2021-2022 Board of Directors

Janice DiPietro, Chair- Driven by a passion for helping people and organizations succeed, Janice has successfully led and consulted to companies for over 25 years. She has experience in many diverse and complex industries, with a focus on women-led and family enterprises. A lifelong student of leadership and human behavior, Janice believes by empowering people to do their best, exceptional results are possible. Janice founded E.L.I. to channel that passion and experience in a powerful new way, bringing together an exceptional team of C-level executives to guide clients successfully through periods of growth, performance improvement and leadership and ownership transitions.

Janice holds an MBA and doctoral degree from Boston University and graduated summa cum laude from Bentley University with a BS in Accountancy. She also speaks and publishes on a variety of business topics and serves as a board member for several profit and nonprofit organizations. Janice enjoys spending time with her husband of over 35 years and their expanding family — including four incredibly energetic grandchildren! An avid beach-goer, she takes full advantage of the beautiful New England coastline as often as possible. Janice was elected as Board Chair in May 2022 after serving as Board Treasurer and has served on multiple committees during her time at GSSNE. 

Peg Ruggieri, 1st Vice-Chair- Peg is a retired faculty member of the Providence College School of Business Accountancy Department where she taught for over 20 years and served as an Assistant Dean of the College. Prior to her teaching career, Peg worked as a CPA at Ernst & Young in both the audit and tax departments. She received her Bachelor of Science from Boston College and a Master in Taxation from Bryant University. Peg is the co-chair of GSSNE’s Advocacy Subcommittee and has been the Chair of GSSNE’s Leading Women of Distinction event for the past several years.

Claire Nelson, 2nd Vice Chair - Claire runs an independent consulting business, Contemporary Clarity, where she provides marketing and communication services to small businesses, non-profit organizations, and political campaigns. Before moving to Rhode Island, she was the Marketing & Communications Manager at Rogers Ford Sales in Midland, Texas. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, which oversees West Texas and Eastern New Mexico.

A life-long member of Girl Scouts, her Girl Scout Gold Award project continues to be an annual event, raising awareness for child abuse prevention in West Texas. As a Girl Scout, Claire attended a program called “Camp CEO,” then returned ten years later as a “CEO” to provide guidance to young girls at the same camp. Claire is on the GSSNE Executive, Fund Development, and Cookies & Cocktails Committees. She graduated with honors from Texas Christian University, earning a BBA in Marketing and Minor in Music.

Gina M. DeVecchis, Treasurer - Gina is a Principal at DiSanto, Priest & Co. with over 20 years of experience in public accounting, specializing in estate and trust work. In addition, she is involved in consulting for privately held businesses and preparation of corporate and individual returns. She actively participates in the firm’s internship program, especially with high school students. She is President of DiSanto Priest Charitable Foundation.

Gina received her undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island with a concentration in accounting as well as a Master of Science in Taxation degree from Bryant University. Gina is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants where she has been involved with the Membership and Personal Financial Planning Committees. Gina currently serves as Chair of the GSSNE Finance Committee.

Lori A. Basilico, Esq., Secretary - Lori is a partner attorney with the law firm of Locke Lord LLP. She is the head of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group. She received an LL.M in Taxation from Boston University School of Law, a JD from the University of Denver College of Law, and a BA in government from Smith College. She is active with the Smith College Club of Rhode Island and was a board member of the Rhode Island Lung Association. Lori lives in Providence with her husband, Paul Adler, and their two children, Griffin and Cecily. Lori is currently serving as Secretary for GSSNE.

David Blair - David is the Vice President of Claims and Loss Prevention at The Beacon Mutual Insurance Company, where he leads a team dedicated to helping Rhode Island employers prevent workplace injuries and helping their employees recover and return to work when an injury occurs. Prior to joining Beacon Mutual in 2019, David spent 17 years in various leadership roles at Liberty Mutual throughout the United States. A native of Indiana, he earned his Bachelor’s degree at Ball State University and Masters from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. David moved to Warwick in 2020 with his husband, Sedric Miles, and their two dogs, Moby Dog and Lucky. After multiple relocations, he is excited to now call Rhode Island home and is getting involved in the community. David was a member of the Leadership Rhode Island Rho II class.

