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Marianne Raimondo Joins CCRI Leadership, Building on RIC Legacy

Published in RINewsToday on February 23, 2026

On February 6, Rhode Island College’s (RIC) business dean gathered with three dozen colleagues, family members, and friends at The Village at Waterman Lake, for a farewell celebration marking the close of one chapter and the beginning of another

In a LinkedIn post, Marianne Raimondo, MS, MSW, LICSW, Ph.D., reflected on that evening, recalling the shared memories, warm embraces, and heartfelt goodbyes.

She announced, “On Monday, I embark on a new journey as Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI). I am excited to work with the CCRI team and continue to serve the students of our state, offering an outstanding educational experience and a bright future.”

Her message signaled both a fond farewell to RIC and the start of an exciting new phase in her academic career.

Taking on a New Leadership Role

After more than 12 years at the Providence-based college, Raimondo leaves RIC, which enrolls more than 6,500 students, to join CCRI, a community college with enrollment close to 13,000 across 4 campuses in degree and certificate programs, and an additional 8,500 students in workforce and adult education courses.

As CCRI’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, Raimondo will serve as the college’s chief academic officer, collaborating closely with academic deans, administrators, and faculty to oversee educational programs, ensure instructional quality, and advance the college’s strategic and academic master plans.

Just a week into her new role which began Feb. 9, Raimondo has outlined an action-oriented vision for CCRI. When asked how she plans to support student success at the large, multi-campus college, Raimondo said, “I believe in the joy of learning, and we will ensure our teaching is inspiring, motivating, and engaging, fostering a desire for lifelong learning.”

Recognizing that access remains a challenge, she called for programs that better fit students’ schedules, including high-quality online offerings and flexible scheduling. She also emphasized experiential, project-based learning to equip students with real-world skills.

“Higher education must align with the state’s workforce and economic needs to provide students with viable career paths,” Raimondo said, pointing to a growing demand for skills in the areas such as artificial intelligence and the need to design programs responsive to employer needs.

Raimondo also sees an opportunity to integrate her advocacy for older adults into her professional role by creating internships and shaping curriculum around age-related issues.

CCRI’s new chief academic officer stressed her commitment to closing equity gaps to ensure all students have access to education and sustainable career pathways.

“Caring for, supporting, and advocating for older adults remains a passion of mine,” said Raimondo. The commitment is personal as well as professional: she recalled growing up with her grandfather, who lived with her family for more than 20 years. When her grandmother passed away, she said, there was never any question that he would move in with them.

As a medical social worker, she later saw too many older adults without family support, living alone, or lacking the resources they needed to age in place.

“I truly believe the later years of life should be respected and honored, and that older adults deserve the support they need to live well,” she adds.

Asked whether she will continue her advocacy work, Raimondo says she hopes to remain engaged through board service and community initiatives that support older Rhode Islanders.

Leaving a Legacy at RIC

A Greenville resident, Raimondo started her job at RIC as an associate professor, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in healthcare management and policy. She was then named dean of the businesss school and served as executive director of the Institute for Education in Healthcare, which she started in 2016.  She oversaw RIC’s Institute of Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies, which opened in the fall of 2023.

Throughout her leadership roles, Raimondo worked to modernize curricula, create career ladders and apprenticeship programs for healthcare workers, increase opportunities for expand experiential learning, and build strategic alliances that made it easier for students to get what they needed.

A licensed clinical social worker, Raimondo holds a Ph.D. in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management and a Master of Science in Public Health from UMass Amherst. She earned a Master of Social Work from RIC and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Providence College.

Over the course of her career, she has focused on improving healthcare quality and services for older Rhode Islanders, with particular emphasis on quality management, systems redesign, leadership development, and patient satisfaction.

Before joining RIC, Raimondo served as vice president at Applied Management Systems, a healthcare management consulting firm specializing in quality management, systems redesign, and leadership development. Earlier, she was senior vice president at the Hospital Association of Rhode Island.

Bringing Home the Bacon

A prolific grant writer, Raimondo secured substantial funding to address health workforce development, aging services, and behavioral health integration. Around 2016, as principal investigator, she was awarded a RealJobs Rhode Island Healthcare Workforce Grant to strengthen and expand the state’s healthcare workforce. During that year, she also established RIC’s Institute for Education in Healthcare (IEH), securing more than $8.8 million in grants to train healthcare professionals in dementia care, aging services, and case management.

