Changing the system is a lifelong commitment
The most important thing you can do while you’re here is to ensure the world will be better when you’re not.
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Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees. Like you, we proudly tie the success of our business to the diversity of our business. May we all continue to build, promote and support a workforce that reflects the strengths that only our differences can bring.
At CVS Health, the diversity of our organization helps us offer millions of people simpler, more affordable and more convenient access to health and wellness products and services. Because here, healthier happens together™.
There’s no doubt about it. In order to achieve a better future for all Rhode Islanders, we must provide opportunities to eliminate disparities and close achievement gaps. Addressing the underlying causes of inequity and working to eliminate disparities is one of our core organizational values. We are grateful to the thousands of donors and nonprofit partners that make this work possible.
Diversity matters at Amgen. We believe that an environment of inclusion fosters innovation, which drives our ability to serve patients. We believe our differences lead to better science. To help ensure our ongoing success, Amgen is committed to promoting and maintaining an inclusive, high-performing culture where team members embrace and leverage each other’s talents and backgrounds. Our commitment to diversity is articulated in our values and reflected throughout our organization. Congratulations to today’s honorees!
Amica is proud to be a partner sponsor of the 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit and Awards Program.
At Amica, we strive to build a culture of belonging, where employees are treated with empathy and respect, and encouraged to live and share their unique experiences. That approach strengthens our company’s mission of building relationships. Congratulations to this year’s honorees!
Thanks, PBN, for the opportunity to sponsor the 2022 DEI Summit and Awards and congratulations to our fellow honorees! We have a vision to improve health and well-being by leading access to high-quality, affordable, and equitable care and we strive to champion diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in all aspects of our business. Visit us at bcbsri.com/careers or at a Your Blue Store.
JPMorgan Chase is proud to sponsor the 2022 Diversity Equity & Inclusion Summit and Awards program. Building diverse teams strengthens our business culture and broadens the range of ideas and solutions we offer. View more about our commitment at https://www.jpmorganchase.com/ impact/racialequity
Higher Education: College Unbound 21
K-12 Education: Rhode Island Nurses Institute
Middle College Charter High School 23
Legal: Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP 24
Not For Profit: AAA Northeast 25
Nonprofit: Rhode Island Foundation 26
Social Services Agency: YMCA of Greater Providence 27
Training: Equity Institute 28
Diversity Officers List 29
Minority-Owned Businesses List 30
LIVED EXPERIENCES create a depth of understanding and connection to those who share them that’s hard to replicate in a classroom or training program.
Bridging that gap in the workplace is one of the challenges Kevin Matta and other diversity, equity and inclusion specialists across the state work on tirelessly.
“A lot of organizations said they’d make changes” in recent years but still have a lot of work to do, said Matta, this year’s PBN diversity champion. “We still see gender and pay disparities, people of color not rising to leadership levels. … Organizations tell employees, ‘stand up for yourself,’ but they haven’t felt safe doing that.”
Matta became attuned to such inequities as the youngest child in a Guatemalan immigrant family, seeing his parents struggle to find community and government support systems in the state.
“Living with the kind of unease that comes with instability led me to this line of work,” said Matta, Diversity & Inclusion Professionals Inc.’s board president.
Thankfully, government and committed companies across the state are increasingly recognizing the value of such shared experiences in the workplace and in professional training offered by Matta and others.
And companies such as Hasbro Inc. are seeing gains from hiring more diverse recruiters and using every tool at their disposal, including artificial intelligence to help ensure job descriptions are unbiased.
Read on for more examples of standout companies setting standards we all can learn from.
We’d like to thank presenting sponsors Rhode Island Foundation and CVS Health Corp., and partner sponsors Amgen Inc., Amica Mutual Insurance Co., Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Mello EditorKEVIN MATTA’S PASSION for justice and inclusion was forged when he was a child and experienced his parents’ inequities as they navigated the Rhode Island health care system.
As the youngest in a Guatemalan immigrant family, and the only one born in the U.S., Matta, along with his sister, had to interpret for his mom at doctor’s appointments.
“She has chronic health conditions and didn’t speak English,” Matta said. “My sister and I shared the burden of having to tell our mother about diagnoses that weren’t always positive.”
It was a responsibility that translated into Matta’s lifelong commitment.
“I saw my parents struggle when they came here,” he said. “Living with the kind of unease that comes with instability led me to this line of work. I want to change the systems that are in place.”
After four years as the board vice president of Diversity & Inclusion Professionals Inc. in Providence, Matta recently assumed the president’s role when Ralph Tavares Jr. – the Roger Williams University School of Law director of diversity and outreach and 2021 PBN Diversity Champion – stepped down. The networking and professional development nonprofit offers events and training for human resources and diversity officers across the state. Many of these professionals don’t have the chance to share experiences and simply let their hair down, and DAIP creates a community of advice and a safe space.
“DAIP is near and dear to my heart, but it was time for new blood,” Tavares said. “Kevin’s at the intersection of so many conversa-
tions about diversity, he’s everywhere. It’s far overdue that he’s being recognized.”
Running an organization such as DAIP takes insight and persistence, another reason Matta was a natural fit as its new president.
“We had a retreat to think about the organization’s future,” Tavares said. “I’m very process-driven. I think of what we can realistically do. Kevin gets people to do moonshot thinking. That creates excitement and momentum.”
After time in the banking world, Matta shifted gears and moved to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and worked on diversity issues. His childhood experience led him to look at how Blue Cross was handling those issues.
“They did a great job at closing the gaps of competent care,” Matta said.
Then in September, he became the chief human resource and diversity officer at Amos House, a Providence social service agency for the homeless. Matta says his new role goes hand in hand with his work at DAIP, if not always in predictable ways.
Tavares agrees.
“Recently we were catching up about his new job. He told me about someone who had been incarcerated and was getting back on
his feet,” Tavares said. “This guy has a new apartment and Kevin’s giving him his furniture. I said, ‘You’re giving it away?’ and he said “ ‘yeah’ like it was nothing. There are givers and takers and he’s a giver.”
Steering an organization that is on the leading edge of social change also requires deftness. Matta and Tavares point to current U.S. Supreme Court decisions and the challenge of training DAIP members to respond. What does the overturning of Roe v. Wade mean for gender equity in nonprofits and for-profits? How does the potential rollback of LGBTQ rights affect organizations?
“What can we do to prepare for this critical work?” Tavares said.
As DAIP board president, Matta will tackle even more timely problems.
“We have to react to what’s happening in the real world and what it means to people,” he said. “If a shooting takes place targeting a specific type of person, we train supervisors ‘here’s how to respond to your employees’ concerns.’ ”
The pendulum also appears poised to swing back in other workplace issues since the protests over inequity and police brutality in 2020.
“A lot of organizations said they’d make changes,” Matta said. “We still see gender and pay disparities, people of color not rising to leadership levels. People need skills. Organizations tell employees ‘stand up for yourself,’ but they haven’t felt safe doing that. This new position is a remarkable opportunity I’ve been given.”n
‘We have to react to what’s happening in the real world and what it means to people.’
KEVIN MATTA Diversity & Inclusion Professionals Inc. board president and Amos House chief human resource and diversity officerSAFE SPACE: Kevin Matta, in addition to his role as Amos House’s chief human resources and diversity officer, is the board president for Diversity & Inclusion Professionals Inc., an organization that offers advice and training for human resource and diversity officers across Rhode Island.
Amgen is honored to be recognized with PBN’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion Award, and proud to be in the company of the 2022 winners. Together, we are helping to make Rhode Island a better place to live and work, this year and beyond.
WHEN INTERVIEWING for her new position as the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Marcum LLP, Pauline Vesleno quickly figured out that the job was the right one for her when the in-house recruiter, Director of Human Resources Molly Crane, made the national accounting firm’s company culture stand out above the rest. Vesleno says that Crane reached out to encourage her to apply with a heartfelt letter that struck a chord in a way that most recruiting letters do not.
“The letter that she wrote me really resonated so much because her opening line talked about why Marcum is special to her, why she is still there. I don’t hear that frequently from recruiters,” Vesleno said. “They talk about all the things that you’re going to be able to do, all of the amazing opportunities and resources ... [that are] going to be at your disposal to do your job. It’s very seldom that you hear someone say these are all the reasons why I’m here. Truly, it made me lean in and want to hear more.”
Marcum, which has a Providence office, has made a concerted effort to create programs that build a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion at every organizational level. The firm has established a DEI Task Force, which develops training on unconscious bias, plus it has nine identity-specific associate resource groups and a mentorship program. In 2020, Marcum hired its first director of diversity, equity and inclusion.
A year later, the company created a $5,000 Diversity Scholarship Fund to support accounting students from marginalized communities and established a group for recruiting diverse talent within the company that focuses on recruiting students from
historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. In Rhode Island in particular, Marcum has become a sponsor of Rhode Island PrideFest, an annual event in Providence supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
For Crane, creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment has a lot to do with respect.
“[It’s about] having respect for the people around you, the different qualities and contributions that people bring to the table,” Crane said. “Respect in that not everybody’s the same; we’re all going to bring different value to a job that we’re working on or different value to a department, but it’s respecting each other’s differences that each other can add.”