Joanne M. Daly - Joanne M. Daly is a First Vice President and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley and has more than 25 years of financial services experience. Joanne is a former CPA Tax Manager for Ernst and Young and earned an M.S. in Taxation from Bryant University. Joanne is on the board of the Women’s Fund of RI and GFWC Women’s Club of South County, as well as a member of South County Hospital’s Development Committee, RISCPA Women’s Leadership Council, RI Estate Planning Council, Leadership RI and United Way of RI’s Tocqueville Society Committee and Women United Executive Committee. Joanne is a former Girl Scout leader for her daughter’s troop and her mother was a Girl Scout as well. Joanne lives in Narragansett with her husband.

Akhil Gupta - Akhil is the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Johnson and Wales University in Providence. He has served the university for over 17 years in a variety of roles including Executive Director of Finance, Vice President of the Providence campus, and Chief Information Officer. His career includes experience with small businesses, corporate clients, and higher education. He has led the growth of a family-owned business in Kansas City, served as Senior Vice President at Fleet Bank, and worked on developing growth strategies for clients such as Briggs & Stratton, Chubb Insurance, and Texas Utilities.

Akhil received a BA from McGill University and an MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His education and career have given him the opportunity to live, study, and work in India, England, Canada, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Dubai, and the United States. He enjoys traveling, photography, and building stone patios.

Mario Hilario - Mario Hilario is the anchor of NBC 10 News Sunrise. Mario is a 1992 graduate of Emerson College in Boston and began his television career as a director at WLVI-TV. He also served as anchor and managing editor for Metro News in Brockton, Massachusetts, and as a general assignment reporter at WLNE-TV before joining the NBC 10 team. In addition to his daily anchoring and reporting duties, Mario has written and reported two half-hour specials examining issues critical to Southern New Englanders. "Where Do We Live?" looked at the problems of homelessness and affordable housing in our area. "Breaking the Silence" looked at the problem of domestic violence from the unique perspective of those who are responsible for the abuse. Mario won the Associated Press award for his work on the special "Where Do We Live?" and is also a five-time Emmy award nominee.

Living in Rhode Island since 1996, Mario has truly become a part of the community and volunteers his time with a number of different nonprofit organizations. Mario is a member of Leadership Rhode Island's Alpha II Class.

Mario has served as the emcee of GSSNE’s Cookies & Cocktails event since its inception. When Mario is not working, he enjoys working out and puttering in his garden. He also enjoys dancing, cooking, and eating!

MaryKay Koreivo - MaryKay is a Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager for the Rhode Island market in Commercial Banking at Bank of America. In this capacity, her responsibilities include leading a team of specialists focused on understanding each client’s unique needs to deliver strategic financial guidance and solutions. MaryKay volunteers with several not-for-profit organizations. As a board member for GSSNE, she serves on the Finance, Foundation, and Board Development Committees.  In support of early childhood literacy, she is an active member of the United Way of RI’s Women United where she serves as Vice Chair of the Executive Committee. MaryKay also volunteers as a Loan Committee member for Social Enterprise Greenhouse, which creates positive social and economic impacts by supporting social entrepreneurs and enterprises. In addition, she is past president of the LPGA Amateurs of RI and currently serves as Coordinator of its Cranston League. As a dance enthusiast, MaryKay serves on the Finance Committee and for the Island Moving Company, the not-for-profit Newport-based contemporary ballet company. She also serves as a mentor for teammates across Bank of America Merrill Lynch as a member of Power of Ten, a grassroots program that encourages women to expand their career horizons. Since 2019, she has served as Co-Chair of the RI Banker’s Association Women in Banking Council.

