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Board Members

RISLA Public Information.

Chairperson

Mr. Robert J. Delany

Term Expires:  January 31, 2028

Biography

Mr. Delaney is Executive Director of the Institute for Labor Studies and Research. Mr. Delaney came to Rhode Island from Canada in 1996 after completing twenty years of teaching in both the provinces of Nova Scotia and Alberta. Prior to accepting his current position at the Institute in 2007, Bob was the Director of Workforce and Corporate Education and Training at the Community College of Rhode Island. Mr. Delaney received his undergraduate and education degrees from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Vice Chairperson

Ms. Sandra Matrone Mack, Esq.

Term Expires:  January 31, 2028

Biography

Ms. Mack is the Founder and Principal of Mack Law Associates, LLC, a specialized law firm focusing on corporate and business Law, public finance, commercial real estate, and finance providing services to companies and entities across a wide range of sectors such as real estate holding and leasing companies, financial institutions, professional services providers, manufacturers, medical practices, food distribution and nonprofit organizations. A respected resource and author in the trade and financial press, Ms. Mack has participated in broadcast news shows and live seminars/symposiums as a featured guest or roundtable expert. Ms. Mack is one of a select group of Rhode Island attorneys listed as recognized bond counsel in the national Red Book directory. She also has achieved special recognition from the Martindale Peer Review and the Best Lawyers in America listing by Woodward/White Inc. A magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University, she earned her BSFS degree in 1982, subsequently earning a Juris Doctorate at the Georgetown University Law Center in 1986. Admitted to the Rhode Island Bar Association in 1986, she was admitted to the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, in the following year.

Secretary & Treasurer

Mr. Daniel Egan

Term Expires:  January 31, 2028

Biography

Daniel P. Egan is President of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island (AICU Rhode Island). Egan leads AICU Rhode Island efforts in the area of advocacy and consortium activities. He is responsible for AICU Rhode Island outreach on the federal, state and local level, and represents the collective interests of Rhode Island’s independent colleges and universities before numerous external constituencies. Prior to AICU, Mr. Egan served as chief of staff in the Office of the Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences at Brown University. Mr. Egan is a graduate of Providence College and has a Master of Arts degree in higher education administration from Boston College.

Assistant Secretary

Ms. Kelly A. Morrissey

Term Expires:  January 31, 2029

Biography

Kelly Morrissey is the Dean of Financial Assistance and Scholarships at Community College of Rhode Island. She has more than 30 years of experience in public higher education, having spent most of her career in Massachusetts. She has held various leadership roles in financial aid professional associations at the state, regional and national levels, having served as President of both the Eastern Association of Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA) and the Massachusetts (MASFAA) state association. She is currently an elected representative-at-large on the Board of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and has served on the NASFAA Financial Affairs Committee, chaired the Re-Examining Paradigms of Campus-Based Aid Task Force and was a member of the Task Forces on Assessing Tuition and Debt-Free Higher Education and HEA Reauthorization. She is the recipient of the MASFAA Presidential award and the Charles "Jack" Sheehan award for distinguished service to the financial aid profession. She is a proud first-generation college student, holding a BBA in Accounting from Anna Maria College where she was a work study student in the Financial Aid Office, and has an MBA in Management from Fitchburg State University.

Board Member

General Treasurer

Mr. James A. Diossa

Term Expires:  January 31, 2027

Biography

James A. Diossa was elected Rhode Island General Treasurer in November 2022 and sworn in on January 3, 2023. Treasurer Diossa is committed to serving as a responsible and active steward, protecting the livelihoods of our current and future pensioners, and promoting economic growth by expanding opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through thoughtful, transparent, and equity-focused leadership.

Throughout his years in public service, Treasurer Diossa demonstrated his commitment to giving residents the tools and opportunities for creating sustainable wealth. This commitment continues by making information readily available - and easy to access - to current and future pensioners as well as the general public and providing assistance to municipal governments requiring pension-related guidance. In addition, he is a key champion for expanded financial literacy in our schools to further help individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency.  

Raised and educated in Central Falls, Rhode Island, Treasurer Diossa served as a member of the City Council and Mayor of Central Falls, becoming the youngest mayor to date in our state’s long history. During his tenure as mayor, he helped Central Falls recover from the effects of bankruptcy and prior years of mismanagement. After completing two terms as mayor, he went on to serve as a Senior Advisor at Brown University’s Policy Lab. Treasurer Diossa is a graduate of Becker College. He lives in Pawtucket with his fiancée, Sandra Cano, their daughter, Arianna, and their newborn son, Alessandro.

Board Member

Dr. Kim Stack, PH.D

Term Expires:  January 31, 2029

Biography

Dr. Stack is the Executive Director, Undergraduate Student Success and Academic Support at the University of Rhode Island. Prior to that Dr. Stack was Director of Career and Experiential Education at the University for nine years and has extensive teaching and mentoring experience at the undergraduate and graduate level. Dr. Stack earned her bachelors, masters and PhD from the University of Rhode Island.

Executive Director

Mr. Charles P. Kelly

Biography

Mr. Kelley joined the Authority in April 1991 as Deputy Director and was appointed Executive Director in 1993. Mr. Kelley served on the Board of the Education Finance Council from 1996 – 2002 where he served a two-year term as Chairman. A graduate of Harvard with a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in public finance, he received his Bachelors in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island. Mr. Kelley is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst.

Chief Financial & Compliance Officer

Mr. Noel F. Simpson

Biography

Mr. Simpson joined the Authority in 1993 and has served as Controller and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Simpson received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Rhode Island and Masters of Science from both Bentley College and the University of New Hampshire. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.