PBN Leaders & Achievers Awards 2026
TOMÁS ALBERTO ÁVILA
State of Rhode Island associate director of intergovernmental affairs and outreach
After earning a mechanical engineering degree from the Wentworth Institute of Technology, Tomás Alberto Ávila began his career in engineering and manufacturing, learning discipline, analytical thinking and the importance of building systems that perform efficiently.
“Engineering gave me the technical foundation to solve problems, but over time I discovered my real passion was helping people solve theirs,” said Ávila, associate director of intergovernmental affairs and outreach for the state of Rhode Island. “I realized that my greatest fulfillment came from helping people create opportunities for themselves and their families. I realized my true profession wasn’t engineering, business development or government – it was building bridges. Throughout my career, I have worked to connect government with communities, entrepreneurs with opportunity, institutions with underserved populations, and history with future generations.”
In 2021, Gov. Daniel J. McKee appointed Ávila to help lead the transformation of the R.I. Division of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, which at the time faced significant operational, technological and staffing challenges.
“I was entrusted with helping restructure and modernize the office, strengthen its organizational capacity, rebuild stakeholder confidence and position it to better serve Rhode Island’s minority- and women-owned business community,” Ávila said. “Working closely with Gov. McKee’s administration, state agencies, legislators, business organizations and community stakeholders, we modernized certification processes, expanded outreach, strengthened stakeholder engagement, advanced technology initiatives and improved accountability within the Minority Business Enterprise program.”
This work resulted in critical policy changes that increased the state’s aggregate utilization goal for Minority Business Enterprises and Women Business Enterprises in state contracts from 10% to 15%.
“I am passionate because I have experienced firsthand how opportunity can transform lives,” Ávila said. “Whether helping an entrepreneur launch a business, connecting a community organization with government resources or mentoring future leaders, I understand that a single opportunity can change the trajectory of a family for generations.”