In 2017, Raimondo obtained a $121,000 grant from the Point32 Health Foundation to study service gaps affecting older adults living in the community. This funding ultimately led to the development of a strategic plan to build an Age-Friendly Rhode Island.

In late 2019, a $360,000 three-year grant was awarded to expand statewide aging collaborations.

This was followed in 2022 by a $330,000 general operating grant for the 2023–2025 period to address community priorities for older adults.

In February 2026, the Point32 Health Foundation awarded an additional $55,000 to RIC. This latest funding supports technical assistance and strategic leadership, ensuring the initiative continues its equity-focused systems change as the previous multi-year cycle concludes.

Through Raimondo’s efforts, these investments established the College as a permanent regional hub for aging advocacy. As principal investigator, she co-led a statewide coalition to implement strategies supporting older residents who wish to age in place.

In 2021, serving as executive director and principal investigator, Raimondo received a $2.3 million Behavioral Health Care Managers Workforce Pipeline grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant enabled RIC to create a statewide apprenticeship program to train behavioral healthcare managers in partnership with healthcare centers, providing students with hands-on experience and stipends.

In 2022, she was awarded funding through the Alzheimer’s and Dementia-Related Diseases Partnership to strengthen dementia care education and healthcare systems. That same year, Raimondo secured a $2.7 million HRSA Community Health Worker Training grant to expand Rhode Island’s public health workforce by recruiting and training new and existing community health workers.

In 2024, she received a $712,734 Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals grant to enhance behavioral health competencies among paraprofessionals and strengthen workforce pathways for entry-level healthcare workers.

Raimondo also served as principal investigator for quality management initiatives under the HIV Ryan White Program, RI EOHHS/Medicaid, Housing Plus, and the Rhode Island Foundation, among others.

Leadership in the Aging Network

Along with birthing Age-Friendly Rhode Island, Raimondo is widely recognized for her leadership in Rhode Island’s aging network. She co-developed the Senior Fellows Program in partnership with Leadership Rhode Island, empowering older adults to serve as informed community advocates.

She also serves on the boards of several aging-focused organizations, including the PACE Organization of Rhode Island and Tockwotton on the Waterfront.

In Aug. 2023, Raimondo received the Providence Business News’ Leaders & Achievers award.

One year later, she would be recognized as Social Worker of the Year – Aging by the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

That year, she was also honored as a “Game Changer” at the 2024 Bad*ss Woman of the Year Awards, presented by the Women’s Business Council of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, recognizing her exemplary leadership and significant contributions to her field.

Her advocacy also earned her recognition the following year.

In Nov. 2025, Raimondo accepted the Meritorious Program Award from the Rhode Island Public Health Association on behalf of Age-Friendly Rhode Island for its impact on the state’s aging population.

In that same year, Raimondo’s Institute for Education in Healthcare received the Career Pathways Advancement Awards from the Governor’s Workforce Board for its behavioral training programs.

As Raimondo begins her new role at CCRI, her record of innovation, collaboration, and commitment to workforce development and advocacy for older Rhode Islanders positions to shape the next chapter of academic excellence in Rhode Island’s public higher education system.

Raimondo’s Lasting Impact on RIC and Aging Programs

Here are some thoughts from RIC colleagues and aging organizations who worked with Marianne Raimondo and witnessed her leadership and accomplishments firsthand. She has made a significant and lasting impact on programming and on enhancing the quality of life for older Rhode Islanders.

“Dr. Raimondo’s contributions have been monumental. Her trailblazing approach combined academic analysis with ‘boots-on-the-ground’ action. Marianne moved students beyond the classroom to create pioneering programs that strengthened the workforce, developed a practical knowledge base, and empowered the aging community with new tools and resources. SACRI wishes her the very best at CCRI, and we look forward to our continued collaboration.”

— Carol Anne Costa, Executive Director of SACRI, the state’s premier advocacy, policy, and organizing nonprofit dedicated to Rhode Island’s older adults and adults with disabilities.

“I have been privileged to serve for many years alongside Marianne on the LTCCC and the RI Alzheimer’s Advisory Council. She consistently brings an open, inquisitive mind, a firm grasp of what is required, and a passion for our shared mission.”

— Dr. Chris Gadbois, Secretary of the state’s Long-Term Care Coordinating Council and Chair of the RI Alzheimer’s Advisory Council.

