Meet Our Board
|
More About |
Rosemary Gribbin
Vice Chair & Officer of the Corporation
133 Prosser Trail Charlestown, RI 02813 - (401) 364-2021
Rosemary and her husband, John have lived in Charlestown since 1985. Rosemary worked for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center for 30 years, retiring as head of the Financial Analysis and Reporting Division. Upon her retirement, she was presented the meritorious civilian award, in recognition of her career accomplishments. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut as well as a Masters Degree from Salve Regina University. She is a member of the Friends of the National Wildlife Refuges of Rhode Island, and volunteers her time at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center in the Ninigret Wildlife Refuge. She serves as the Vice Chair of SRI Volunteers and chairs the Marketing Outreach and Governance Committees. As if that were not enough, she also volunteers in SRI Volunteers' administrative offices providing general office support and researching and writing grant proposals.
Kara J. Scott, Esq.
Treasurer & Officer of the Corporation
P O Box 5338 Wakefield, RI 02880 - (401) 225-0400
Kara's career in law focuses on real estate law; she is currently with the Kenyon Law Associates firm in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Kara has a long history of service to the community. She is the current President of the Board of Directors for the Charlestown Chamber of Commerce. Kara is always in a leadership position with social agencies she volunteers her time for; she is a committed, courageous community organizer. Kara is chairing the Marketing Events Planning Committee as well as the Secretary for SRI Volunteers. Kara has two young sons.
Adam Coutu
Director of the Corporation
99 Angell Road Narragansett, RI 02882 - (401) 792-9049
Adam has a strong passion for community service, earning Volunteer of the Year in 2012 for his many contributions to Southern Rhode Island Volunteers. He has also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and fundraised for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s the Jimmy Fund. Adam is a lifelong Rhode Island resident who has lived in Narragansett for most of the last ten years. He loves his community and hopes to continue serving them for many years to come. Even though he is very excited and grateful to be joining the Board of Directors and serving as a member of the Development Committee, he loves his “grass roots” volunteer duties the most, especially delivering meals on wheels and groceries to people in need. Adam is also a registered pharmacist who received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Rhode Island in 2002. In addition to volunteering, his other main interests are the outdoors and movies, having worked as an extra on locally filmed productions.
Brian Ladeira
Director of the Corporation
22 Rodman Street Wakefield, RI 02879 - (401) 789-1503
Brian's passion of service to older citizens was what lead him to Southern Rhode Island Volunteers. He has been an active advocate for elder citizens for sometime. Additionally, Brian has a strong interest in community support which makes him an ideal Director for a community service agency. Brian has a history of service at the Pt. Judith Yacht Club where he held many offices including Commodore. He has an interest in bringing together various resources for the greater community good. Brian makes his home in Wakefield with his wife, Mary Ellen.
John Thompson
Director of the Corporation
189 Hampton Way Wakefield, RI 02879 - (401) 284-0309
John and his wife Teresa moved to Wakefield in December 2011 after John retired as a Systems Engineering Manager from the Boeing Company in Seattle, WA. John worked as a systems engineer for the Department of the Navy for 15 years and then 24 years for the Boeing Company after he had served in the US Army as a Signal Officer for five years.
While working for the Department of the Navy, John was nominated for the President’s Volunteer Action Award in 1987 for his innovative volunteer efforts from tutoring students in math and science to recruiting women and minorities for careers in engineering. When John moved to Seattle his volunteering efforts shifted to coaching youth athletics for over 15 years. After completed coaching youth athletics he switched to volunteering for the Seattle Children Hospital fund raising events for 5 years. Upon moving to Wakefield, RI, John’s volunteering has shifted to assisting senior citizens.
While working for the Department of the Navy, John was nominated for the President’s Volunteer Action Award in 1987 for his innovative volunteer efforts from tutoring students in math and science to recruiting women and minorities for careers in engineering. When John moved to Seattle his volunteering efforts shifted to coaching youth athletics for over 15 years. After completed coaching youth athletics he switched to volunteering for the Seattle Children Hospital fund raising events for 5 years. Upon moving to Wakefield, RI, John’s volunteering has shifted to assisting senior citizens.
Willson Cummer
Director of the Corporation
283 Kenyon Avenue Wakefield, RI 02879 - (401) 789-3972
Will is a retired college professor, having taught at Cornell University and Rhode Island School of Design. He moved to Providence with his wife, Whitney in 1981 and then on to Wakefield 15 years ago. He has volunteered with SRIV for over ten years mostly as a Meals on Wheels driver/deliver. He enjoys serving his "clients" and is often led to making household repairs or garden pruning on their behalf. He has volunteered with the URI Watershed Watch for the past five years, taking water samples from a kayak on Narrow River. Recently he has begun serving as a mentor with Open Doors in Providence. Will enjoys practicing yoga, gardening and sailing.
Chief James Cotter
Director of the Corporation
122 Old Post Rd., South Kingstown, RI 02879 (401) 789-0835
Jim and wife Maureen have lived in Wakefield since 1978. Jim is currently the Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the Town of Narragansett. Jim was a Providence Firefighter for 29 years before he started with Narragansett in 2003. He received his Bachelor's Degree in fire science from Providence College and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from The University of Rhode Island. Jim is also a member of the Narragansett Lions Club and the South Kingstown's Elks.
Victoria Vona
Honorary Board Member
10 Boulder Dr. Carolina, RI 02812 - (401) 539-0604
Victoria Vona moved to Richmond with her husband Michael in 2000 from Warwick. She is the mother of 4 boys and grandmother of 4 boys. Victoria is the treasurer for the Richmond Democratic Town Committee and a past-President of Southern Rhode Island Volunteers. Her professional career accomplishments include work as a librarian in Cranston for 10 years. She was crowned Mrs. Rhode Island International 2000. Victoria has volunteered her time to such wonderful organizations as the Million Mom March, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Boy Scouts of America, Adults of Retarded Citizens, Warwick Shelter for the Homeless, PTO board, events planner/coordinator and tutor in the Warwick School Systems. Victoria has also coordinated the Bikers for Babies event for thhe March of Dimes of RI. For a time, Victoria enjoyed mentoring in the East Greenwich schools. An avid community organizer and service volunteer, Victoria has planned many successful events including one of her favorites the Richmond Country Gardens tour. Victoria brings those many event planning skills to SRI Volunteer's Marketing Events Planning Committee.
William Gates
Honorary Board Member
340 Woodruff Avenue Wakefield, RI 02879 - (401) 783-3111
Bill is a life long resident of South Kingstown and considers himself a moderate Swamp Yankee. He is a Graduate of Eaglebrook, Hebron and URI. A professional insurance person for 40-plus years, he founded and then operated The Gates Insurance Agency for 32 years. Over the years, Bill served the community on the South Kingstown Town Council, as Town moderator, as Deputy Chief of the Union Fire District, Commander of the South County Ambulance Corps, and as Vice Chair of the Town of South Kingstown Charter Commission. His many civic positions include past President of the South Kingstown Lions Club, past President of Greaater Rhode Island Private Industry Council, and the Regional Employment Training Council, member of the RI Human Resource Council, co-founder and past President of the Ram Par Club at URI, co-founder and Past President of the Galilee Mission, past Chair of the Lions Club Heritage Festival, past President on Southern Rhode Island Volunteers' Board of Directors for 3 years and he is a member of the Elks, Masons and the Shriners. He is the 2004 recipient of the Paul Harris Award. Retired, Bill enjoys wood working projects, gardening and golf as well as spending time with his family.