Crane, who says that Marcum has really expanded its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts over the past five years, said the firm wants all of its associates to feel “like they can bring their whole selves to work, that they can be successful regardless of what they look like, how they identify, what their religion is, what their nationality is, and really making sure that [everybody has respect] for each other.”
Marcum also works to create a culture of
TEAM PLAYERS: From left, Marcum LLP accounting services staffer Grace Mayer; certified public accountant and accounting services staffer Meng Zhang; marketing staffer Jody Eisner; Senior Billing Coordinator Paul Dean; and Administrative Services Manager Helena M. Venda collaborate on a project at the firm’s Providence office.
PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
openness and inclusivity by creating “associate spotlights” each month, which publishes an interview with a new employee about their career and personal stories. The firm also holds what it calls “courageous conversations,” where an associate resource group leads a panel discussion on a particular topic.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Marcum has made it a priority to provide resources and flexibility for working parents. Vesleno said she did not see a parents group offering individuals with children support during the health crisis in other organizations.
“I think that was very prevalent during the pandemic. A lot of people managed their own workload and being a parent 24/7 because their kids weren’t going to school,” Vesleno said. “But at Marcum it remained a robust group that is trying their best to really be of service to those people who are still trying to figure out what this new normal [looks] like for most people.”
Vesleno also said that for organizations that are looking to become more inclusive, “the No. 1 thing that comes to mind for me is making diversity, equity and inclusion programs available to all.” n
MOLLY CRANEMarcum LLP
of human resources
‘We’re all going to bring different value to a job … but it’s respecting each other’s differences that each other can add.’
director
Where the unique views of our employees strengthen enduring relationships with our customers and each other.
Amica congratulates this year’s honorees. We’re proud to be among you.
LOCAL IMPACT: Gilbane Inc. has utilized G.O. Services, a subsidiary of Gilbane Building Co., to include local workers on projects and drive economic development. Pictured, from left, working on the Newton Pavilion renovation project in Boston are G.O. Foreman Dan Pattavina, Gilbane Project Safety Manager Mike Morganelli, G.O. laborers Mike Jackson and Darius Hines, Gilbane project engineers Nicole Wormuth and Erica Wentz, and G.O. Vice President and Business Unit Leader Kahlil Olmstead.
COURTESY GILBANE INC.
LGBTQIA+ community and women team members at Gilbane.
“We want to be part of changing the face and the landscape, both on jobs and in our workplace,” Thomas Gilbane said.
For Duvel, part of what makes diversity, equity and inclusion so integral to Gilbane is about encouraging employees to be completely themselves at work.
MOST OF THE
AT Providence construction company Gilbane Inc. begin with what Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Gilbane Jr. calls a “Gilbane Cares” moment. The practice has become a way to prioritize the safety of job sites and the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts.
“It’s about making a difference in our environment, [and] in the communities we live in,” said Gilbane, who is the seventh family member to lead the organization in company history. “Every board meeting, every job meeting, we have some Gilbane Cares moment. And it’s been a big part of our culture over the last 13 or 14 years.”
The Gilbane name is familiar to many Rhode Islanders. The company has partnerships with Hasbro Inc., Brown University, Lifespan Corp. and the University of Rhode Island. Gilbane has expanded into a number of other offices across the country, has more than 3,100 employees, and has made it a mission to invest in cultivating diversity within the organization and the wider community.
Gilbane helped lead Construction Inclusion Week as a founding member. The weeklong event, which had its second year in 2022, focuses on building awareness for how construction companies can cultivate greater diversity and inclusion. Thomas Gilbane says that 2,500 firms participated in that effort and each workday had a different topic.
“The group of six of us that work together pay for minority consultants to help us with the agendas and communication,” Thomas Gilbane said. “Our industry in general is about making a difference, building facilities,
financing facilities. But there are other ways beyond just the physical work that we do that we’re trying to focus on.”
Thomas Gilbane says that the construction industry was slow in the past to adopt widespread diversity, equity and inclusion practices, but he says the industry is making strides. Gilbane Senior Vice President and New England Division Leader Steve Duvel said for the company to go from no conversations 25 years ago to being celebrated last year for its DEI efforts for the first time “is an example of how the industry has changed. So, it’s just been a remarkable transformation.”
Gilbane has also created what it calls the ACE Mentor program, which connects mentors with high school students in 18 states to help continue their education in fields such as construction, architecture and engineering.
“It’s great to see we’ve had high school students who started as ACE mentees, went to college, got a degree in construction management and are now working with us,” Duvel said. “It’s a really neat incubator for bringing diverse candidates into our industry.”
In 2019, Gilbane created employee resource groups for employees to participate in if they choose. More than 1,000 employees participate in groups such as those that center on Black, Indigenous and people of color, the
“When you talk about diversity and inclusion, in my mind, it’s being able to come to work and to be your authentic self,” Duvel said. “And when I come to work, I am me, my authentic self. And I want the people that work with me to also come to work with that same level of comfort. Because when you have that level of comfort of working with your authentic self, if you bring your creativity and bring your best self to work, that’s really exciting.”
Having the national organization still based in Rhode Island is a bonus for Duvel.
“We’ve been headquartered here in Providence since 1870. And it’s fun to walk the hallways and still see family members walking the hallways, and for the headquarters to still be in Rhode Island is pretty special,” he said. “The legacy goes on and on and on.” n
THOMAS F. GILBANE JR. Gilbane Inc. chairman and CEO‘It’s about making a difference in our environment, [and] in the communities we live in.’
Every day, Rhode Islanders are building stronger, healthier communities that lift up our state.
At Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, we’re proud to be working alongside our friends and neighbors—with even more Safe Zones for respectful care, flexible health plans that promote well-being, and grants to support affordable housing.
An inclusive, diverse community where everyone has access to healthcare. It’s what we live for.
employee development, professional growth and inspiration. Some ERG activities include networking events, community and volunteer activities, health care topics relevant in local communities/public speaking events, mentoring programs and cultural awareness.
Vera Tyagi, Amgen’s director of human resources, says many times leaders do not know where to start, so they consider bringing external consultants to help them. What leaders need, she says, is to connect with their staff and have the right conversations about what is important to them and what will make them feel like the environment is inclusive and belonging.
AT AMGEN RHODE ISLAND, having a workforce that reflects the diversity of the patients the West Greenwich-based biopharmaceutical company serves – and being intentional in creating an environment in which every staff member can flourish and deliver for those patients – isn’t just a lofty ambition. That notion is infused into the company’s DNA.
Monika Soban, Amgen’s director of manufacturing and site diversity, inclusion and belonging lead who has been with Amgen since 2003, says the company consistently encourages staff to be open about their identity, heritage and cultural beliefs. Amgen’s hiring and retention philosophy, she says, is to attract talent from diverse candidate pools and to consider the full breadth of what an individual’s background and experience can bring to their role at Amgen.
“We strive to provide staff members with mentorship and career development opportunities to help them achieve their full potential,” Soban said.
Amgen’s dedication extends beyond its own team to the local community, where the company makes a huge impact through charitable outreach, including supporting local organizations through employee-driven philanthropy with matching gifts and volunteer service programs. The company also works with local schools to improve science literacy and to help develop a pipeline of diverse thinkers.
In just the last year, Amgen has given $420,000 in grant money to local organizations to help promote social equality.
In addition to developing a relationship with Washington, D.C.-based Howard University, Amgen has partnerships with Brown
University, the University of Rhode Island, Northeastern University and strong engagement with the National Society of Black Engineers. Via its relationship with Skills for Rhode Island’s Future, Amgen hires first-generation college students from diverse communities across the state for future careers in the biotechnology industry and actively recruits by participating in college and university career fairs and information sessions.
To promote and grow a robust and successful diversity and inclusion program, Soban says it is crucial that all members of the organization must be invested in building an inclusive culture and all staff must recognize the importance of diversity in the workplace.
“It’s critical to know how diversity, inclusion and belonging efforts are impacting every employee at every level,” Soban said. “Provide tools to your leaders to help them develop an inclusive leadership mindset and behavioral expectations so they can foster the stronger connection with their teams and colleagues.”
Amgen uses employee resource groups to promote and support, as well as illustrate, the impact and value that the diversity and inclusion efforts have on Amgen’s business. ERGs are organized around a primary diversity dimension and designed to promote
“The most popular methods are to include staff at all levels of the organization and allow them to engage in a meaningful way with people at their organizations,” Tyagi said. “We build this through our ERGs, where members engage with each other by planning diversity and inclusion events, sharing what makes Amgen a great place to work and helping to recruit great talent to be a part of something special.”
Ultimately, Soban says, diversity, inclusion and belonging must be embedded in everything, including business practices, policies and processes.
“As a company, we understand that an inclusive and diverse workforce helps us to fuel scientific innovation and problem solving, leading to better solutions,” Soban said. “Achieving a sustained culture requires everyone’s participation in creating an environment where inclusion and a feeling of belonging is the norm. This is a learning journey that we are taking together to become better allies and advocates.” n
‘Achieving a sustained culture requires everyone’s participation in creating an environment where inclusion and a feeling of belonging is the norm.’
