Reza Corinne Clifton is an award-winning journalist, new media producer, and communications consultant. She has been recognized for multimedia projects that appear on her flagship blog, RezaRitesRi.com; for written work and direction as health editor for She Shines, a regional women’s magazine; and for leadership as a young professional and community organizer in Providence, Rhode Island. Clifton is the co-founder and editor of UrbanHealthWatch.net, a blog managed by the Urban League of Rhode Island and funded by the RI Department of Health and the CDC. Clifton is also a public speaker and trainer who has presented nationally and locally on the topics of health disparities and health equity, new media trends and techniques, diversity in the media, leadership development, and cultural trends in the African Diaspora and global community.

Mary E. Cloud was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from Peter Bent Brigham Hospital School of Nursing (now Brigham and Women’s Hospital) in 1974. She received her BSN and MSN from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. In her 36 years as a registered nurse, she has worked in many diverse areas, including obstetrics, pediatrics, childbirth education, gynecology and occupational health nursing. She has accompanied her husband, a diplomat, overseas to several countries, including Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Poland and Lithuania. She was fortunate to be able to work in most of these countries, employed by the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Peace Corps. Since January of 2010, she has occupied a faculty position at the University of Rhode Island as Assistant Clinical Professor and works with both freshmen and senior nursing students. In the Fall of 2010, she will be leading a new program in the College of Nursing called the Pathways to Nursing Program which will aim to provide special support to diverse students. Her particular interests are health promotion and trans-cultural issues.

Jennifer A. De La Cruz was born and raised in Providence, RI. Upon graduating high school, she attended the University of Rhode Island, receiving her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing in 2009. Throughout her experience at URI, she was a Peer Mentor, Nursing Ambassador, member of the URI Student Nursing Association, and Treasurer of the RI Student Nursing Association. Currently, Jennifer is working at The Miriam Hospital, a magnet hospital, as a Registered Nurse where she is also involved in the Informatics and Finance Committee. Jennifer is pursuing her Masters Degree in Nursing Education at the University of Rhode Island.

Nancy Fey-Yensan, PhD, RD, currently serves as the Associate Dean of the College of Human Science and Services at the University of Rhode Island, and has recently served the University as the Interim Dean of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences. A nutrition scientist by training, she received her PhD from the University of Connecticut in 1995, became a Professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences at URI in 1996, and maintains her credential as a Registered Dietitian. Dr. Fey-Yensan has been a practicing community nutritionist for over 32 years. Her research and outreach interests, focused on populations living in poverty, obesity prevention and gerontological nutrition, have been supported by more than $9 million in external funds over the last 14 years. Her work has been published in a number of journals, including the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, The Gerontologist, and Topics in Clinical Nutrition. She has served as both a panel member and now as the Research Panel Manager for the USDA research program in Human Nutrition and Obesity. She has particular interest in creating interdisciplinary opportunities for faculty, staff and students in these areas, and to encourage and facilitate college-community partnerships in the area of health literacy, health promotion, and health-care access through collaborative service and securing external funds.

Sharon Forleo is the Associate Director of URI’s Talent Development Program. She has been employed with Talent Development since 1974. Previously, she was also a writing instructor with URI’s College Readiness Program for 15 years. Sharon has held many positions with the Talent Development Program and now has responsibility for all educational programming as well as for advising. She holds a BA in Secondary English Education and an MA in Reading Education, both from URI. The scholarship that first year TD students receive, called the Hardge/Forleo Memorial Grant, is named for Rev. Arthur L. Hardge and Sharon and Frank Forleo commemorating the Forleo’s 35+ years of service to the Talent Development program.

Arthur A. Frazzano, M.D., has served as Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and been the Director and PI of the AHEC of Rhode Island Network since 2004. From 4/2003 to 7/2009 he was Associate Dean of Medicine (Clinical Faculty) at Alpert. He is also Director, Division of Health Policy and Advocacy in the Department of Family Medicine. Additionally, he teaches in the Doctoring Course which he was instrumental in planning and implementing at Alpert Medical School. From 1997 to 2003 Dr. Frazzano had been a Team Leader in the Department of Family Medicine, charged with running a practice of five faculty physicians, ten resident physicians and one or two medical students per clinical rotation. He was in private practice with a single associate and was a member of the community faculty for 17 ˝ years before joining the full time faculty in 1996. He is board certified in his specialty having last recertified in July, 2009. He holds an active medical license in Rhode Island and clinically practices at Eleanor Slater Hospital, the Rhode Island State Hospital for long term care.

