Raspallo nominated for Superior Court seat

Richard D. Raspallo, a Cranston resident who has served as Superior Court magistrate since 2017, has been nominated to fill a seat on the court.

Gov. Gina Raimondo last week announced Raspallo’s selection and several other judicial nominations, including two picks for seats on the Rhode Island Supreme Court. General Assembly hearings on the nominations began this week.

A graduate of Cranston High School West, the University of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University School of Law, Raspallo worked as legal counsel to the General Assembly for 15 years prior to his selection as magistrate.

“I am thrilled to appoint this group of talented public servants to our state’s highest courts,” Raimondo said in a statement. “As Governor, one of my most important and sacred responsibilities is to appoint high-caliber judges who reflect the diversity of the Rhode Islanders they serve. I am confident that each of these nominees will fairly and honorably uphold the laws and values of our state.”

Crowley named Senate’s policy director

Nora Crowley, who presently serves as the executive director of the Governor’s Workforce Board, has been named the new policy director for the Rhode Island Senate.

Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio announced Crowley’s hiring last week. She will begin in the post on Dec. 21.

“I want to welcome Nora Crowley to the Rhode Island Senate,” Ruggerio said in a statement. “Rhode Islanders are struggling amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and Nora understands what it will take to rebuild our state’s economy to ensure it works for everyone. From her early experience working as a staff assistant in the education policy office of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy to her time at CityYear, Nora has demonstrated a passion for building an inclusive future through public policy development. Her experience in workforce issues will serve Rhode Island well as we adjust to a labor market that is changing significantly as a result of the pandemic.”

“I am honored to join the talented Senate Policy Office, and I deeply appreciate President Ruggerio giving me this opportunity to serve my home state,” Crowley in the statement. “This is a critical time for our state as we weather the COVID-19 pandemic and search for public policy solutions to emerge stronger and more vibrant. I’m humbled by the responsibility of contributing to the complex and significant work the Senate will undertake in 2021 to ensure we build a Rhode Island economy that works for everyone.”

A graduate of Cranston High School East, Crowley earned a B.A. in politics from Brandeis University and master’s degree in education policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She previously served as chief public affairs officer for the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. Prior to working in state government, she served as the managing director of impact for City Year Providence for eight years.

The Senate’s Policy Office is responsible for developing public policy recommendations on behalf of the members of the Senate. Additionally, they provide staffing support for committees and assist in legislative drafting and research.

Shanley named president of St. John’s University

Warwick native Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. will be the next president of St. John’s University in Queens, New York, according to the St. John’s official website.

An 18-member committee representing a cross-section of St. John’s University constituencies, including faculty, students, administrators, and current and emiriti members of the Board of Trustees, held an extensive search.

Following the search, a unanimous election was made for Shanley to become the 18th president of the university. His tenure is set to begin on Feb. 1, 2021.

“I am honored and delighted to be elected by the Board of Trustees to serve the St. John’s community as President of the University,” Shanley said in a statement released by St. John’s. “I have long admired St. John’s commitment to the founding mission set forth by the Vincentian community to provide a Catholic education for first generation students in a diverse and inclusive environment. I look forward to leading our community to remain committed to that mission amidst the unique challenges of the current times.”

Shanley was the president of Providence College from 2005-2020 before leaving earlier this year. He was the college’s 12th and longest-serving president and is credited with making vast improvements to campus facilities and student services. He also played a key role in hiring large numbers of new faculty, diversifying the student body, and strengthening the college’s national profile in academics and athletics.

PC’s Board of Trustees unanimously supported another five-year term for Shanley, but his religious superior, Fr. Kenneth Letoile, O.P., thought that 15 years was long enough. Letoile is the Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, (based in NYC) which oversees Providence College.

PC’s current president, Fr. Kenneth R. Sicard, was complimentary of Shanley in the statement he gave to St. John’s. “I am thrilled for Fr. Shanley. He was such an impactful president during his 15-year tenure at Providence College,” he said. “He was an amazing colleague, friend and mentor to me.”

Shanley graduated from Toll Gate High School before continuing his education at Providence College.

Keck to head national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island recently announced that the company’s president and CEO, Kim Keck, has been named president and chief executive officer of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association effective Jan. 4, 2021.

BCBSA is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for one in three Americans. Keck will become the Association’s first female president and CEO since it was established 40 years ago.

“While we are sorry to see Kim leave Rhode Island, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we are absolutely thrilled that the Association board selected her to lead the organization at this pivotal moment for our country’s healthcare and for the health of all Americans,” said John Langenus, BCBSRI board chair. “We’re grateful to Kim for her leadership during the past four and a half years, and we wish her only the best as she steps into this new role. With a thoughtful succession plan in place, we expect a smooth transition to the next leader of BCBSRI.”