MONIKA SOBAN Amgen Rhode Island director of manufacturing and site diversity, inclusion and belonging leadLAB WORK: From left, Amgen Rhode Island scientists George Boras, Natalie Kieon and Bishouy Sharoubim join together in a laboratory inside the West Greenwich manufacturing facility. PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
At JPMorgan Chase, we have been working to make inclusivity central to the work we do. Having leaders and talent from different backgrounds and experiences delivers more diversity of thought, innovation, value and creative solutions.
We’re committed to leading with diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our organization and across underrepresented groups. Diversity, equity and inclusion are what make JPMorgan Chase — and the customers, clients and communities it serves, stronger and better.
jpmorganchase.com/diversity
WITH ITS STORIED, almost centurylong history, Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc. is known as the corporate parent of Monopoly, perhaps the most popular board game in the world.
But the multinational toy company of roughly 5,000 employees, with 1,000 here in Rhode Island, is also a globally branded conglomerate of gaming, entertainment and consumer products. Its iconic brands range from Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons to My Little Pony.
Hasbro doesn’t pay lip service to the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion, officials say. It has an integrated business approach that puts those values first.
Case in point: the high marks earned from the Human Rights Campaign for LGBTQ+ workplace equality. The HRC recognized Hasbro’s variety of voluntary employee groups that meet to share their experiences. The Hasbro PRIDE network also advocated with the company to adopt a policy of gender-neutral bathrooms.
“We have received continuous recognition for our sexual orientation and gender identity workforce protections, our inclusive benefits and culture,” Bryony Bouyer, Hasbro’s senior vice president of diversity and inclusion and multicultural strategy, said in an email.
Officials point to a flexible workplace that supports employees juggling work and home commitments. New parents, including fathers, same-sex partners and adoptive parents, can take up to 10 weeks of paid time off to care for their newborn or adopted child. Birth mothers receive six to eight weeks of short-term disability, totaling up to 18 weeks of paid time off.
Hasbro is pushing toward goals of increased female representation and workforce racial
and ethnic diversity, using concrete steps, Bouyer says. The company uses a 21st-century recruiting tool to do it, she adds.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence assist with writing unbiased job descriptions to help appeal to a wider range of potential new hires. Additionally, diverse recruiters cast a bigger, more inclusive and expansive net when looking for candidates. By implementing these and other strategies, Bouyer says the hiring of racially and ethnically diverse employees has climbed from 25% in 2017 to 34% in 2021.
Hasbro should reach 50% women in leadership roles globally by 2025, she adds. During that time, the company also expects to have a 25% racially and ethnically diverse workforce. She nods to how Hasbro’s board of directors is 54% gender diverse, compared with the national average of 27%, and the executive leadership team is 44% gender diverse.
In 2021, the Magic: The Gathering brand benefited Black Girls Code, with the debut of its Black Is Magic Secret Lair. Developed by Black artists, the product celebrates Black history and culture.
The nearly $1 million donation from Wizards of the Coast, raised by the campaign, helped train 3,200 students in more than 100 Black Girls Code programs. These included game design and digital arts workshops. Through the Hasbro Foundation, the Black Girls Code partnership will expand to fund code clubs in Seattle and Rhode Island.
Launched in September, the Brian Goldner Center for Transforming Figures, named in
WAKANDA FOREVER: From left, Bryony Bouyer, Hasbro Inc.’s senior vice president of diversity and inclusion and multicultural strategy; Olga Lowe, manager of global brand development and marketing; Tayla Reo, product development manager; and Phil Johnston, senior creative writer, pose with arms crossed in a salute made famous in Marvel Entertainment LLC’s Universe’s “Black Panther” movie.
PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN
honor of the late company chairman and CEO, will provide social impact investments with a mission of uplifting lives. Funded by a $2.5 million contribution from the Hasbro Foundation, the center has invested in Year Up, which provides job training and corporate internships to young adults.
And the Brian Goldner Storytelling Fellowship at the Ghetto Film School will support underserved young artists, especially young women, as they pursue an entertainment career.
“Brian was always looking to help those who might need to be lifted up in life,” Goldner’s widow, Barbara, said in a company statement.
Internationally, Hasbro has partnered with Business for Social Responsibility in managing its overseas supply chain for several years. BSR oversees programs in China that provide financial literacy skills to women, helping more than 2,300 female workers and 65 managers. Although the initiative was paused early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Bouyer says, it was reinstated late in 2021.
“We have a diverse consumer base and our goal is to ensure consumers and fans see themselves in our products and experiences one game, one toy, one story at a time,” Bouyer said. n
‘Our goal is to ensure consumers and fans see themselves in our products and experiences one game, one toy, one story at a time.’
BRYONY BOUYER
Hasbro Inc. senior vice president of diversity and inclusion and multicultural strategy
MARSTONE INC. HAS ALWAYS viewed itself as having an “incredibly diverse workforce,” according to company co-founder and CEO Margaret Hartigan. She also feels that there are ways to help secure that culture and legacy as an organization.
Now, the Providence-based financial services company, founded in 2013 and serving community banks, credit unions and large financial institutions, is turning to outside organizations to help formalize some of its human resource systems and processes.
Nisha Cordero, Marstone’s chief people officer and general counsel, says the company is working with a professional employment organization that gives Marstone a suite of training opportunities and learning resources that the company can leverage.
“For a small business, it’s a huge benefit,” Cordero said.
Cordero welcomes the professional development organization’s Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion module that discusses basic DEI issues, how to identify and address underlying biases, and how to create more-inclusive engagements and conversations. Diversity and inclusion are, according to Cordero, “part of our DNA; now, we’re looking to formalize this by using tools in a more structured, centralized framework.”
Additionally, Marstone will implement an applicant tracking system to enable the company to expand the network of job boards it can reach in a cost-effective way to create objective job descriptions and to enforce objective hiring decisions.
“We’re in a competitive market,” Cordero said, “and we must know when we are too slow
to hire or we are losing candidates. That feedback across the pipeline allows us to evaluate and improve the process.”
Approximately 20 of Marstone’s 33 employees are based in Providence, and can work either remotely or hybrid depending on their individual situations. The company also has a robust internship pipeline. One former intern worked full time for the company for a few years, and now works part time while pursuing a master’s degree. Another summer intern is finishing her senior year in college and working part time at Marstone.
“We groom and develop emerging talent,” Cordero said. “If you stay on, we encourage that growth and collaboration, [yet] we’re astute enough to know that you may pursue other endeavors.”
The company recently engaged with The Mom Project, a national digital talent marketplace that helps connect professional women with employers in order to build a more diverse workforce for women. Marstone has also engaged with FinTech for Action to offer internship opportunities for students residing in underserved communities, as well as participated in the R.I. Office of the Treasurer’s initiative to expose students to financial careers. That program, the company said, led to three summer internships.
‘[Diversity, equity and inclusion] is about creating a nurturing, safe environment where people have the ability to grow and be mobile in their roles.’
NISHA CORDERO, Marstone Inc. chief people officer and general counsel
Marstone has also explored job training opportunities with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Path Forward, a national nonprofit that helps empower parents and other caregivers to restart their professional careers after spending significant time caregiving.
The company, which anticipates adding approximately 10 employees by December 2023, is also launching a formalized mentorship program, which will be part of the onboarding process for each new employee. Hartigan has spoken on mentorship at Brown University’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, the
University of Rhode Island and Providence College, and has mentored other women founders. At Marstone, she mentors employees on a 1-to-1 basis.
“DEI is about creating a nurturing, safe environment where people have the ability to grow and be mobile in their roles,” Cordero said, “with flexibility and opportunities to develop [soft and technical] skills. That’s part of our DEI culture; that’s what makes us stand out.”
By serving businesses rather than individual consumers, Marstone can reach the largest number of individuals, especially with its most recent product, Marstone Maps.
The product, launched in the summer of 2022 and free to individuals whose banks or credit unions offer it, helps consumers consider options for savings and investments and explains compounding interest and the implications of certain types of debt.
“The financial planning platform allows people to explore different life transactions – buying a car, moving out of their parents’ home, setting up a college fund for a child, etc.,” Hartigan said. “With all the data analytics below the surface, the portfolios are designed to have guard rails so even financially innocent people can’t hurt themselves.” n
BY NANCY KIRSCH | Contributing Writer
UPON BEING HIRED in August 2021 as the associate director of what is now the R.I. Division of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, formerly known as the R.I. Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity, Tomás Ávila needed to rebuild a team.
“When I came in, the office was recovering from the revenue disruption [caused] by the pandemic and 43% of the staff in 2019 had left,” he said. “My mission was rebuilding.”
Ávila hired five people to replace the workers who left. The organization now has eight employees and a $1.3 million annual budget.
The division, part of the R.I. Department of Administration, is making progress, Ávila said.
“When Tomás and other people were hired, DEDI was reorganized to be more nimble to do the work,” said Christopher Abhulime, deputy
chief of staff for Gov. Daniel J. McKee. “That’s an accomplishment.”
Although state legislation enacted in 1986 mandated that minority-owned small-business enterprises and women-owned small businesses be awarded 10% of the dollar value of the state’s procurement or construction projects, the state was not meeting those mandates. Additionally, the MBE program was suspended in 2020 by emergency order due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A disparity study conducted by Mason Tillman Associates Ltd. and released in July 2021
by the division “validated all that was known,” Ávila said, as it confirmed that Rhode Island was not complying with the 10% mandate and recommended corrective actions.
