"One specific thing I'd like to see in the next ten years is to pick up the Providence Journal one morning and see the headline, 'RI elects first female Governor'. And I have faith Women's Fund will play a very important role in that headline." A donor since 2007, Kim currently works as Special Assistant Attorney General in the criminal division for the RI Office of the Attorney General.
“When I first got involved I volunteered in the Grant Review Committee of the Women’s Fund. I didn’t realize it was such a unique way of grant making. I was really excited that the Women’s Fund invested in grassroots organizations and took chances on organizations that were just starting out or had emerging ideas. I felt so empowered, so excited to know that there is an organization that was giving grants to places in our community that were supporting women and girls, in particular, women and girls from low-income communities.” A donor, volunteer since 2008, Suzy works as Assistant Director of Affinity & Graduate Programs in the Alumni Office at Brown University.
"I came to the Women's Fund looking for an organization whose work would sort of touch my soul. Since then, the Fund has made me cognoscente of how policies that are seemingly neutral on the surface can have a disproportionate impact on women and girls." Donor and board chair of the Women's Fund, Tina works as Vice-President of Legal and Human Resources at A.T. Cross Company.
“I have an absolute passion for uplifting women. As a community, we are great contributors but we are not given equal access in all areas. So the mere fact that the Women’s Fund is focusing on creating a level playing field for all women makes me really excited. I’m thrilled to be part of Women's Fund!” Cheryl works as State Diversity Administrator at the Department of Administration.
"The world that I grew up in, my mother had to establish her value in a men's world as a scientist, and for my daughter she assumes that being a scientist is one of the things that is going to happen to her. So, the way I see the work of the Women's Fund, it is really making sure that world really exists for them and that those questions don't have to be asked by another generation and those poor explanations for inequality don't have to be given for another generation." A donor, volunteer since 2003, Liana works as Senior Account Manager at Athena Health.
"As a new board member, I am looking forward to networking with an amazing group of women and men, while working hard toward such an important mission." Judith Ventura Enright, CPA, Senior Manager at LGC&D and new addition to the Women's Fund board.
“When I was growing up I remember my mother going out of her way to teach me all of these feminist values. ‘Make sure you can support yourself, know what you want, and don’t take no for an answer.” The Women’s Fund allows more girls and women to feel the way my Mom made me feel -You want what the boys want?’ you can have it. My mom always said I could do anything boys do – and I want more people believing and acting like that is true. She told me I could get a sword and be Zorro.“ A donor since 2008, Nellie is the Executive Director of HousingWorks RI.
"One of the important things that Women's Fund focuses on is really awareness of issues. For me, this really hit home because I grew up with three sisters and my mother raised us to believe that anything boys could do girls could do too. We weren't really aware that gender inequity existed. I didn't experience it myself until I joined corporate America. When Marcia Coné, CEO of Women's Fund came and spoke to our Women's Networking Group, she explained the disparities in pay that still exist between genders in Rhode Island, the lack of female presence on corporate boards and at the executive levels, most of the women in that group were surprised to hear that those are still key issues in 2012." Sarah works in Retail Management as Managing Director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of RI.
"One word that I would use to describe the Women's Fund of Rhode Island is visionary. Because we don't see things as they are, we see things as they are going to be. I have a daughter, four nieces and one nephew, and now we're getting grandnieces and grandnephews. I want life to be different for them. I don't want them to have to worry about childcare, and who's going to do it. I don't want them to worry about who's getting the better job because they don't have to take time off to have children. I want to see my nieces become women who are successful and have every opportunity that my nephews will probably have. The work of Women's Fund will get us there. It's part of my life now. I can't imagine getting up in the morning and not having Women's Fund work to do. It is who I am, it is who I will be, and when I'm no longer on the board, I will still be part of Women's Fund. " A donor, volunteer since 2002, Daria works for RBS Citizens as Sr. HR Relationship Manager/VP.