“Dr. Marianne Raimondo’s contributions to Rhode Island College have been remarkable, as has her leadership in advancing programs focused on older adults. I remember working closely with her as she built the Age-Friendly RI program, which continues to flourish. Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious and inspired all of us who worked with her. CCRI will surely benefit from her vast academic experience, especially in workforce development. I wish her great success in her new role and hope our paths continue to cross.”

— Maureen Maigret, RN, BS, MPA, Aging Policy Consultant and former Director of the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs.

“For many years, my team and I have worked hand in hand with Marianne Raimondo on numerous workforce initiatives. We are grateful for her ongoing partnership and look forward to connecting with her in her new role at CCRI.”

— Rick Brooks, Director of Health Workforce Transformation at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

“Marianne has served on the PACE Board of Directors since 2019. Her enthusiasm for our model of care is evident—whether she is engaging deeply in strategic conversations, buying and delivering personal care items to our participants, referring student interns to PACE, or recruiting new board members. Marianne asks about quality of care and participant satisfaction at board meetings; she ensures participants remain at the center of board-level discussions. Not everyone advocates for older adults—Marianne is a dedicated and caring champion for those who are often forgotten. We are lucky to have her on our board.”
— Joan Kwiatkowski, CEO, PACE-RI.

“Marianne has been an advocate and leader in expanding training opportunities to educate the direct care workforce supporting individuals living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. We look forward to continuing to work with her in this new role to ensure those entering the dementia care field are prepared to serve the needs of the aging community.”

— Margaret Murphy, Senior Program Manager, Alzheimer’s Association, Rhode Island Chapter.

“Since 2016, Dr. Marianne Raimondo has been an indispensable force in advancing the mission and quality of service at Tockwotton on the Waterfront, a local senior living community. As Board Chair, her remarkable impact on our organization and the lives of those we serve is evident. Dr. Raimondo’s leadership has been defined by a tireless commitment to culture change and to elevating the quality of care for our residents. Her oversight and insight have directly led to significant improvements in our operational efficiency and measurable resident outcomes.”
— Chris McGee, Executive Director, Tockwotton on the Waterfront.

“Over the last several years, Meals on Wheels of RI (MOWRI) has expanded our work in the Food is Medicine space, and Marianne’s partnership was integral in developing our service to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and simultaneously experiencing food insecurity. Her collaboration in this effort—now in its second year of implementation, the project has served 2,270 meals—is just one example of her ability to make innovative connections in the healthcare space.”

— Meghan Grady, MOWRI’s Executive Director

“Marianne has long been a steadfast advocate for older adults and for improving the systems that support them. She’s a great strategic thinker, but what I’ve always appreciated is that she never hesitates to roll up her sleeves and do the work. I look forward to seeing how she continues to champion this cause at CCRI.”

— Kyle Penrod, M.S., Project Director, Institute for Education in Healthcare

“Marianne Raimondo is a true leader. I had the pleasure of working beside her for eight years and came to appreciate the seamless way she wove compassion, innovation, and intelligence into her work as a leader and into workforce development efforts in aging and healthcare. Marianne leads by example with determination and dedication.”

 —  Tonya Glantz, MSW, PhD., Executive Director, RIC’s Institute for Education in Healthcare

“Marianne Raimondo has left the healthy aging space far better than she found it when she established Age-Friendly Rhode Island in 2016. Over the past decade, she has deeply impacted older Rhode Islanders through collaborations with more than 60 organizations, driving meaningful change in healthcare workforce transformation, older adult mental health, and so much more. Because of her devotion to aging Rhode Islanders, our most marginalized older neighbors are being fed, transported to medical appointments, receiving better health care, and are more engaged in their communities.”

—  Jim Connell, Executive Director, Age-Friendly RI

“Marianne Raimondo has long demonstrated a deep and authentic commitment to improving the lives of older Rhode Islanders. During her time at Rhode Island College, she strengthened the connection between higher education and the aging network in ways that were both practical and lasting. Her leadership helped elevate programming that recognized older adults not simply as recipients of services, but as active participants in community life, learning, and contribution.”

— Maria E Cimini, MSW, Director, The Rhode Island office of Healthy Aging

“Marianne’s work has brought the Age Friendly philosophy to Rhode Island, developed critical healthcare workforce training in the areas of dementia, older adult behavioral health and addictions. Her forward-thinking guidance as the Dean of RIC’s Institute of Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies has enabled my own organization to think through the development of new technologies.  Her depth of knowledge and understanding of the issues older adults face, paired with her caring heart, has created lasting positive change for all Rhode Islanders.”