Marc Hardge was born in Providence, RI and graduated from East Providence High School. Upon completion of his BA at the University of Rhode Island, Marc began working in Student Affairs as a Coordinator for the Talent Development program. As a student at URI, Marc was a member of the Talent Development Program where he worked as a Peer Advisor. Marc was also a student activist who participated in various student movements as an undergraduate. His activism led to the building of the Multicultural Center at URI which is named after his father, the late Rev. Arthur L. Hardge. Currently, Marc is enrolled in the Master of Arts program in English Literature at URI.

Ronald P. Jordan is an entrepreneur and pharmacy leader with informatics expertise. He founded businesses in Hospice and pain management pharmacy, health benefit software and informatics consulting. He was also an executive at companies offering an internet consumer prescription marketplace, supply chain transformation and health insurance.

Dayle Joseph is Professor, and Dean of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Nursing. She is also the Principal Investigator (PI) and chair of the sriAHEC Advisory Board. Dr. Joseph's research interests developed from years as a clinical teacher. In the early 1980's, she looked at medical-surgical nurses' willingness to make independent decisions. Findings from this work indicated that some nurses took more risks than others. Dean Joseph found the notion intriguing and thought it might be interesting to study patients who took risks. Clients with diabetes often take major risks in healthcare. Her research in the 1990's and 2000's was devoted to helping clients change this behavior.

Rose Marie Majeika is the Director of Guidance at South Kingstown High School in Wakefield, RI. She has held that position since September 1999, previously serving as a School Counselor at South Kingstown High School from 1995 – 1999. Her previous experience in the education area was as an Assistant Director of Financial Aid at the University of Rhode Island from 1981 to 1994 and as an educator in the Preston, Connecticut School District from 1976 to 1980.

Stephanie Catterson-McCafffrey, M.S.W., Health Administrator for East Bay Community Action Program has been involved in the health and human service field in Rhode Island for over 25 years. Throughout her tenure, she has helped to secure more than 10 million dollars in funding to support numerous human service, health and wellness programs including the implementation of a Title III Ryan White HIV Early Intervention Program, New Opportunity Homes, a residential continuum for adolescent pregnant and parenting teens, Health Information Technology funding to implement electronic medical, behavioral health and dental records and the construction of a new health center in Newport, RI. Ms. McCaffrey currently sits on a number of boards including Neighborhood Health Plan’s Board of Directors, Planning committee, Molar Express Board of Directors, and the RI Oral Health Professional Advisory Council.

Sky Larke Spears, MSW, LCSW, LCDP, is the youngest of 12 children born to Grace and Russell Spears of Charlestown, Rhode Island where she was raised. Her sense of tribal belonging and identity was nurtured and developed under her parent’s teachings. With meager beginnings, she is the first in her family to have attended and completed college.

Robert M. Trachtenberg, MS, received his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986, received his Master's of Science Administration and Management from St. Michael's College in 1999, and has training in Public Health from Boston University, as well as additional training in organizational development. He has been the Associate Director of the statewide Rhode Island AHEC Program and a Teaching Associate in Family Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University since 2005. He has over 17 years of experience in organizational development and the leadership of community-based organizations. Additionally, Rob is a National Health Service Corps Ambassador, has been on the National AHEC Organization Board of Directors since 2006, and is the President of the National AHEC Organization for 2009-2010.

Frank Xavier is happily married to Blanca Iris Xavier. He is the father of two sons. He is a URI ‘84 Alumnus and a proud Talent Development student with a BS in Accounting, and a minor in economics. Currently, he serves as Town of South Kingstown Financial Controller. Frank is an ordained minister and a new resident in West Kingston, RI.