Ávila said since April the state has been awarding 15.3% of the dollar value of procurement or construction projects to MBEs. He said the credit for the improvement goes to McKee and Director of Administration James Thorsen for their full support, as well as to the publication of the disparity report.
That report, Abhulime said, provides the legal underpinning for the office’s program enforcement and validated existing disparities, with too few purchase orders being awarded to MBEs.
The disparity report’s recommendations required gubernatorial approval, Abhulime said.
“Leadership from the top drives what happens downstream,” he said. “DEDI’s success didn’t happen in a vacuum. [Gov. McKee] understands that equity – one of his key priorities – is necessary.”
Calling this “a work in progress,” Abhulime said the office is certifying more MBEs and educating minority communities.
“Tomás is doing intentional outreach to explain the need to get MBE certification and [Gov. McKee] has provided resources for technical supports for such certifications,” Abhulime said.
CHRISTOPHER ABHULIME Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s deputy chief of staffWhile diversity issues have been centralized within the division, Ávila is building coalitions by collaborating with other state agencies, such as the R.I. Department of Health, which now has its own office addressing diversity issues.
“Instead of having to enforce diversity,
Lewis Brisbois congratulates Managing Partner Lauren Motola-Davis and our Providence Office for their recognition at the PBN Diversity Equity and Inclusion Summit! We commend all the 2022 honorees for their long-standing dedication to the Rhode Island legal community, and to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in our profession. As we look forward to the new year, our commitment to hiring, supporting, and mentoring a team of diverse attorneys and staff remains strong.
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‘We should make the state workforce look like the people we serve.’
equity and inclusion, we are collaborating … in a natural process,” said Ávila, who noted that officials from The Providence Center Inc. and the Pawtucket School Department, among others, are eager to exchange information with and learn from the Division of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
“State government’s employees [should] reflect Rhode Island’s diversity,” Abhulime said. “We should make the state workforce look like
the people we serve.”
To that end, each executive branch agency is required to submit an affirmative action plan that contains future goals. Referencing census data, Ávila said nearly 31% of the Rhode Island population is minority and the state executive branch employee minority population is nearly 22%.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard a case challenging the use of affirmative action
in the college admissions process by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Given the Supreme Court’s conservative 6-3 majority, legal scholars anticipate that the decision may prohibit colleges and universities from factoring race into college admissions.
“I am concerned,” Abhulime said when asked about the case. “It speaks to my situation as a Black man. Whenever opportunity and access to education or good-paying jobs becomes harder, it’s painful. I’m paying very close attention and hope that SCOTUS will do the right thing.”
Ávila’s team recently established a system that captures the number of employees who are female and people of color on a weekly basis and is in the process of installing a comparable system for the number of MBEs with state contracts.
With a robust history of engagement with the Latino communities, Ávila said, “[We] need to look for the good in all communities. We need to see the big picture of the needs of all [Black, Indigenous and people of color] communities.” n
A DIVERSE WORKFORCE is something that CVS Health Corp. considers its greatest strength. In fact, diversity is a key pillar in the Woonsocket-based company’s board of directors’ charter.
“Our diversity, equity and inclusion work has a positive impact on our colleague experience, influences our relationship with the communities we serve, and guides how we conduct business and with whom,” said Shaweta Pandey, CVS’ executive director of strategic diversity management.
Pandey said CVS believes that a diverse workforce creates a healthier, stronger and more sustainable company. It is why, Pandey says, the company aims to attract, develop, retain and support a diverse workforce that reflects the colleagues and communities it serves.
CVS’ diversity management strategy
PANDEYemphasizes more than just hiring diverse candidates. It also prioritizes workplace representation, inclusion and belonging, talent acquisition and management and a diverse marketplace.
Pandey also said CVS developed a Diversity Management Leadership Council, a cross-functional group of senior leaders appointed by CEO and President Karen S. Lynch, to work with CVS’ strategic diversity management leadership team and intentionally embed diversity across all facets of the business.
In July 2020, CVS announced an investment of almost $600 million to advance employee, community and public policy initiatives target-
ing inequality faced by Black people and other disenfranchised communities. Since 2021, CVS’ investments have been focusing on improving the employee experience, supporting communities the company serves and influencing public policy.
By the end of 2025, CVS will have invested close to $600 million in various areas designed to build on its commitment to diversity, including mentoring, sponsorship, development and advancement of diverse employees; companywide training and corporate culture programs, with a focus on promoting inclusion; and social determinants of health, with a particular emphasis on increasing access to affordable housing, which is inextricably linked to health.
This year, CVS was ranked No. 28 on DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity list for excellence in diversity best practices, No. 8 for Top Companies for Employee Resource Groups and No. 12 for Top Companies for Native American and Pacific Islander Executives.
Meanwhile, CVS continues to hold its position on the Billion Dollar Roundtable, an organization that recognizes and celebrates companies that achieve spending of at least $1
‘We have much work ahead of us – and we remain committed to doing that work on behalf of our colleagues, our communities and for our business.’
SHAWETA
CVS Health Corp. executive director of strategic diversity management
We’re committed to leading by example when it comes to fostering an
that represents the
John Galvin, President
COMMITTING TO CHANGE: CVS Health Corp., through its diversity management department, has invested close to $600 million to build on its commitment to diversity, including mentoring, sponsorship, development and advancement of diverse employees by the end of 2025.
COURTESY CVS HEALTH CORP.
billion with certified diverse suppliers that are minority- or women-owned.
The company also received a 100% score on the Disability Equality Index, and was included in LatinaStyle’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity and the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index.
Over the past two years, the racial and ethnic diversity of the company’s overall workforce increased from 47% to 58% and its
pharmacist workforce increased in racial and ethnic diversity from 43% to 45%.
The company’s programs target colleagues who identify as Asian and Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ and women. CVS also has seen a 100% increase over prior years in the hiring and promotion of Black and Hispanic colleagues to executive positions, while 58% of new colleagues identify as
racially or ethnically diverse, more than twice the average percentage of the U.S. population.
The company’s recruitment and training systems target young workers, mature workers, veterans, people with disabilities and others who often face barriers to gainful employment. CVS also partners with community organizations and local, state and federal workforce agencies to provide employment services in training people from communities with less access to job opportunities.
Regarding representation, 39% of CVS’ board of directors are women, and 31% are of diverse backgrounds. Forty-seven percent of the Diversity Management Leadership Council are women and 26% are of diverse backgrounds. Since 2020, the company has seen continued improvement in gender representation in leadership, with significant increases in female and Black/African American representation.
Pandey said that CVS continues to be inspired by the positive reception its diversity and social impact work has earned, both from its colleagues and customers.
“While the feedback has been encouraging, we know we have much work ahead of us – and we remain committed to doing that work on behalf of our colleagues, our communities and for our business,” Pandey said. n
ble the percentage since 2012; and 20% of the company’s board members identify as people of color.
In addition, Blue Cross requires all associates to complete Understanding Unconscious Bias, an annual training program. Through discussion, video examples and role-playing, associates learn more about each other, their teams and the business case behind diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Through the supplier diversity program, Blue Cross actively seeks and encourages qualified minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBTQ-owned, small disadvantaged and small-business suppliers from all segments of the business community to participate in a corporate procurement process.
AS PART OF ITS CORE MISSION, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and views them as critical to its success as a company and employer.
Michele Lederberg, the Providence-based health insurer’s executive vice president, chief legal officer and chief administrative officer, says diversity, equity and inclusion shapes Blue Cross’ business in various ways, from recruiting a diverse workforce and providing career advancement opportunities to designing health plans for vulnerable populations. Blue Cross, Lederberg said, is also proud of its revitalized supplier diversity program, which ensures that certified diverse enterprises have access to its contracting services.
“We recognize that there is always more we can do to address persistent health inequities,” Lederberg said.
Blue Cross, which employs 780 people locally, has seven employee business resource groups that engage associates from across the company who serve as invaluable resources to project teams solving real business challenges, while at the same time supporting community partners.
In 2022, Blue pRIde group members launched a self-identification campaign to encourage and educate employees on why it is important to self-identify, and Black Council @ Blue and Latin@Link coordinated educational and development opportunities in recognition of Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month.
Meanwhile, members of the Disability Inclusion Network group led discussions around tools and strategies that can be used to support
people with autism spectrum disorder. Seventy-two percent of the organization identifies as female, while just over 50% of individuals in management positions are women. More than 60% of Blue Cross’ top leaders, executive vice presidents and vice presidents are women.
That percentage has more than tripled since 2016, when Kim A. Keck was named the company’s first female CEO and president, paving the way for its current top executive, Martha L. Wofford, who joined in 2021.
In 2020, Blue Cross began expanding its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in talent management and recruitment. The company continues to include Juneteenth and Indigenous People’s Day as company holidays; review company human resources policies; review job postings to help ensure the language the company uses is welcoming and inclusive so it can encourage a diverse applicant pool; and expand the scope of recruitment resources to include community-based organizations, such as the Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Rhode Island Black Business Association, to help further diversify Blue Cross’ applicant pool.
The number of Black, Indigenous and people of color associates working at Blue Cross rose from 14% in 2012 to 23% in 2021, with 40% of all new hires in 2021 identifying as a person of color.