— Deb Burton, Executive & Gerontologist, RI Elder Info

“As a Rhode Island College alumna, I have been immeasurably proud of everything that Dr. Marianne Raimondo has done to lead at RIC strengthen our state’s health care education and to provide entryways and opportunities for Rhode Islanders who want to enter the health care workforce. As a co-founder of Age-Friendly Rhode Island, she has helped combat ageism and pushed our state to better serve older Rhode Islanders. She brings a vast wealth of knowledge to her new role at CCRI, and I am excited to see both how she continues her longstanding commitment to the aging community and what new projects she takes on.”

— Lt. Governor Sabina Matos 

“Marianne Raimondo is one of the State’s strongest champions for those who may not always be able to advocate for themselves.  I have observed firsthand of her ability to foster change in an impactful way.  She has a great gift of listening to those of us in the trenches to bring the most current concerns and issues facing older adults to platforms that really matter.  The work she has done with providing students with hands on training and opportunities in a variety of areas of healthcare has had a ripple effect that will be felt for years to come.  I am grateful to Marianne for planting the seeds for RI cities and towns to look at aging through a broader lens to provide opportunities for our residents to age in place with all the supports they need.”

— Marylou Moran, Director, Leon A. Mathieu/Pawtucket Division of Senior Services

Olon Reeder’s Fix for the State’s Ailing Economy

Published in Pawtucket Times, July 11, 2014

As the 2014 General Assembly session ended, CNBC released its annual Top States for Business rankings. It was not good news for the Ocean State. According to the report’s findings, Rhode Island finished last among the 50 states for the third time in the last four years. States were ranked in these 10 categories: cost of doing business, economy, infrastructure, workforce, quality of life, technology and innovation, business friendliness, education, cost of living and access to capital.

After the release of the scathing report, CNBC senior correspondent Scott Cohn caught up with Governor Chafee in Chicago, attending a regional Democratic Governors Association conference, who gave his thoughts to the report’s outcome. Rhode Island was on an upswing with the state putting funding into education, infrastructure and workforce development.

Reviving Up the State’s Economic Engine

Yes, as Chafee noted, a Rhode Island Senate staffer says that economic development was a priority on Smith Hill this year.

Gregg Parė, the chamber’s Director of Communication, says state lawmakers agreed with Chafee’s positive assessment of the progress made to make the state more competitive. “Many important components of the Senate’s Rhode to Work action plan to improve the skills of the existing workforce as well as the workforce of tomorrow were passed by the Assembly,” he noted.

Paré notes a centerpiece of the Road to Work plan was placing responsibility for coordination of workforce development with the Governor’s Workforce Board. Legislation was passed to accomplish this, ensuring that Rhode Islanders can access the training programs they need in a timely and effective way, he said.

“Additionally, the Jobs Development Fund was exempted from “indirect cost recovery,” which had directed a portion of the employer funded program for workforce development to the state. This provides an additional $1.2 million for worker training programs,” adds Paré.

Paré detailed some educational reforms that were addressed by lawmakers this year. The Board of Education was directed to seek lower cost but equally effective high school equivalency tests to the GED, and to reinstate a hardship waiver of fees for low-income test takers. This removes a potential barrier for obtaining an equivalency which can open doors to employment opportunities,” he says. Enacted legislation also provided more time for those receiving cash assistance to undergo training programs, and to provide professional development for high school counselors to ensure they are helping students as they enter today’s workforce. Passed legislation also helps communities transition to full-day kindergarten, a proven, effective way to better prepare students for success in school.

Paré says the newly enacted budget invests in initiatives the Senate has worked on for years which will have long-term benefits for the economy. “The Senate’s 2013 Moving the Needle report recommended reducing the corporate tax, which the 2015 budget reduces from 9 percent to 7 percent. At the same time, it shifts the method of corporate tax assessment to a single sales factor, which removes a disincentive for investing in jobs and property in Rhode Island. The budget also eliminates the cliff on the estate tax, and increases the exemption to $1.5 million.”

