Rhode Island Democratic Party Women’s Caucus
Meet the Candidates for the 2018 Executive Committee
The candidates endorsed (via a ranked choice voting process) received the majority of the nominating committee's 14 votes. Endorsements were based on a review of resumes and letters of interest, as well as in-person interviews with each candidate. All of the candidates - endorsed or not - were incredible, strong and qualified.
Below, there are 13 positions listed. Each position can hold one person, except for the Town Committee positions, which holds two. Most of the slots below only have one candidate (the endorsed candidate) because either other candidates dropped out of the race after not receiving an endorsement, or because people ran for multiple positions and they were endorsed for a different position. All Women's Caucus members should vote for each position, even if the position is uncontested.
CHAIR
SULINA MOHANTY
Sulina was born and raised in Rhode Island and is a proud alum of the University of Rhode Island. After graduating from college, Sulina was a special education teacher in South Phoenix, while also earning an M.Ed in Special Education from Arizona State University. During that time, Sulina became extremely passionate about pursuing justice and equal opportunities for low income communities and individuals with disabilities. After teaching in Arizona, Sulina moved to Washington, DC where she helped open an early childhood school. Sulina has continued to work in education through special education administration and coaching teachers and school leaders in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Sulina is on the Board of Governors for Leadership Rhode Island, the Executive Board of the University of Rhode Island Alumni Association, and the North Kingstown Juvenile Hearing Board. She also serves as a strengths coach through Leadership Rhode Island and partners with local organizations, companies, and schools to help them utilize a strengths based strategy to maximize their impact and engagement. In her community, she also works very closely with local youth groups to ensure all students have access to social activities, mentors, and academic and emotional supports. Sulina currently serves as the chairwoman of the North Kingstown Democratic Committee and secretary of the Rhode Island Association of Democratic City and Town Chairs.
VICE CHAIR
BRIDGET VALVERDE
Endorsed by the Nominating Committee
I grew up in Connecticut and came to live in Rhode Island by way of Washington, DC and California. While attending George Washington University I interned for a year for Paul Strauss, a Democratic shadow senator for the District of Columbia. We worked to promote full voting representation for residents of the District. After graduation, I packed up my car and headed west to San Francisco. Initially, I worked at a consulting agency, coordinating online fundraising and communications programs for nonprofits like NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Humane Society of the United States before joining the development department at the San Francisco Food Bank. As a development manager I oversaw the individual giving program and coordinated communications efforts to grow the Food Bank’s supporter base. I’ve been involved in Democratic politics since I was a kid knocking doors for my mom as she ran for local office. I have door-knocked, phone-banked and raised money for Democratic women ever since. Progressive activism has been a part of my life since elementary school – and my passion and commitment have only increased since the 2016 election. I am excited to be able to bring to bear all my professional expertise and personal experience to help us achieve the goals we will set out as a caucus. I live in North Kingstown with my husband, Will, our two sons, Oscar and Elliot, and our pug, Lola. When I’m not busy smashing the patriarchy, I’m pitching for my softball team, finishing up an interior design certificate at RISD, and trying to raise feminist sons.
TREASURER
DARLENE ALLEN
Darlene is an experienced CEO of a non-profit organization with a 2.5 million budget and decades of experience in budget development, fiscal management and financial oversight, analysis and reporting. She works closely with accounting staff, board treasurer and auditors to ensure financial integrity. She is familiar with QuickBooks accounting software. Darlene communicates regularly with donors, funders and others to ensure donor advised and restricted funds are expended as designated. Darlene is a strong, progressive advocate for state and national policies that improve lives of children, youth and families. She has experience working on various pieces of legislation. (Primary areas include child protection, children’s bill of rights, grandparent visitation, adoption reform, foster care reform, parental leave and LGBT equality in state contracting.) Darlene has experience working on numerous political campaigns. She has also participated on many commissions, coalitions and panels to advocate for system improvements. Darlene is a committed and dedicated member of the Caucus, has attended most meetings and actively serves on the fundraising committee. She helped to plan the highly successful first caucus fundraiser. Through this process, she developed a familiarity with RI Democratic Party staff and some of their financial procedures. Darlene has a BA in Political Science, MS in Human Service Administration and has recently completed two Certificates of Executive Education at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. (Women and Power, Leadership in the 21st Century) Darlene resides in Providence with her wife, Carmel Merrick and their two dogs, Seamus and Lily.