MaryKay graduated with a B.S in Business Administration/Finance Major from the University of Rhode Island. She continued her education at Bryant University where she earned a Master’s in Business Administration. She resides with her family in Cumberland, RI. MaryKay was recognized as one of GSSNE’s Leading Women in 2019. She was a Girl Scout as a child in NJ and served as a leader in RI for seven years.

Imanah Mahmoud - Imanah Mahmoud is a native Rhode Islander and Emerson College graduate. After graduation, Imanah moved to Hollywood and worked at talent management companies, development companies, and film festivals. She quickly became known for her upbeat attitude, exacting detail, ability to manage interpersonal dynamics, and conscientiousness. While working full-time she produced various short films on the side, prioritizing opportunities to work with friends she made throughout her college and professional career. As the joke goes, Imanah, like many native Rhode Islanders, left Rhode Island for greener pastures only to return several years later. She joined Brown University's alumni relations office as an Assistant Director to Regional Engagement. She manages alumni volunteers throughout the world building strong alumni clubs and relationships locally and back to Brown. Imanah did this locally as well as a former chair of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers, specifically increasing their social media presence to reach younger audiences. She recently joined one of the alumni boards at her alma mater, Emerson College. 

Carrie Majewski - Carrie Majewski is committed to affecting change. Whether that means helping a company originate and execute a best-of-breed marketing and branding strategy, leading a seminar on redefining leadership, or creating safe space for female trailblazers to come together, she is fueled by desire to take action. Carrie is the Founder and CEO of the Women in Leadership Nexus. She is also the Vice President of Marketing of SQA Group, a business and technology solutions firm. Carrie was named the 2019 "Woman to Watch" in the Providence Business News' Professional Services category; a 2019 winner on the RI Inno 50 On Fire List; a 2017 Rhode Island “40 Under 40” honoree and a 2016 Rhode Island Tech10 Winner. She received her bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. In 2017 she received her Women in Leadership professional certificate from Cornell University. Carrie is also a member of the Tech Collective's Women in Technology Committee. Carrie serves on GSSNE's Leading Women Committee as well as the Advocacy Committee.

Maria Markos - Maria is an Executive Director of Finance Transformation at CVS Health. She has been with CVS Health for over twelve years in varying accounting roles. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing a multi-year project that is transforming CVS Health’s Finance Organization by upgrading digital core systems with powerful tools and standardized processes. Prior to CVS Health, Maria was an Audit Manager at Ernst and Young, LLP. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island where she received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting as well as her Master of Science in Accounting. Maria is a CPA, licensed in Rhode Island.  She currently serves as the Audit Committee Chair of the Church of the Annunciation where she has been a longtime volunteer and is responsible for the coordination, execution, and reporting of the annual financial statement review. Maria serves on GSSNE’s Audit Committee as well as the Cookies and Cocktails Committee.

Cindi Paliotta - During Cindi’s career, she has worked in the hospitality industry as a sales and marketing director, as well as a political fundraiser and event coordinator. In recent years she has concentrated her efforts on fundraising and event planning for various nonprofits. She has been involved in fundraising for Our Lady of Mercy School and Tabor Academy where her children attended. She founded and continues to operate Holidays for Children, a nonprofit supporting children in need at holiday time. 

Cindi is a California native now living in Marion, MA with her husband, John. They have four children. Their youngest daughter Alison attends Boston College. A Girl Scout for 13 years, Alison’s most memorable moments were spent at Camp Hoffman. One of Cindi’s passions is to help provide every girl with the camping experience that her daughter so enjoyed. Cindi currently serves on GSSNE’s Cookies and Cocktails Committee.