“I have been following Women’s Fund of Rhode Island since its inception. As Senator Jack Reed’s Policy Director, over the past 12 years I turned to the Women’s Fund for assistance in research, special events development, and advice on public policy implementation. Now that I am retired from the US Senate, I am excited to participate directly in the invaluable services, activities, and contributions that the Women’s Fund provides to their many different constituencies and to diverse groups around the state. I am especially interested in professional, political and educational opportunities for women; pay equity; maternal and child health; and women veterans’ issues. Like the Women’s Fund, I relish the opportunity to give back to the community.”
Nancy Langrall
"I’ve chosen a career in the field of public affairs/public service and government relations where there are fewer women than men, in the workforce. As one one of two girls in my immediate family, both my parents, particularly my father, instilled in me from a very young age the value of public service. Never once did we have a conversation about whether or not I could engage as a public servant in a different way because I was a woman. I never have seen or felt an inability to be involved in politics, in government, even on the communications side, or really as a public servant, there hasn’t been a gender barrier for me. What I would like to be able to do as a Women’s Fund board member is to ensure that more young women feel that way going forward and they don’t see a barrier to being involved and to making really positive change." Arianne works in the Providence Mayor's Office as Deputy Chief of Staff.
"Women’s Fund is an important resource for both businesses and the government to understand how women are affected in the state of Rhode Island by a variety of programs, or by the lack of women in leadership roles. This informational resource needs to be available, providing the information on which they can base important decisions. I always take home the work of Women's Fund with me, and especially to my place of employment; I want to be an advocate for the women with whom I work, to make sure they are treated fairly and in a balanced way." Robin is a Partner at Hinckley, Allen and Snyder LLP in Providence.
"It sounds a little bit like a cliché when you say that your mother is the one who influenced you the most in regards to your association with Women’s Fund. In the case of my mother, she worked outside the home, she was a professional and yet she always instilled the balance between career and family. She was one of the first people who I knew that was able to accomplish both successfully. I think that Women’s Fund is really saying the same thing, that women and girls can accomplish anything that they set their minds to, and that they don’t have to give anything else up as a result of the goals that they set for themselves." Rogean works as Senior Vice President at The Washington Trust Co.
"The Women’s Fund is a tremendous organization that is investing in women throughout our community and working to reduce inequity among the genders that exists. Not only am I pleased to join the Board and support the Women’s Fund’s great efforts, but I am truly honored and humbled to be first male Board member.
I am looking forward to working with a terrific group of colleagues to do what we can to eliminate gender bias and create social justice for all." Neal J. McNamara, Partner at Nixon Peabody and new addition to the Women's Fund board.
Bio coming soon.
"Currently women are still making, depending on what poll you look at, 77 to 79 cents to every dollar men are making. That's still not equitable with our male colleagues and counterparts. I'd like to see that gap closed. I'd like to see more young women in leadership so the Women's Fund of Rhode Island perpetuates itself and we bring some new leaders along too. And that's why I invest in the Women's Fund, because I believe it is a very efficient and positive way to make change for women." A donor, volunteer since 2001, Susan works as President and CEO of Center for Women and Enterprise.
"I was very fortunate to attend a private, single-sex private school. During that time, being all girls, we were always given the opportunity by our faculty and by our teachers and our advisors to do whatever we wanted. We were told that we were able and should go after and be interested in any field we wanted, nothing was off limits to us. Now as a mother and grandmother, it's important for me that my children and grandchildren at some point have the opportunity to be in an environment where everyone gets an equal opportunity. It might take a while but I want them to know that I am, in my own little way, trying to help to make this happen." Chris Rooks, donor and volunteer since 2010.
"I think that within the next 10 years you are going to see a change in the make-up of boards in Rhode Island. The Women's Fund, especially the RI-GAP initiative is going to make it so women realize that there is a place for them to get engaged in the community, and that there is a place for them to serve, that they don't actually have to be asked to put their names out there and to serve." A donor, volunteer since 2011, Elizabeth works as an attorney at Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Pierce.