These associates make up 12% of individuals in management positions, more than dou-
“We take a multifaceted approach to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion for our employees, members, provider partners and the community,” said Carolyn Belisle, the company’s managing director of corporate social responsibility. “We lead with humility, listening to and learning from our community partners before we act.”
Belisle also said through the company’s annual RI Life Index and BlueAngel Community Health Grant program, Blue Cross supports efforts to identify, highlight and address the social needs of all Rhode Islanders, including safe, sustainable and affordable housing. Its 70-plus provider Safe Zones guarantee safe, affirming care for LGBTQ Rhode Islanders, she added.
Belisle noted that employee diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives feature extensive programming and training, as well as a strategic approach to talent acquisition.
“We also collaborate with our seven employee business resources groups for LGBTQ, Black, Latinx and other employees on ways Blue Cross can more effectively foster and measure inclusion and belonging,” Belisle said. n
‘We lead with humility, listening to and learning from our community partners before we act.’
CAROLYN BELISLE Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island managing director of corporate social responsibilityHEALTHY CONVERSATION: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island staff members, from left, Peter Rocha, technology risk manager; Tracy McCaughey, managing director of claims; Nicole Hass-Rodriguez, executive assistant; Amber Dicks, senior corporate board assistant and executive assistant; Doris De Los Santos, supplier diversity program manager; Jordan Martin, assistant compliance officer; and Famsheera Abdulkhader, health data analyst, meet at the health insurer’s Providence office. PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
COLLEGE UNBOUND is working to reinvent the college experience for underserved adult learners, many of whom have previously faced barriers to completing a bachelor’s degree.
A core part of the Providence-based education nonprofit institution’s mission involves creating a more equitable and inclusive educational experience.
Adam Bush, the college’s co-founder and provost who became its president in 2022, said College Unbound is responding to higher education as it is and is trying to push for, co-create and imagine higher education as it could be. “That means,” he said, “centering equity and justice in the curriculum. This can be a reparative space. The site of the degree can be in partnership with trauma-informed pedagogy.”
The college’s signature program leads to a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and change. It was granted accreditation in 2020 by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Many students enroll with some college credit but no degree. Bush says students often come to College Unbound with past experiences in education, in which they didn’t complete their degree and they weren’t empowered to do so from the institutions.
“While they’re transferring over earned credits in learning, they’re also transferring over apprehension and past experiences where they may not have felt fully valued in the world,” Bush said. “So, our curriculum centers a cohort experience, where folks meet weekly to break bread together, share child
care and develop projects of meaning.”
The college’s 2021-22 class was 39% Latinx; 29% white; 19% African American; and 10% multiracial. More than half of the class identified as female, and students largely identified as full-time employees who were balancing work with education. All students receive credit for prior learning, Bush said.
“We want students to know that wherever learning happens, we want to honor it, recognize it and accredit it,” he said. “They’re walking in with their full selves.”
College Unbound is also committed to hiring its alumni and currently employs 45 of them.
“We aspire to be a place where our graduates play a substantial role in the future direction of the college,” Bush said.
Jose Rodriguez, for example, is a College Unbound graduate who now works in a leadership role as the college’s director of admissions. His recruitment strategy involves embedding himself in the community.
“The work of inclusion comes from us showing up to all different community events and being present,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also points out the college’s status as a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, which is defined by the federal government as having an “enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25% Hispanic students.”
Rodriguez, who grew up in poverty and dropped out of middle school, did not have an easy path to his degree or his current career. He earned his GED while serving time in the R.I. Department of Corrections. After he was released, Rodriguez took some classes at a local public college but did not always feel welcomed or supported, he said.
“I found there’s the notion that if you are a convicted felon, you are no longer an academic, or you can’t be in academia, and you definitely have to be a laborer because those are the only jobs you’re going to be good at,” Rodriguez said. “That is something I’m always going to fight against because I know it’s not true.”
Later, while working at Providence’s Nonviolence Institute, Rodriguez met Bush and College Unbound co-founder Dennis Littky. He enrolled in the college as part of a cohort of students from the institute and received his bachelor’s degree in 2018.
“For every individual who is incarcerated and is able to get their education, not only are they breaking the cycle for themselves but it also sets the stage for their children, and my family is an example of this because my daughter is now in college,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez later went on to earn a master’s degree. Now, in addition to overseeing recruitment as director of admissions, Rodriguez is an instructor at the college.
“I never could have imagined I’d be in a place to teach others,” he said. n
‘We aspire to be a place where our graduates play a substantial role in the future direction of the college.’
ADAM BUSH College Unbound co-founder, provost and presidentBUILDING THE FUTURE: College Unbound Director of Admissions Jose Rodriguez, left; co-founder, Provost and President Adam Bush; and Sylvia Spears, vice president for administration and innovation, talk during a work session at the Providence nonprofit. PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
The best business networking event of the year!
Business leaders and executives join PBN in honoring the many companies featured in the Book of Lists.
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JUNE 7
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Celebrate the state’s best employers, who are selected based on extensive employee surveys and feedback reports from Best Companies Group.
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PBN’s newest award program will recognize leaders over the age of 50 for their notable success and strong leadership, both in their fields and in the community, as well as a sustained demonstration of leading others.
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DECEMBER 7
A panel of experts share best practices in leveraging D&I in the workplace. In addition, companies and leaders will be recognized for their exceptional efforts in promoting D&I within their organization and in the community.
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APRIL 20
PBN’s C-Suite Awards program recognizes top C-level executives for public, private and nonprofit companies who are innovators, trailblazers, role models and leaders in the community.
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MAY 25
PBN honors the success of women in a variety of industries and recognizes younger, professional women to watch as well as industry leaders. A career achiever and outstanding mentor are also honored.
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The school also works with the All Courses Network, the Community College of Rhode Island and Brown University to ensure students get 12 to 16 college credits while in high school. The All Courses Network is overseen by the R.I. Department of Education.
Looking to the future, the school has begun the process of expanding to teach more students, McCue said.
THE RHODE ISLAND NURSES INSTITUTE MIDDLE COLLEGE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL, a Providence high school for students who are interested in nursing and other health care professions, has had diversity and inclusion in mind as a core tenet right from the start.
“Representation matters,” said Mimi Tsiane, director of school culture and community, adding that she knew it was a cliche but that it had the benefit of being true.
Pamela McCue, the school’s CEO, believes that diversity and inclusion were baked into the school’s founding principles, as it was founded in 2011 on the mission of diversifying the nursing and health care workforce.
“When patients have nurses who look like them, health communications improve,” McCue said. “We needed nurses for the health of the communities.”
The school has dedicated itself to making sure it hires a diverse workforce to teach and connect with its student body.
“The staff reflect the students,” Tsiane said.
The school has staff who identify as Latino, Black, and white, as well as those who identify as two or more races.
The students are similarly diverse, with many being the first in their family to graduate high school. As a result, the school is also focused on professional development for both staff and students, and hosts after-school programs on advocacy and other topics. Students from other schools often join in during the after-school programs.
Those programs, Tsiane says, ensure students realize that they have a voice and they
know how to use it. It’s especially important for them so they can advocate for their patients later in their careers.
Several current students felt prepared enough to work as certified nursing assistants over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. They worked in nursing homes and testing sites and were essentially on the front lines.
In addition to having students undergo CNA training, which is often over the summer, the school regularly pairs students with partners in the Rhode Island health care community for internships.
Lifespan Corp., Rhode Island’s largest hospital system, also runs a mentoring program that students have participated in. The school, when possible, has always worked with companies that are either women- or minority-owned. School staff members also work hard to find whatever resources students might need, including help with financial literacy, housing and access to technology.
McCue said that her staff cultivates an open-door policy on campus for students and families.
McCue was especially proud to note that two current students achieved high scores on the PSAT. Many graduates go on to either a two- or four-year degree, usually at schools in Rhode Island, and often then go on to work in the Rhode Island health care workforce.
Tsiane is a large influence on the onboarding process for new students, making sure they feel welcomed and can access what they need. With eight languages spoken throughout the staff, there are no linguistic barriers for new students.
The school’s culture is a reference to what nursing looks like now, and McCue believes the school has had an impact on the nursing workforce in Rhode Island. Even as it implements new ideas and plans, McCue and Tsiane make sure they continue to value the basic tenets they impart to and for their students.
Tsiane said she often asks herself what diversity and accessibility looks like, while also working on how to make sure students truly feel empowered.
Tsiane and McCue are proud of what they’ve accomplished for their school regarding diversity and inclusion, as well as what’s planned for the future.
“Diversity is a way of existing,” Tsiane said, adding that the school’s aim is “the marriage of nursing and education under the lens of diversity.” n
‘When patients have nurses who look like them, health communications improve.’
PAMELA McCUE
Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School CEOBEDSIDE MANNER: Students, from left, Camille Chiong, Cierra Odiembo, Gianna Sanchez and Djibril Gaye work in a lab at the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School in Providence. PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM
WHEN SHE FIRST JOINED Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, Lauren Motola-Davis, the firm’s local managing partner, was quickly impressed with the diversity and equity that existed in the nationally prominent law firm.
Motola-Davis said when she came aboard in 2015, she wanted a diverse environment. When she sat and spoke with 11 female partners about their experiences, she knew this was the right firm.