Deborah Ricci - Deb Ricci recently retired from Carousel Industries, Exeter RI after 16 years, having held various leadership positions. Deb’s career spanned 47 years in the telecommunication/IT industry, focusing on Service Delivery, Process Improvement, Project Management, and Employee Development. Deb worked in major corporations in managerial positions in various states while employed with Avaya, Lucent, AT&T and what is now Verizon. Deb’s experience working with people—employees, leadership teams, and with customers—has focused on enhancing learning opportunities, building professional knowledge in both technical and soft skills, and coaching to accept changes in business direction. Deb is a board member of Women in Leadership Nexus. She is the co-chair of GSSNE’s Advocacy Subcommittee and a member of the Fund Development Committee. 

Jen Hetzel Silbert, MSOD - Jen is the co-founder of Spartina Consulting. Jen also launched the nonprofit Learning401 to partner with RI schools to deliver strength-based leadership programming to students, while giving voice to the public that is public school. Prior to this, she spent over a decade as an organization development consultant and leadership coach at Bearing Point, EDS, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and IBM. Jen is a certified Culture Values Assessment (CVA) consultant with a passion for helping organizations to name, measure and manage their values-in-action. Merging her skills at work into her personal life, she co-authored the book Positive Family Dynamics: Appreciative Inquiry Questions to Bring Out the Best in Families. 

A TEDxProvidence speaker and emcee, 2019 Leadership Rhode Island graduate, a serial mentor to emerging women leaders, and marathon coach turned soccer mom, Jen is based in Rhode Island with her husband, Tony, and two daughters, where she is a paddle boarding, trail hiking, dog-loving yogi. 

Lisa St. Onge - Lisa St. Onge is a Managing Vice President in the Claims Executive Department of Amica Mutual Insurance Company, Lincoln, Rhode Island. Lisa has over 29 years of experience in risk management, customer service, and leadership with Amica. She currently is responsible for oversight of Amica’s homeowner and marine claims technical operations and catastrophe coordination. Lisa has a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from the University of New Hampshire. She has obtained professional designations including CPCU, AIC, INS, and AIM. She serves on the Property & Liability Advisory Board of the Property & Liability Research Bureau (PLRB). Lisa resides in Attleboro, MA with her husband and their two children. She was active in Girl Scouts for many years and is a proud parent of an Ambassador. Lisa currently serves on GSSNE’s Advocacy Committee.

Kelli Viera - Kelli is the Employee Benefits Regional Leader for Alera Group, an independent national insurance and financial services firm. She brings more than 25 years of leadership, management, and employee health and benefits consulting experience to clients and colleagues.

Kelli received her undergraduate degree from The University of Michigan with concentrations in business and organizational psychology. Presently, she is a Board Member-at-Large and Fund Development Chair for GSSNE and a member of the Board of Governors for The University Club in Providence, RI.  She was a Girl Scout for several years growing up in central Michigan.

Betty Cugini - Betty Cugini has been involved in Girl Scouting in Rhode Island for 50 years. She has been on the Board of Directors since 1978 and was council President from 1986 to 1992. She is currently the chair of our museum committee, serves on our finance committee, and is an honorary board member. Betty’s received the YMCA Service to Youth Award and several of Girl Scouting’s highest awards: the Thanks Badge, the Thanks Badge II, and the Mira Hoffman Award. Betty was the council’s “Partner in Philanthropy” in 1998. Betty graduated URI with a BS degree in early childhood education. Betty is married to Joseph N. Cugini and is the mother of two children, Betty-Jo and David, and the grandmother of three, Katharine, Christopher, and Finley. 

Mike Ritz, BDC Chair - Training language instructors from multiple cultures while studying applied psycholinguistics in Mexico City sparked Mike's lifelong interests in human behavior and communication. Mike has been the Executive Director for Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) for the past 12 years. 

Prior to LRI, Mike served as a Tri-lingual interrogator in the U.S. Army, established his first company by the age of 25, motivated people to excel at his fitness Boot Camps, and served as a Regional Manager for an international healthcare company based in the United Arab Emirates. A former on-call interrogation analyst for CNN, Mike has been interviewed hundreds of times for TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. He participated in nine documentaries in 15 years; "Songs of War" won an International Emmy. He was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service for his DoD leadership appointments in RI and nationally through Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve. He continues to volunteer in support of our military and veterans as President of the Board of FORGE, a national nonprofit focused on decreasing veteran suicides through The Overwatch Project.

