director
- Rosedelma Seraphin, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School assistant director of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs
- Kajette Solomon, RISD Museum social equity and inclusion program specialist
- Edward Tavarez, Bank of America Corp. performance improvement consultant
- Carla Wahnon, East Bay Community Action Program manager of integrated health care
- Kilah Walters-Clinton, R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services director of race equity
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.