Motola-Davis says she has enjoyed her work ever since, continually being amazed at the amount of diversity she’s seen at the firm’s events from clients, lawyers and staff.
“It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” she said. “It was a big chance, with a big risk, but I have no regrets.”
With 55 offices in 32 states, including a Providence office, Lewis Brisbois is a full-service law firm with a commitment to diversity. The firm participated in the Mansfield Rule 5.0 certification program, which requires that at least 30% of candidates for leadership roles come from underrepresented groups. The entities collaborated on this with Diversity Lab for more than a year. Lewis Brisbois Chief Diversity Partner Rima Badawiya said that the firm has already signed up for the next series as well.
Motola-Davis is part of the Women’s Initiative Committee, and also noted that the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee currently has women co-chairs. The firm has affinity groups for Black women attorneys and LGBTQ+ employees, as well as plenty of practice groups nationwide. Lewis Brisbois
has also participated in the Lavender Law Conference, which connects LGBTQ+ lawyers and staff across the profession.
“We have a diverse culture,” Motola-Davis said of her own office, which holds 11 attorneys and six staff members, some of whom are Black, Latino, or LGBTQ+. “Different attorneys and staff bring different qualities.”
Lewis Brisbois has a DEI mentoring program, a Summer Associate Diversity fellowship program and also requires everyone to go through training. Motola-Davis was also proud to note the firm was ranked No. 13 in the 2022 Law360 Diversity Snapshot, which collected data from 295 law firms either located in or with a substantial presence in the U.S. and ranked them with peer firms of a comparable size.
Badawiya said the firm is working through the challenge of retaining lawyers and staff during the chaos of the workforce in a world beyond COVID-19. Lewis Brisbois is focusing on acquiring talented people, mentoring them and making sure they stay in the firm for the rest of their careers.
“We’re not just paying lip service to the ideals but actually living the reality with our actions,” Badawiya said. “We can talk but without meaningful action, it’s not meaningful. It’s a journey, not a destination. That’s what we do here, and we’re proud of that.”
Lewis Brisbois also puts a huge amount of effort into setting up events and social media posts to honor a particular group each month, such as National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September into October every year. Current lawyers and staff are honored as part of the particular group.
“It’s inclusive,” Motola-Davis said. “We cultivate a supporting network and safe space for diverse lawyers and staff.”
Badawiya also said that mentorship is a big part of Lewis Brisbois’ efforts with diversity. The Summer Associate Diversity fellowship, for example, specifically focuses on partners mentoring young lawyers so “they have someone to talk to and help them navigate through the practice-of-law process,” she said.
Motola-Davis’ Providence office gives back to the community each year by partnering with Women’s Refugee Care during the holiday season. The program supports African refugees in Rhode Island with resources they may need for their families. Motola-Davis and her office usually help by collecting for a specific family in need.
“I consider myself a role model for younger women,” Motola-Davis said, adding that it is possible for “women to get to the top of the firm. It’s a tough and demanding career but rewarding.”
Badawiya is focused more heavily on how Lewis Brisbois is working to retain staff, saying the firm continues to do the work it is doing in the space to recruit diverse candidates. n
‘Different attorneys and staff bring different qualities.’
LAUREN MOTOLA-DAVIS Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP Providence managing partnerDIVERSE DISCUSSION: Staff members at the Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP law firm in Providence discuss diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM
CAREERS: Staff members at AAA Northeast gather at the company’s Providence office. A year ago, AAA Northeast launched a career exploration program that provides a learning platform for employees of diverse backgrounds and talents who are performing well in their current roles.
FINDING NEW TALENT is a challenge facing every business post-pandemic, which makes investing in and retaining rising stars so critical. That’s the philosophy behind the talent development program at AAA Northeast in Providence.
“Our goal is to build a pipeline for future leaders,” said Ron Arigo, AAA Northeast’s senior vice president and head of human resources. “We want to foster talent within the organization.”
The automotive and travel services company has products and services that include insurance, loans and banking, travel planning and more. With so many offerings, there are great opportunities for growth and exploration for the more than 3,500 employees within the local company.
Business at AAA Northeast is growing, which means the need to recruit and retain a talented and diverse workforce is one of the company’s biggest challenges.
“The team at AAA Northeast represents our diverse customer base, allowing them to anticipate and meet the needs of our members,” Arigo said.
The company offers employees strong pay and benefits, but it is really AAA Northeast’s long-term investment in its employees that prospects find so attractive. As part of the company’s commitment to diversity, AAA Northeast conducts an annual pay-equity analysis to ensure equitable pay and continuously evaluates benefit offerings to ensure equity and inclusion for all, including coverage for gender identity and transition services.
AAA Northeast is proud of its diverse culture, Arigo said, investing in the many
talents, skills, passions and expertise of its employees. The company’s focus is on building professional relationships in which employees can further their careers and grow with award-winning learning and development resources.
A year ago, the company launched its career exploration program, which provides a learning platform for employees of diverse backgrounds and talents who are performing well in their current roles. The program also gives them the necessary skills and information to advance their careers within the organization.
“We invite well-performing, entry-level team members who are aspirational to do more,” Arigo said.
The six-month program began with a cohort of 30 individuals who were engaged in a series of activities involving self-discovery, exploration of their options within the company, personal branding and peer mentoring.
“The program began a year ago and we’re already working with our fourth cohort,” Arigo said. “And we’re finding that it has a great return on investment.”
The success and engagement of participants within the career exploration program are measured against a control group who are not enrolled in the initiative – and the results are impressive. The control group had an 82% retention rate, with 4% being promoted. The
participants in the program, however, had a retention rate of 100%, while 30% moved up the leadership ladder.
“The value of building talent from within is clear,” Arigo said. “We are fostering a community of explorers who feel appreciated and invested in and are more engaged, hopefully over the long run.”
Arigo said this approach is directly related to efforts to attract and retain a more diverse workforce at AAA Northeast.
“Think of it like a pyramid,” he said. “The greatest amount of diversity is at the base. We’re helping that talent rise and accelerating their success.”
Career exploration program participants are not yet leading others, but that is the next phase of talent development at AAA Northeast. Arigo says the company is currently identifying a new cohort of employees who the company feels can take on leadership roles.
“They’re being introduced to principles and practices of leading others,” he said.
AAA Northeast says it is committed to providing formal learning and development opportunities to all employees for ongoing and continual career development.
The company’s core values have long stood for helping and serving and for respecting and valuing each employee. It has intentionally built a culture firmly committed to equality, diversity and community – regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or gender.
“The more we do to retain our workforce,” Arigo said, “the better we are as a company.” n
‘We want to foster talent within the organization.’
RON ARIGO
AAA Northeast senior vice president and head of human resourcesADVANCING PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM
AT THE RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION, addressing the underlying causes of inequity and working to eliminate disparities is a core organizational value, and has been an important part of its work for years.
The Providence-based nonprofit funder recently began investing approximately $8.5 million over the next three years to dig deeper into issues around racial equity within the Ocean State, said Angela Bannerman Ankoma, foundation vice president of equity leadership. With equity as the primary lens, the foundation decided to allocate resources to support the needs of people of color looking to advance in their careers and expand their roles as community leaders. That is how the organization came to develop the Equity Leadership Initiative.
“We took an inventory of our community, meeting with a wide range of people, to identify what are the barriers of support for neighborhoods of color,” Ankoma said.
The initiative was formed in 2020 to cultivate, mentor and seek access for individuals who identify as Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous, Asian and multiracial from across sectors to build a pipeline of leaders of color in positions of influence in Rhode Island.
“Our approach to leadership is focused more on the person, with an emphasis on personal and professional growth,” Ankoma said.
Having already graduated its inaugural class, the initiative is currently engaged with its second cohort. There is also a steering committee of community leaders helping to guide and support the foundation’s program.
Participants come from across sectors: pub-
lic, private and nonprofit. But the participants all must demonstrate to the foundation a commitment to racial equity and social justice.
“There are leaders in all spaces and at all levels and they are welcome here and needed because everyone brings something different to the table,” said program participant and steering committee member Silvermoon Mars LaRose.
As assistant director of the Exeter-based Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum, LaRose enrolled in the program because she wanted to learn to use her voice to advocate for Indigenous representation.
“If I am to be of service to others, I need to learn how to use my voice with authority and a vision towards unity,” LaRose said. “I look forward to working with other like-minded individuals as we strive to be a support to our communities.”
“It goes beyond what it means to be a professional. It’s personal development at its core,” said program participant Wole Akinbi, who is the youth development coordinator for Providence-based team-building organization Half Full LLC. “What that’s supposed to look like and what it’s supposed to feel like. I’m looking forward to engaging in conversations on how to move our state into the future with new and creative ideas on how to solve old challenges.”
Each participant in the foundation’s pro-
HEAD OF THE CLASS: The Rhode Island Foundation recently launched a college loan repayment program to help the Providence Public School District recruit and retain teachers of color. One participant is Maria Taveras, pictured, who is working on a math lesson with her second grade class at Fortes Lima Elementary School.
RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION
COURTESYgram develops their own personal strategic plan, which serves as a guide to achieve their long-term goals. The plan serves as a personal brand that builds confidence and a determination to succeed.