Mike is a board member for the Association of Leadership Programs, serves on the the Steering Committee of the Equity Leadership Institute of The Rhode Island Foundation, and in 2020 through LRI, launched the National Leadership Network representing 700,000+ community leadership program alumni across the country. 

Joanne M. Daly - Joanne M. Daly is a First Vice President and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley and has more than 25 years of financial services experience. Joanne is a former CPA Tax Manager for Ernst and Young and earned an M.S. in Taxation from Bryant University. Joanne is on the board of the Women’s Fund of RI and GFWC Women’s Club of South County, as well as a member of South County Hospital’s Development Committee, RISCPA Women’s Leadership Council, RI Estate Planning Council, Leadership RI and United Way of RI’s Tocqueville Society Committee and Women United Executive Committee. Joanne is a former Girl Scout leader for her daughter’s troop and her mother was a Girl Scout as well. Joanne lives in Narragansett with her husband.

Mario Hilario - Mario Hilario is the anchor of NBC 10 News Sunrise. Mario is a 1992 graduate of Emerson College in Boston and began his television career as a director at WLVI-TV. He also served as anchor and managing editor for Metro News in Brockton, Massachusetts, and as a general assignment reporter at WLNE-TV before joining the NBC 10 team.

Living in Rhode Island since 1996, Mario has truly become a part of the community and volunteers his time with a number of different nonprofit organizations. Mario is a member of Leadership Rhode Island's Alpha II Class, an organization that brings together community leaders from across Southern New England to examine issues facing Rhode Island and its future.

In addition to his daily anchoring and reporting duties, Mario has written and reported two half-hour specials examining issues critical to Southern New Englanders. "Where Do We Live?" looked at the problems of homelessness and affordable housing in our area. "Breaking the Silence" looked at the problem of domestic violence from the unique perspective of those who are responsible for the abuse.

Mario won the Associated Press award for his work on the special "Where Do We Live?" and is also a five-time Emmy award nominee.

Mario has served as the emcee of GSSNE’s Cookies & Cocktails event since its inception. When Mario is not working, he enjoys working out and puttering in his garden. He also enjoys dancing, cooking, and eating!

John Houle - John founded JH Communications in 2002 with the mission of offering small businesses access to high-quality, effective marketing and public relations services, and today the agency represents over 50 small businesses, medical practices, and trade associations in New England. Active in the community, John was a principal organizer of Gateway Healthcare's Light of Hope Campaign, in which he has been responsible for providing thousands of families and children with holiday gifts. John serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce and served on the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island. A graduate of Boston College (BA, 1994), John resides in Cranston, RI, with his wife, Susan, and their children, Jenna and Christopher. John previously served six years as a member at large on the GSSNE board of directors.

MaryKay Koreivo - MaryKay Koreivo is a Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager for the Rhode Island market in Commercial Banking at Bank of America. In this capacity, her responsibilities include leading a team of specialists focused on understanding each client’s unique needs to deliver strategic financial guidance and solutions.

MaryKay volunteers with several not-for-profit organizations. In support of early childhood literacy, she is an active member of the United Way of RI’s Women United where she serves on the Executive Committee and as Chairperson of the Membership Committee. MaryKay also volunteers as a Loan Committee member for Social Enterprise Greenhouse, which creates positive social and economic impacts by supporting social entrepreneurs and enterprises. In addition, she is past president of the LPGA Amateurs of RI, currently volunteers in the association’s charity fundraisers, and serves as Coordinator of its Cranston League. As a dance enthusiast, MaryKay serves on the Finance Committee and is a Partner for Dance for the Island Moving Company, the not-for-profit Newport-based contemporary ballet company. She also serves as a mentor for teammates across Bank of America Merrill Lynch as a member of Power of Ten, a grassroots program that encourages women to expand their career horizons.

