Our Employer Advisory Board is a collaborative group of employers and industry professionals dedicated to shaping workforce development initiatives. By sharing expertise and feedback, members help strengthen our programs and create meaningful pathways to employment and career growth. Thank you to all current and past Board members for their dedication and guidance!
Abigail Hasenfus
Chief of Program Development, RI Office of Energy Resources (OER).
Abbie manages several energy programs at OER including the RI Clean Energy Internship Program, which provides paid internships to college students interested in pursuing clean energy career pathways.
Amanda Forget
National Service Commission Staff,
RI Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Office of Student, Community & Academic Support
Amanda has spent her career amplifying AmeriCorps service and promoting volunteerism throughout Rhode Island. She is actively involved in several community support organizations and continues to pursue her own education as she advocates for those who benefit from a different approach to educational experiences.
Ariane Famiglietti
Sr. Recruiter, Brown University Health
Ariane supports behavioral health positions with Gateway Healthcare, FRIENDS WAY, Capital City Community Centers, and The Autism Project. A firm believer in workforce development and supporting students to reach their dreams, she also serves as the Chair for Rhode Island Youth Theatre and just wrapped up her tenure as Industry Co-Chari for RIDE’s CTE programs in healthcare.
Bea Lanzi
Director of the RI State Government Internship Program
Bea works with hundreds of students each year to connect them with internship experiences throughout Rhode Island’s state government, including municipal agencies and non-profit organizations. Bea is a Fulbright Specialist and has been a Professor of Communication and English courses for over two decades. She has extensive experience teaching Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication and Professional Communication.
Cassandra Iasiello
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, RISE
Cassie partners with teams across the RISE organization to support their hiring needs, offering strategic insight and guidance for each new role. She leads full-cycle recruitment, supporting candidates from their first conversations through their first day at work. Cassie is passionate about building meaningful relationships, strengthening community connections, and championing what makes RISE exceptional: the people!
Dawn Zambito
Program Manager- Early Talent Acquisition, MEDITECH
Dawn drives the strategy for attracting, recruiting, and onboarding MEDITECH’s newest employees. Dawn’s role focuses on developing and optimizing orientation and internship programs as well as managing social media content, organizing recruiting events, and representing MEDITECH at educational institutions to build a pipeline of future talent.
Kathy Placencia
Director of Elections -Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore
Kathy is a member of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) and the Elections Assistance Commission (EAC). Kathy’s leadership led to her starring in the esteemed documentary “No Time to Fail,” which showcases election officials during the historic 2020 election. She frequently travels the nation to speak on panels to discuss the documentary and her expertise in elections. Before joining the Department of State, Placencia served as the administrator of elections for the City of Providence for 17 years.
Kelseigh Bohan
HR Recruiter, Perspectives Corporation
In her role Kelseigh partners with students and job seekers to explore career opportunities in Human Services and Behavioral Health at Perspectives. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Kelseigh especially enjoys working with local college students and helping them explore their passions while making a positive impact in their communities.
Kim Gates
Financial Education Manager & Certified Financial Counselor, Westerly Community Credit Union
For over 15 years, Kim has advocated and shared financial education resources for adults and students of all ages. She especially enjoys working with high school and college students to help prepare them for the future. Kim is proud to represent WCCU and partner with CCEE in offering the URI community the financial education program, Money Basics by URI. which offers students quick, on the go learning modules, covering topics including budgeting, credit, investing, and more.
Nick Edwards
Elections Information Coordinator, RI Department of State, Office of Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore
Nick’s main priority is community outreach and voter education, where he manages mock elections and voter registration events. Nick previously launched and served as Program Coordinator for the RI250 “Semiquincentennial” Commission, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States. Nick is a currently a Master of Public Administration candidate at Northeastern University and is a graduate of Suffolk University, where he studied communications and government.
Paul Furtado
Technology Product Manager, FM
Paul has been with FM since 2014 and was previously Software Development Manager and Chapter Lead. Paul is passionate about recruiting and learning, and coordinates FM’s Technology Co-Op program. Paul is a proud alum of URI.
Sean Linnane
Programming Services Officer, Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
Sean is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where he earned a B.S. in Marine Affairs, and Clemson University, where he earned a M.S. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. His work focuses on the relationship between Rhode Island’s public lands and the wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities they provide.
Silvermoon LaRose
Assistant Director, Tomaquag Museum
Silvermoon is a member of the Narragansett Tribe, and is an artist and educator who has worked in tribal communities for over 25 years, serving in the areas of health and human services, education, and museum administration. Silvermoon graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a minor in Justice Law and Society and continued her education at Western Washington University in Rehabilitation Counseling.
Stephen Dolinich
Manager, Talent Acquisition, The RISE Group, Inc.
Stephen is a versatile, hands on talent acquisition professional with over 20 years of experience in developing and delivering highly effective talent acquisition strategies. Stephen is committed to creating talent pipelines from high schools, trade schools, colleges & universities to the workforce.