SECRETARY
JESICA VEGA
I am writing to express my great interest in the position of Secretary for the executive committee of the Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus. My story is similar to many Latinos whose families migrated to this country seeking opportunities but were met with very little resources to thrive. I came here at the age of three, and was and still am the only person in my family to graduate college. I spent my summer breaks from college working alongside my mother in a factory that she has been at for 23 years. There I met men and women with goals and dreams that were never met but passed on to their children. I understand the complex emotions of living in poverty and that willpower isn’t enough to pull people out of an oppressive system. Serving as the Secretary, for the Women’s Caucus would be an amazing platform to achieve even greater impact for women and women of color. I believe in the mission and ideologies of the caucus and the importance of creating social and structural changes that are sustainable, impactful and humanistic in nature. I would be honored to take up the responsibility of secretary and grateful to be part of a group of women dedicated to improving our democratic system. I am confident that my lived and professional experiences, passion, values and community connections position me well for this enormous opportunity. I thank you in advance for your consideration of my candidacy.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT-1
Michelle McGaw
Michelle McGaw is a pharmacist from Portsmouth RI, currently working in the long-term care setting to optimize pharmaceutical care for geriatric patients. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1989 where she met her husband of more than 25 years. She is a proponent of gender equality, working full time while her husband stayed home to raise their two boys from 1993 to 2005. She is currently a member of the RI Democratic Women’s caucus, the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee, the Portsmouth Solid Waste and Recycling Committee and recently co-founded the Portsmouth Trash Collaborative. She also spends time working with The Woman Project promoting positive change for women and with RI Healthcare Access and Affordability Partnership promoting healthcare for all. Like many others, she was jolted awake by the 2016 election. Since that time she has been focused on becoming more involved in RI politics and finding ways to make the RI of the future a better place. She feels strongly that all elements of the Democratic Party Platform should be supported by the Women’s Caucus. She also feels that it is important that the women of the caucus do all that they can to encourage and promote women that are supportive of the Democratic Platform. Prior to her awakening in 2016 her community involvement included board positions with Portsmouth Little League and Portsmouth Babe Ruth. She has worked with the Portsmouth Little League Challenger Division as the concessions coordinator/volunteer coordinator for their annual Challenger League Jamboree since 2007.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT-2
JORDAN HEVENOR
Jordan grew up in rural western Washington state, where she received a BA in Political Science and Communications from the University of Washington. During college, she worked at the Washington State Democratic Party. After college, she worked on a swing-district Congressional campaign and then headed to Washington, DC, where she was hired by US Representative Adam Smith. She served as a staff assistant, legislative correspondent, and legislative assistant before returning to Washington state to work as a field representative in his district office.
Jordan left her job in 2004 and re-evaluated her life while biking, walking, taking public transit, and eating in parks the parks of Germany. With the vision of creating a more sustainable work life balance, she moved to Rhode Island and in 2006 where she started her career as a commercial real estate appraiser. Her appraisal practice has taken her to all of Rhode Island’s 39 towns and cities and into nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut. In 2013, she received her MBA from the University of Rhode Island. She earned her MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute and is currently the only practicing female in Rhode Island with that designation. Jordan was inspired by Secretary Clinton’s call for help in the 2016 general election. Knowing that she had the experience to make a difference, Jordan took a three month leave from her job and family, and worked as a field organizer in Parma, Ohio. After the dark night of November 8th, she knew her daughters would need to wake up with newfound leadership from their parents. On the morning of November 9th her daughters woke up to learn about their new plan for family activism. This plan has taken her to help create The Woman Project and volunteer with the RI Democratic Women’s Caucus.
KENT COUNTY
JOANNE BORODEMOS
Joanne McDade Borodemos was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 30, 1953 and has resided throughout RI in Providence, Pawtucket, Portsmouth, Coventry and now Warwick since 2012 when she returned following a 22 year extended “vacation” to Naples, Florida. Since burning her bra on the RI Statehouse lawn during the Women’s Liberation Movement in 1968, she had been distracted for some time, like most women, from more active participation in politics, by raising a family and a full time career as a Registered Nurse. As a nurse, she was blessed to enjoy an amazing variety of career experiences. She was totally committed to ensuring her patients exemplary nursing care and comfort, and was a staunch patient and nursing-peer advocate. As a mother, she remains committed to loving and spoiling her children and grandchildren shamelessly. She enjoys her family and pets, cooking, travel, laughing, lifelong learning, and nature among many other things. Her most recent challenges have been completing treatment for Breast Cancer and adapting to many other unexpected life changes. Deciding to work with others as her retirement focus, to try to right some terrible wrongs and help save the world was an easy choice. She is interested in working towards guaranteeing a fair election process, taking financial corruption out of politics, reducing corporate control of our lives as well as women’s issues , income inequality, healthcare, education, social justice and
environmental issues. Joanne is a passionate lover of everything about Rhode Island especially our people, who are smart, resilient, compassionate and love good food.