MaryKay graduated with a B.S in Business Administration/ Finance Major from the University of Rhode Island. She continued her education at Bryant University where she earned a Master’s in Business Administration. She now resides with her family in Cumberland, RI. MaryKay was recognized as one of GSSNE’s Leading Women in 2019. She was a Girl Scout as a child in NJ and served as a leader in RI for seven years.

Allison Lane - Allison is a Partner with over 25 years of experience with a law practice focused primarily on real estate, finance, and business law and is the Co-Chair of the Commercial Real Estate Department at DarrowEverett LLP. She is admitted to practice in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, as well as the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Allison’s work focuses on various aspects of each practice of these areas, including commercial and residential real estate transactions, and commercial lending.

Allison was the founding Chair of the Central Massachusetts Committee of the Women's Bar Association, volunteers with March of Dimes, and serves as a Trustee of the Janet Malser Humanities Trust. Allison has a long history of involvement in Girl Scouts; she was a member of the Board Development Committee for the Montachusett Council of Girl Scouts and the Board Development Committee charged with forming the original Board for the merged Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) in 2007. She served as Chair of the Board Development Committee and a Board Member of GSCWM from 2008-2010 when she became Chair of the Board for two terms until 2015. She was recognized for her work in support of Girl Scouts when she received the Thanks Badge, the highest honor for an adult volunteer for their ongoing commitment, leadership, and service to Girl Scouts. Ms. Lane served as a national delegate to the Girl Scout National Council Session and Convention in Houston Texas and St. Louis, Missouri.

Sally A. Russell - Sally is President of Howard Russell Insurance and partner in Rhode Island Insurance Group. She and her sister, Heidi Russell Duggan, own and operate their business in East Greenwich. Sally graduated with a BA degree from Denison University. She was a girl member, served as a Girl Scout adult volunteer, and completed three terms as a member of the Board of Directors. She previously served as Chair of the Service Fee/Family Partnership Task Group and member of the Fund Development Committee. She is active in the Rotary Club of East Greenwich and the Board of Directors of the East Greenwich Free Library. She and her husband, John Prendergast, reside in East Greenwich. They have a daughter and a son who were both involved in Scouting and two Daisy granddaughters.

Dana Borrelli-Murray, GSSNE CEO - Dana is the new CEO at GSSNE. An experienced nonprofit leader, Dana assumed responsibilities on May 9, 2022. Dana spent nine years as the Executive Director for the Highlander Institute, an education nonprofit organization that partners with communities to imagine and create more equitable, relevant, and effective schools. Under her leadership, the Institute grew exponentially and is now viewed as a national leader in driving instructional equity.  

Dana is passionate about creating learning environments for girls that extend beyond the school day. Before her role at the Highlander Institute, Dana worked as a director at Highlander Charter School where she created policies and systems to elevate any time, any place learning opportunities for a diverse constituency. Through this work, she developed programs, fundraised, and formed partnerships with hundreds of community organizations, volunteers, and service providers across the state. 

Dana is an active community member with a strong and vast network. She serves on several city, state, and national boards and committees, including RI’s Commission for National and Community Service and the Executive Board for RI NOW (National Organization of Women). As a foster parent, she facilitates the Foster Parent Advisory Council for the RI Department of Children, Youth and Families. Dana is the Chair of the Board for Trinity Academy for Performing Arts (TAPA), a performing arts charter school in Providence, and the current Programming Committee Co-Chair for Leadership Rhode Island. She also plays saxophone with the Extraordinary Rendition Band, creating raucous noise for social causes. 

A native Rhode Islander, Dana holds graduate degrees in anthropology (University of Massachusetts-Amherst) and urban education policy (Brown University) and lives in the Edgewood neighborhood of Cranston with her spouse and four young children. 