Summing up the legislative session, Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed said: “The budget invests in Rhode Island’s future. The reduction of the corporate tax rate and increase in the estate tax threshold help to make Rhode Island more competitive. The transportation infrastructure fund invests in the state’s roads and bridges. Our many initiatives in the area of job training will help the state’s economy continue to move in the right direction. I’m very confident that those initiatives will help students coming out of schools seeking employment as well as the state’s older workforce which is seeking employment.”

We Have More Work to Do

But, while it may have been a banner your for economic development reforms, Olon Reeder, President of Reeder Associates, a Southern New England based independent public relations and multi-media communications practice, calls on Rhode Island’s lawmakers to continue their focus on economic reform in next year’s session. More needs to be done, says the small businessperson, former public official and former award-winning media personality.

With the State of Rhode Island coming up with a new comprehensive economic policy early next year, the North Providence resident recently released his suggested economic development action agenda, as how to improve the state’s long term quality of life, through investing in people, communities and small businesses.

“We are at a critical crossroads where we must overcome our negative self attitudes and start taking actions ourselves if we all want our state and our lives to become successful,” says Reeder.

In his economic platform, Reeder calls for tying lifelong education to economic growth. “Brain power is a key element driving worldwide demands and economic activity today, through the convergence of non stop knowledge, creative economy, enterprise and innovation, art-design connections, which all start with lifelong learning,” he says.

Reeder says personal empowerment creates the environment for change “Empowerment encourages, and develops the skills for, self-sufficiency, giving people the abilities and knowledge that will allow them to overcome obstacles in life or work environment and ultimately, help them develop within themselves or in the society,” he says.

Reeder observes that companies are constantly replacing full-time employees and now relying upon independent contractors, where people who once counted on a steady pay check are now being left to fend for themselves in a hyper-competitive self employed market.

Based on 2011 figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in Rhode Island, there re over 73 thousand self-employed contributing over $3 billion annually to the state’s economy. Most self-employed are hired out of necessity, are done so locally and through word of mouth. Because freelancers depend so much on self promotion to get their jobs, they must focus on the local markets, along with showcasing their diverse personal talents, marketing their skills to business owners in their community, along trying to compete with others for opportunities.

Reeder recognizes the importance of valuing our places, spaces and communities. “More than ever, people must be connected to where we live, work, play, stay and travel. People expect places and spaces they interact with daily to be vibrant, active, socially appealing, culturally stimulating and help them in improving their quality of life, especially with their physical and mental health,” he says.

Reeder notes active living communities provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage in routine daily physical activity, he says, like pedestrian and bicycle friendly design, access to intermodal transportation, mixed use development, ample recreation, walkable neighborhoods, access to fresh and healthy foods and commerce centers.

“Our economic revitalization is relevant to healthy and sustainable communities because active living communities encourage individuals to be more physically active, improving health by lowering citizens’ risk for health conditions, adds Reeder. “Active living communities create enhance quality of life, attract business and knowledge workers, and contribute to ongoing economic development,” he says.

Reeder noted that technology is a must, as people are now “required” to have 24/7 365 access to the Internet and must now communicate through social media to live, work, and transact personal activity, he calls for providing everyone with free online access “as a necessity of our 21st century lifestyles.”

Finally, Reeder thinks “Demand Driven Experiences” are necessary for not only reinventing our state’s manufacturing, but in changing our self attitudes about how Rhode Islanders see themselves, ultimately affecting expectations others may have about the perception of Rhode Island as the worst place for business.

“Because people no longer buy things for their personal benefit, they want enhancements to fulfill missing elements of their lives,” adds Reeder, noting that experiences are crucial for businesses and locations as a branding and marketing tool, especially with efforts in Rhode Island attracting people to live and travel here for our entertainment, food and lifestyles.”

“Using our experiences to effectively promote market and give an iconic brand, we must also stay true to the “real Rhode Island,” to our proud independent and working class heritage, the ethnic and cultural diversity in our state, and preserving our unique natural resources,” he says.

State lawmakers must be commended for their successful efforts to slash regulation and enact laws to make Rhode Island a more business-friendly place to operate. At press time, Reeder, a Rhode Island native, whose family has been very prominent in Southern New England for over four generations in small business, real estate, building contracting and public service, continues his efforts to get his voice heard by General Assembly leadership, state policy makers, business groups, even gubernatorial candidates.

Hopefully, they will choose to closely listen to Reeder and others who may well hold the keys to fixing Rhode Island’s sluggish economy.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12, is a writer who covers aging, health care, medical issues, and the economy. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.