State Rep. Carlos Tobon, deputy majority leader in the General Assembly, was recognized with a National Leadership Award by the Council of State Governments. The CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award recognizes the outstanding work of 20 up-and-coming elected and appointed officials nationwide who exemplify strong leadership skills while demonstrating a commitment to serving the public. Recipients demonstrate ability to advance the common good, provided exceptional leadership to a state project, committee, chamber, commission or special group. They must serve as a champion of change and seek to enhance the lives of all constituents within policy areas. Tobon, of Pawtucket, serves as a 3rd class petty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Reserve District 1 in Boston. He was the late U.S. Sen. John Chafee’s Senate page in Washington, D.C., in 1999 and ran unsuccessfully three times before winning his seat in November 2014.
What was your reaction to being selected as a recipient of the CSG’s National Leadership Award? The Council of State Governments is a big deal. With the countless talented and exceptional public servants across the country, I was humbled and surprised to be part of this notable cohort.
How important is leadership to you, and what makes you a good leader? In my teenage years I was part of a youth group that lobbied the city [of Pawtucket] and state. Our advocacy brought about fundamental changes and was made part of the evidence that we presented to elected officials that led to a lawsuit against the tobacco industry. As a senate page in our nation’s capital I worked and witnessed President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial and 100 of the most prominent political figures working to move our country forward and how their decisions trickled into our communities. As I got older, I felt more could be done in education, the economy and environment. Refusing to sit on the sidelines and waiting to see what others would come up with or had planned, I decided to step into the arena.
How has the coronavirus impacted your life personally and professionally? It allowed me to spend time with my wife, Alejandra, and our son, Esteban, and we have a baby, Amber, due in December. I spoke with legislators from around the country and discussed the challenges and approaches to the pandemic. And I worked with the [R.I.] Department of Labor and Training’s Matt Weldon to help individuals with their unemployment benefits, and helped my friend and mentor, George Ortiz, with my favorite nonprofit The Elisha Project in [East Providence], which focuses on bringing diverse communities together through service, sharing, teaching and learning.
What do you hope to accomplish as a representative in Rhode Island? I am a big believer in small businesses and the important role they play in our communities and economy. In the past, I introduced concepts to encourage investment in our local economies. The phenomenon of giant online stores had taken a huge toll on the local business community and the pandemic accelerated it.
There is a unique opportunity to expand our defense industry. While we have a thriving industry supporting underwater warfare that gives us strength and keeps us safe, our tranquility will be predicated on our ability shift from the threat of a physical attack to cyberattacks and cyber warfare. This will create hundreds if not thousands of jobs, lessen or stop the brain drain and have a predictable industry that will grow and not go overseas.