Janice DiPietro, GSSNE Board Chair - Driven by a passion for helping people and organizations succeed, Janice has successfully led and consulted to companies for over 25 years. She has experience in many diverse and complex industries, with a focus on women-led and family enterprises. A lifelong student of leadership and human behavior, Janice believes by empowering people to do their best, exceptional results are possible. Janice founded E.L.I. to channel that passion and experience in a powerful new way, bringing together an exceptional team of C-level executives to guide clients successfully through periods of growth, performance improvement and leadership and ownership transitions.

Janice holds an MBA and doctoral degree from Boston University and graduated summa cum laude from Bentley University with a BS in Accountancy. She also speaks and publishes on a variety of business topics and serves as a board member for several profit and nonprofit organizations. Janice enjoys spending time with her husband of over 35 years and their expanding family — including four incredibly energetic grandchildren! An avid beach-goer, she takes full advantage of the beautiful New England coastline as often as possible. Janice was elected as Board Chair in May 2022 after serving as Board Treasurer and has served on multiple committees during her time at GSSNE. 

Jordan Brown, Current Girl Scout - Jordan is a sophomore at Middletown High School where she is a member of the tech crew for the MHS Drama Club. She's involved in Islanders Committed, a group dedicated to promoting wellness through healthy choices and activities to high schoolers. She is also a member and advocate of Middletown High's Gay-Straight Alliance.

Jordan has been a Girl Scout since first grade and has a love and passion for resident camp at Camp Hoffman. If there is an event or activity at Hoffman, Jordan will be there! Jordan has been very involved in volunteering with the younger troops in her community and is much beloved by the Daisies and Brownies. Jordan recently joined the Rocky Farm Masterplan Task Group and is honored to be a part of the future vision of Rocky Farm.

Beyond all things camp, Jordan loves to travel, her favorite travel experience was her 2018 Girl Scout trip to Costa Rica. Jordan enjoys the leadership component of Girl Scouts and is excited to take this step in her Scouting journey in the role of a delegate at the 2023 National Convention.

Kristina Schrag, Ph.D., Troop Leader - Dr. Schrag leads a very successful, diverse, multi-level troop in Providence. Dr. Schrag is passionate about incorporating the needs and interests of girls into curricula to assist their developmental journeys. As an active leader for the past five years, she understands the mission of GSSNE and GSUSA through the lenses of program delivery and girl experience. She has training in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and experience teaching and counseling young people ages 3-21 in a variety of settings. She holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology and lives with her husband, son, and Junior Girl Scout daughter in Providence.

Kyla Brown, Current Girl Scout - Kyla is a sophomore at Rogers High School in Newport. At Rogers, Kyla participates in the PTECH program, allowing her to take college courses at CCRI at the same time. This dual enrollment plan will allow her to graduate high school and receive her associate's degree from CCRI simultaneously. Her education and career path focuses on the cybersecurity field. Kyla is a member of the Newport CyberPatriot team, which placed first in state in 2022. She is passionate about social justice causes, always prepared to lend her voice to community allies, especially with women and those of the LGBTQ+ community. Kyla has been a Girl Scout since first grade, earned her Bronze Award, and has consistently been in the top 15 council cookie sellers for the last few years. She loves to camp with her troop at Camp Hoffman and Camp Rocky Farm but her love of traveling has taken her to New York City, New Hampshire, Maine, Upstate New York, Quebec City, Washington D.C., and Costa Rica— all with Girl Scouts. 

Peg Ruggieri, 1st Vice-Chair- Peg is a retired faculty member of the Providence College School of Business Accountancy Department where she taught for over 20 years and served as an Assistant Dean of the College. Prior to her teaching career, Peg worked as a CPA at Ernst & Young in both the audit and tax departments. She received her Bachelor of Science from Boston College and a Master in Taxation from Bryant University. Peg is the co-chair of GSSNE’s Advocacy Subcommittee and has been the Chair of GSSNE’s Leading Women of Distinction event for the past several years.