In addition, each person is paired with an executive who serves as a coach and mentor during, and often after, the program. The participants are invested in the program themselves, Ankoma said, and want to give back. At their retreat, the first cohort discussed what’s next for the initiative and engaged the foundation in a discussion about continuing to move forward with equity-focused efforts.
“The current participants are determining what it looks like for the next group,” Ankoma said. “They want to ensure that we continue to nurture relationships with each other, with the foundation and with future cohorts. They’ve created a really incredible space.”
Also, the foundation is partnering with the Providence Public School District by offering a loan forgiveness incentive of up to $25,000 for educators of color that will continue for the 2022-23 academic year. The incentive allows eligible individuals to have up to $6,000 of college loan debt paid after completing one year of teaching, up to an additional $8,500 after completing year two and an additional $10,500 after completing year three. n
BANNERMAN‘Our approach to leadership is focused more on the person, with an emphasis on personal and professional growth.’
ANGELA
ANKOMA Rhode Island Foundation vice president of equity leadership
UNITED: YMCA of Greater Providence Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Kira Wills, standing, addresses her colleagues at the organization’s Providence office. Wills says the YMCA is for all, which is reflected by its staff being comprised of individuals who are neurodivergent, have disabilities, speak multiple languages, identify as LGBTQIA and are different ages.
PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSENTHE YMCA OF GREATER PROVIDENCE has served as an anchor institution in Rhode Island since 1854. A key factor to achieving that longevity is the organization’s awareness of where to best serve a community of diverse abilities, knowledge, culture and ages. Its leadership and staff have a responsibility to help build relationships for sustainable growth.
Kira Wills, the YMCA’s assistant director of diversity, equity and inclusion, says the community is not homogeneous and it will continue to become more diverse. She says organizations have to implement plans for the communities that exist, while preparing and adapting for future communities. To do that, Wills said organizations need to engage, hire and utilize individuals and groups that are from and for different segments and demographics of each community.
That, Wills says, has meant recognizing a shift in community ages, cultures and abilities, and recruiting and hiring skilled and talented individuals from those areas to promote the YMCA as a resourceful, reliable and relatable entity within communities.
“We hold that the YMCA is for all,” Wills said. “This is reflected by our staff being comprised of individuals who are neurodivergent, have disabilities, speak multiple languages, identify as LGBTQIA and are from a wide range of ages. We have made conscientious plans and taken action steps to have individuals that have been routinely marginalized or excluded to join.”
About 70% of YMCA’s 600-person workforce is comprised of individuals who identify as female. The overall workforce includes 30% minorities, with the largest groups represented being Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino.
Wills says the YMCA has increased recruitment with minority groups and organizations at local university and college institutions, as well as high school-age education and community institutions to grow staff from local multicultural populations. One particular area the YMCA has focused on involves the direct hiring of facility and maintenance support staff – something that for years was outsourced, with lackluster results.
Kobi Dennis, the nonprofit’s chief operating officer and director of diversity, equity and inclusion, says today the YMCA is intentionally trying to cultivate a new organizational culture that includes “buy-in” from all of its support staff.
“We have pivoted to hiring our own teams that have immediately become part of the new culture and organically want what’s best for the YMCA,” Dennis said. “We have hired local, young, diverse staffers that have performed well and quickly have become part of the YMCA of Greater Providence mission to build better communities for all.”
Beyond just implementing better hiring practices, the organization has made it a priority to pay closer attention to staff well-being, particularly in the wake of the George Floyd incident and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The mental health conditions of the YMCA’s staff became a primary concern, Dennis
said. From there, he said the nonprofit began company “Equity Calls,” staff calls that invite all YMCA employees to join conversations on a wide range of topics, which include race relations, law enforment, community and mental health.
“After several monthly calls, we took it a step further and hired our first-ever behavioral specialists that serve the needs of the [youths] and YMCA staffers on a daily basis,” Dennis said.
Externally, the YMCA recently collaborated with businesses, vendors and service providers to work with senior citizens within one local housing community to gain access, knowledge and use of digital technology to remain connected with family, friends and medical providers. The YMCA executive staff was both active in developing this initiative and in its on-site implementation.
The YMCA also gained financial support to minimize and remove the cost barrier to access for community members by providing hundreds of free swim lessons to minority youths and families, in addition to certifying several new minority lifeguards and aquatics trainers. Also, the organization utilized its branches as hubs for food and personal protection equipment distribution during the height of the pandemic, and has continually hosted open conversations to encourage and foster positive interactions and opportunities between law enforcement and local communities. n
‘We hold that the YMCA [of Greater Providence] is for all.’
KIRA WILLS YMCA of Greater Providence assistant director of diversity, equity and inclusion
BROADENING EDUCATION: Staff members at the Equity Institute work together in Providence. The institute is an educationbased nonprofit that develops programs for teachers, administrators and the community, with a focus on creating diversity, equity, inclusion and anit-racist policies.
PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM“We both left the classroom, along with a few other educators, in 2017,” said Vigil, the institute’s CEO. “We didn’t feel part of the school culture, and there was a lack of cultural sensitivity. People are better at recognizing the importance of diversity now.”
The Equity Institute is an education-based Latino- and Black-led nonprofit that develops programs for teachers, administrators and the community. It focuses on creating diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racist policies.
Although Vigil and Howard had been working on the concept for some time, the Equity Institute officially got off the ground just before the COVID-19 pandemic. In an unexpected twist, the pandemic had a positive effect, Vigil says, with support for underserved communities coming from foundations across the country.
The institute’s training, propelled by its mission, went virtual, reaching more people.
“We survived because we had to,” Vigil said.
In just two years, the Providence nonprofit helped schools create equity learning labs and launched monthly community meetups, bringing together historically underrepresented groups. Some 1,700 educators, leaders and community members have connected.
Vigil also points to the work the organization has done with school districts, giving support to more than 2,000 teachers and leaders. These tools, in turn, build trust with students.
Think about the classroom curriculum, Vigil says.
“Are the authors that students read predominantly white? Are students seeing them-
selves in the school community in the posters on the wall? Are disciplinary policies just targeting Black and brown students? Make sure there are social services and lunch available for them,” she said.
Vigil, who was born in El Salvador and grew up in Providence’s West End, knows firsthand how inequity can shape someone’s life. Working as a teacher for several years cemented her commitment to recruiting and supporting teachers of color.
Howard was raised in Georgia. He hadn’t intended to go into education but became interested in fighting social injustice because of friends who’d had challenges with the criminal justice system. He landed at Roger Williams Middle School in Providence for a year, where many students are from immigrant families. He says the experience was very gratifying.
“I could identify with them and what they were facing and ended up teaching a couple of years,” Howard said. “I wanted to make changes in that education space. One thing that was sad is that these students weren’t necessarily performing better and weren’t accessing opportunities of more affluent kids; I felt more could be done. The conventional wisdom is if you work hard and you’re nice, you’ll be successful. My experience is that isn’t always the case.”
According to the Pew Research Center, 80%
of public school teachers across the country are white, much less racially and ethnically diverse than their students. An ongoing national shortage of teachers and would-be teachers is also a reality.
One effort to stem that is the nonprofit’s Educator Pathway Program. Working with College Unbound, the TA to BA program provides support to teacher’s aides, administrative assistants, paraprofessionals and others working in neighborhood schools who come from a range of diverse backgrounds.
These future educators have deep connections to their students but historically have faced barriers to completing college and becoming certified teachers. Participation has climbed from 15 potential teachers in 2020 to 70 this year, with 150 expected in 2023.
“The clearest outcomes we’re pushing for are improving the shortage of educators and a more diverse teaching group,” said Howard, who as chief impact officer oversees the program.
However, Vigil says the most important aspect of the training at the Equity Institute is its dedicated staff of 13, which works on everything from managing programs to data crunching and tracking benchmarks the organization wants to meet.
“When we hire people, they have to really believe in this kind of work,” Vigil said. “We’re not solving these problems in the next 50 years. The job will outlive me.” n
‘The clearest outcomes we’re pushing for are improving the shortage of educators and a more diverse teaching group.’