BRISTOL COUNTY
TRACY RAMOS
Tracy Ramos is a resident of Bristol and active member of the Women’s Caucus. In 2017, she was an integral part of the Caucus’ fundraising committee which successfully raised more than $11,000. As a member of this committee she organized volunteers, participated in planning, and helped negotiate the joint fundraising agreement with the state party.
Tracy is an active Democrat and is connected to her community. In 2007, Tracy started Bristol Yoga Studio, which is now one of the longest operating yoga studios in the East Bay. As a mom of two kids she is often interacting with other parents in town. Tracy was elected the Recording Secretary for the Bristol Town Democratic Committee in 2017. In addition, she is a member of the Women for Whitehouse Committee, and has volunteered with local political campaigns including races for Rhode Island House and Senate as well as managing a School Committee campaign. Most recently, she volunteered remotely for Doug Jones’ recent Senate win, texting more than 2,000 voters to help get out the vote in Alabama.
Tracy has legislative experience. In 2016, she spearheaded the efforts to ensure free play recess to all elementary school students, and she ensured that legislation passed in its first year of introduction.
Tracy grew up in East Boston and is a graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and currently teaches eCornell.com’s Hotel Real Estate classes. Tracy is looking forward to serving this dynamic, energized and engaged organization this year.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
ABBY GODINO
Gabrielle Godino is a lifelong Rhode Islander, growing up in Narragansett and graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2011. Gabrielle, or Abby as she is better known, credits an internship at EMILY’s List with setting her on the path to do electoral work for progressive change. She went on to work for SEIU and the Carpenters union to organize workers to use their collective power for better wages, respect and dignity on the job. Now, as the state organizer for Rhode Island Working Families, she combines her electoral background with the push for higher standards for all workers, and helped to pass the earned sick day bill in 2017. Abby is an alumni and former state co-director for New Leaders Council Rhode Island, and is the current secretary-treasurer of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island. Abby and her partner Michal live in Charlestown, and enjoy the outdoors and a good ole, DIY project every now and again.
PROVIDENCE COUNTY
TRACEY LEBEAU
Integrity is my motto. If I don't trust myself then neither should you. As a Project Management Professional who has spent 25 years in the male-dominated industry of technology, I have had to find ways to meet the challenges of The Boys Club. In my experiences of coaching women and empowering them to take control of their lives, I have learned that what we really want, and need, is to be heard, to have confidence and to make a difference. And as a Board Member for Sojourner House I have seen first-hand the importance of community involvement for addressing the impact of domestic violence. I believe that my success in managing large, complex projects as well as in personal and professional consulting, has given me the skills required to be a strong member on the RI Democratic Women’s Caucus Executive Board. My hope is to combine these skills and experiences with my passion of inspiring women to ignite the RI Democratic party and make it a beacon of hope, integrity and humanity for the state of RI. And to be the bridge between the Women’s Caucus and probably the most diverse population of any county in the state. I am a resident of Smithfield and I hope you will vote for me for the position of Providence County Board Representative. Together we can bring the diversity and changes we need to all levels of Rhode Island government.
NEWPORT COUNTY
DANIELA ABBOTT
I was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and have lived in Rhode Island for 10 years. I first moved to the US to attend college and lived in England and New York City before settling down in Portsmouth to start a family. I am a member of the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee and sit on the town’s Economic Development Committee and Conservation Commission. I am helping with the campaign for universal healthcare in Rhode Island and with a friend’s campaign for State Rep in District 72, where she hopes to defeat the Republican incumbent. I’ve been involved in the RIDP Women’s Caucus since our second meeting and strongly believe we can be a positive force for change within the Democratic Party.
My political resume is not extensive, but I believe my background will provide a different perspective on the Executive Committee. I have two elementary school-aged children – currently 5 and 7 – and speak Portuguese fluently. My mother and closest friend passed away in May 2017. During her last year, my father and I were her primary caregivers. I am a Naval Architect and currently operate my own engineering consulting firm, a registered woman-owned small business in the state. Like many women in this caucus, I am living through the ways our federal, state, and local policies are not serving women well. Together, I believe we can do better for the women of our state and hopefully lead the way for the rest of the country.