The board plans to conduct a national search for Keck’s successor; Keck will remain at the helm of BCBSRI through December 2020.

Keck joined BCBSRI in June 2016, coming from Aetna, where she had held numerous leadership positions during a 28-year tenure, including president of Aetna’s northeast region and interim president of the southeast region. In those roles she was responsible for $20 billion in revenue and approximately five million members across the commercial and Medicare segments. In addition, she held a wide range of strategic, financial and operational roles at Aetna.

Since her arrival at BCBSRI, Keck has advanced a vision to passionately lead a state of health and well-being across Rhode Island, putting the plan’s 450,000 members at the center of BCBSRI’s strategic initiatives around cost and value stewardship, convenience and comprehensive health. Keck has also led policy efforts fortifying elements of the Affordable Care Act to ensure all Rhode Islanders have access to affordable, quality care. Her commitment to combatting long-standing social issues influencing health outcomes, including childhood obesity, housing insecurity, and racial inequities has already had an impact in the state. Keck spearheaded BCBSRI’s partnership with the Brown University School of Public Health to create the RI Life Index, a new data resource providing insights into Rhode Islanders’ perceptions about social factors that can create barriers to health and well-being. Following the release of the 2019 Index, BCBSRI granted more than $800,000 to organizations working at the intersection of housing and health. Keck has been an active participant on the Rhode Island Foundation’s Long-Term Health Planning Committee and was appointed by Governor Raimondo to co-chair the Rhode Island Healthcare Cost Trends Collaborative Project, which recommended a 3.2 percent spending cap on healthcare the governor signed into law in February 2019.

Keck serves on the Rhode Island Community Food Bank board of directors and is a trustee of the Community College of Rhode Island Foundation. Additionally, she serves on the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Rhode Island Quality Institute boards of directors. She is also a board member of Oak Street Health and Prime Therapeutics.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected as the new leader of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association,” Keck said. “The 36 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies represent the largest and most trusted brand in health insurance, and there is nothing more important than continuing to earn and preserve that trust. I am also grateful to the board, executive team, and staff of BCBSRI for their leadership and support. The past seven months – when we have faced the dual challenges of a public health crisis and a centuries-old crisis of systemic racism that has created significant inequities – have shown me what an extraordinary company we are, as we pivoted time and time again to meet the health and healthcare needs of Rhode Islanders.”

“Kim returned to her native state of Rhode Island four years ago poised to drive change,” Langenus said. “In a short period of time she has made a tremendous impact, accelerating innovation and championing our community mission. She leaves the company in an ideal position to attract another outstanding leader.”

Rocha named partner at Duffy & Sweeney

The law firm of Duffy & Sweeney is pleased to announce the recent addition of Joelle Rocha as a partner.

Rocha joined Duffy & Sweeney with 14 years of experience, most recently as the managing partner of a Providence law firm. With a focus on real estate development and land use, she also represents clients in business disputes and commercial litigation. Previously, she served as assistant to the solicitor for the towns of Warren and Lincoln. She is admitted to practice in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Rocha has successfully permitted several of the state’s largest mixed-use developments. She has represented private developers in residential, commercial, mixed-use and solar projects and before municipal and state boards and agencies. She has secured tax stabilization agreements for several private development projects.

She has successfully litigated several class actions against municipalities regarding illegal and excessive impact fees and building permit fees, and recovered litigation costs for landowners and developers as a result of unlawful and unsubstantiated government actions. She has argued before the Rhode Island Supreme Court on behalf of several clients in matters involving recovery of attorneys’ fees and challenges to local ordinances.

Rocha is a member of the Board at the Ocean State Montessori School, a member of the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association, and a member of the Rhode Island Builders Association and its Legislative Committee. She is a former board member of Roger Williams University School of Law Alumni Association and the Rhode Island Soccer Association.

She has been recognized by Providence Business News with its “Forty Under 40” award, by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, and by Rhode Island Monthly both for Excellence in the Law and Outstanding Women in Business designations.

A resident Cranston, Rocha is a graduate of Roger Williams University School of Law (J.D. Honors Program, 2006) and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (B.A. Political Science, summa cum laude, 2003).

Headquartered in Providence, Duffy & Sweeney LTD was founded in 1996 by Michael Sweeney and Robert Duffy. The firm provides strategic legal counsel and represents clients in complex business litigation to U.S. and international businesses and individuals ranging from start-ups and emerging growth entities to established, private and public companies. To learn more, visit DuffySweeney.com.

-- Herald staff