CARLON HOWARD Equity Institute chief impact officer and co-founder
2022 rank Company | Website Diversity officer(s)
(ranked by number of full-time employees)
No. local full-time employeesCorporate diversity programs 1
2021: 1
2021: 2
2021: NL
Rhode Island | ri.gov
TomásÁvila, associate director, R.I. Division of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
CVS HealthCorp. | cvshealth.com DavidL.Casey, senior vice president, workforce strategies, and chief diversity officer
General Dynamics Electric Boat | gdeb.com TracyNixon-Moore, manager, organization design, diversity and inclusion
Address Phone
1 Capitol Hill Providence, R.I.02908 (401) 222-2280
13,721
1 CVS Drive Woonsocket, R.I.02895 (401) 765-1500 8,600
165 Dillabur Ave. North Kingstown, R.I.02852 (401) 268-2300 5,132
The R.I. Division of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion’s purpose is to ensure nondiscrimination, diversity, equity and equal opportunity in all aspects of state government
Employs team of colleagues dedicated to ensuring youths, mature workers, veterans and individuals with disabilities have a place within the company
Partners with a variety of organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers, among others, that offer development and networking opportunities that connect recruiters with a diverse talent pool
2021: 5
2021: 4
2021: 6
Citizens Financial GroupInc. | citizensbank.com MikeSebring, head of diversity and inclusion, senior vice president
Brown University | brown.edu
SylviaCarey-Butler, vice president for institutional equity and diversity
Fidelity InvestmentsInc. | fidelity.com WendyJohn, head of global diversity and inclusion
1 Citizens Plaza Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 456-7000 4,500
1 Prospect St. Providence, R.I.02912 (401) 863-1000 4,356
900 Salem St. Smithfield, R.I.02917 (401) 292-5000 3,200
Community initiatives, business resource groups and colleague programs
The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity offers multiple programs and initiatives surrounding diversity, including the Diversity Advisory Board, Diversity Luncheon Series and staff professional development days/workshops
Offers six employee resource groups, which are self-organized groups of employees with common interests in areas such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and military
2021: 7
2021: 10
2021: 11
University of Rhode Island | uri.edu DorcaM.Paulino, director, Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance
Amica Mutual InsuranceCo. | amica.com ShameemAwam, assistant vice president, talent management and diversity, equity and inclusion, human resources
Ocean State JobLot | oceanstatejoblot.com
LaurenMinutoli, director, associate experience and engagement;BobSelle, chief people officer
35 Campus Ave. South Kingstown, R.I.02881 (401) 874-2116 2,710
Social Justice and Inclusion Micro-credential - faculty, staff, affiliates Safe Zone Training - students, faculty, staff Title IX - all University employees Workplace Harassment Prevention Training - all new University employees Bystander Intervention Program - students Diversity & Inclusion Badge Program - graduate students 8
100 Amica Way Lincoln, R.I.02865 (800) 242-6422 1,746
375 Commerce Park Road North Kingstown, R.I.02852 (401) 295-2672 1,523
Amica makes diversity and inclusion an active part of the company, as well as addresses issues that are central to the company, its employees and customers
Focuses on leveraging diversity of thought, experience, background and any other perceived barrier to create balanced teams, with attention on recruiting, developing talents of its team members
2021: 12
2021: NL
FM Global | fmglobal.com SonseraeToles, vice president, culture and employee experience
Johnson & Wales University | jwu.edu RalphTavares, director of diversity and outreach
International Game TechnologyPLC | igt.com KimBarkerLee, vice president, diversity and inclusion
Raytheon Missiles & Defense | raytheon.com ShandaHinton, chief diversity officer
2021: NL
2021: 14
HasbroInc. | hasbro.com BryonyBouyer, franchise strategy, consumer products, diversity and inclusion;AlisonMartins, director of diversity and inclusion
Providence College | providence.edu
JacquelinePeterson, consultant on diversity
Rhode Island School of Design | risd.edu MatthewShenoda, vice president of social equity and inclusion
Bryant University | bryant.edu
KevinMartins, assistant vice president, diversity, equity and inclusion;MaileeKue, assistant vice president, student affairs and Title IX coordinator
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | bcbsri.com
JennyBautista, diversity, equity and inclusion manager
Rhode Island College | ric.edu
AnnaCano Morales, interim vice president of external relations, diversity and equity
270 Central Ave. Johnston, R.I.02919 (401) 275-3000 1,327
8 Abbott Park Place Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 598-1000 1,150
10 Memorial Blvd. Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 392-1000 1,051
1847 West Main Road Portsmouth, R.I.02871 (401) 842-5438 1,039
1027 Newport Ave. Pawtucket, R.I.02862 (401) 431-8697 1,000
1 Cunningham Square Providence, R.I.02918 (401) 865-2294 932
2 College St. Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 454-6100 799
1150 Douglas Pike Smithfield, R.I.02917 (401) 232-6000 787
500 Exchange St. Providence, R.I.02903 (401) 459-1000 779
600 Mount Pleasant Ave. Providence, R.I.02908 (401) 456-8000
Among numerous initiatives, the company partners with Society of Women Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers, which provides recruitment, development and networking opportunities for potential employees
Bridge Faculty Fellow Program, which identifies individuals who will rotate through the position, working to enhance campuswide knowledge and awareness of racial justice
Created the Office of Diversity and Inclusion within its People and Transformation organization; responsible for implementing the global strategic plan for diversity and inclusion
Corporate Responsibility Scorecard includes a variety of objectives designed to reinforce a commitment to make meaningful progress toward company's long-term diversity and inclusion goals
Promotes a culture of inclusion in which employees feel valued, respected and engaged, and where their differences, skills and experiences are embraced
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mini Grants support efforts by faculty, staff and student organizations through programs and leadership experiences to help make the college a diverse community
Social equity and inclusion plan; annual training for senior leadership focused on diversity, equity and inclusion
PwC Center for Diversity and Inclusion serves as a resource to empower students, staff and faculty to be active participants in building a diverse and responsible community
Diversity Council, long-term strategic plan for diversity, equity and inclusion sets a course for recruitment, training, culture, community support, product development and strategic initiatives
Working with local and global partners to identify and remove the barriers that historically have prevented some of those in our communities from thriving, while ensuring that each individual can access
2021: 1
2021: 3
2021: NL
HCH EnterprisesLLC | hchent.com Henry C.Hodge, owner and president
Green International AffiliatesInc. | greenintl.com KoIshikura
GM2 AssociatesInc. | GM2inc.com ToddRavenelle, senior vice president and Rhode Island division manager
3016 Post Road Warwick, R.I.02886 (401)568-5778
24 Albion Road, Suite 120 Lincoln, R.I.02865 (401)305-7337
200 Main St. Pawtucket, R.I.02860 (401)726-4084
$10,217,117 Information technology solutions and public consulting 1986
$1,150,583 Engineering and design 1993
$543,989 Civil and environmental engineering firm1988
2021: 10
Bryant AssociatesInc. | bryant-engrs.com Jeffrey C.Bryant, CEO
640 George Washington Highway Lincoln, R.I.02865 (401)722-7660
$531,208 Consulting engineers 1976 5
2021: 2
2021: 4
Lucena Bros.Inc. | lucenabros.com DavidLucena
70 Founders Drive Woonsocket, R.I.02895 (401)762-5400
$499,703 Paving and site construction 1988 6
2883 South County Trail East Greenwich, R.I.02818 (401)884-3310
$317,239 Electrical contractor 1990 7
2021: 8
Robert F. AudetInc. | rfaudet.com JohnMiguel, president
International PavingCorp. | internationalpaving.net JeffreyJoaquin, president
2021: 11 William Anthony ExcavatingInc. | waexcavating.com TonyRaposo, president and treasurer
1331 Main St. West Warwick, R.I.02893 (401)312-6565
$300,725 Paving services 2003 8
3666 Quaker Lane North Kingstown, R.I.02852 (401)294-2320
$280,940 Commercial paving, driveway services, excavating, sewage disposal systems 1989
P.O. Box 157 Lincoln, R.I.02802 (401)641-9007 $245,579 Asphalt repair 2019 10
2021: 9 E-Z PatchInc. | ezpatch.net DarrellEdmonds
2021: NL Thaddeus FarmInc. Joseph P.Nunes Jr., president
Heroica ConstructionInc. | heroicaconstruction.com JhonnyLeyva, president
2021: NL Banneker Supply Chain SolutionsInc. | banneker.com JuniorJabbie
350 Shippee Road East Greenwich, R.I.02818 (401)741-9639 $182,879 Landscaping 2009
631 Douglas Ave. Providence, R.I.02908 (401)641-9609 $178,383 General contractor 2007
582 Great Road, Suite 101 North Smithfield, R.I.02896 (401)534-0027 $150,828
2021: 12 APM Consulting FirmLLC AzadePerin-Montemoto 44 Rankin Ave. Providence, R.I.02908 (401)207-3490 $100,166
2021: NL Dubon Masonry Construction LLC | dubonmasonry.com GuillermoDubon, president
102 Roanoke St. Providence, R.I.02908 (401)639-2105 $97,229
Warehousing, kitting, fulfillment, distribution, supply chain management, procurement, logistics 1991
Strategic planning and development, marketing and communications, translation, program and project management 2019
2021: 15 Kay-Cor ContractorsInc. | kay-cor.com HerculanoSalustio, founder and president
(401)644-3980
2021: 7 1538 Elmwood Ave Cranston, R.I.02910 (401)486-0550 $31,326 Traffic safety products and construction equipment 2004 19 2021: 21 R. T. Nunes & SonsInc. | rtnunes.com JaredNunes, president 41 Industrial Lane West Warwick, R.I.02893 (401)821-8693 $22,729 General contractor 1991 20 2021: 14 L.A. Torrado ArchitectsInc. | torrado-architects.com LuisTorrado, president
Horton Interpreting ServicesInc. | language-link.com JuanaHorton, president 35 Greenwich St. Providence, R.I.02907 (401)781-0633 $22,700 Architectural design and professional services 1996 21 2021: 16 Silva Advertising SpecialtiesInc. | silvaadvertising.com DavidDaSilva, owner
225 Chapman St., Suite 303, 3rd floor Providence, R.I.02905 (401)331-4798 $65,539 Interpreting and translation agency1994 P.O. Box 14331 East Providence, R.I.02914 (401)438-7468 $18,199 Promotional products, screen printing, awards, signage 1989 1 Funding for state contracts for the 2021 fiscal year was awarded as part of the R.I. Department of Administration's Minority Business Enterprise Program.
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