Village Supporter Award

Linda is a founding member of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, from which she recently retired after nine years of service. During her tenure, she served as both Board Chair and, most recently, Executive Director. Under her leadership, the Coalition grew to more than 100 partner organizations, helped elect gun safety advocates (and defeat candidates who opposed gun safety measures), and collaborated with community partners to advance significant gun safety legislation in Rhode Island.

Before her nonprofit leadership, Linda spent 16 years in the financial services industry, working with banks and insurance company broker-dealers in sales management and marketing.

Linda served in the Rhode Island General Assembly as a State Representative from 2012 to 2014, representing Middletown and Portsmouth. During her legislative service, she served on the House Small Business and Corporations Committees.

A dedicated community leader, Linda served as Board Chair of BabySteps RI, an organization that engages parents and children from birth to age three through programs that promote effective parenting and early learning. She also served on the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, helping to preserve the Island's environment and enhance its quality of life. In addition, Linda is a past Board Chair of the Women's Resource Center, the domestic violence prevention agency serving Aquidneck Island, and volunteered for nine years as a Girl Scout leader and Service Unit Manager.

Linda is a strong advocate of HGI, serving on the Gala Committee as well as taking on a massive landscaping project for the new facility. She oversaw the design and facilitation of the hard and soft landscaping and throughout the property alongside the volunteers of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island’s Blue Angels program. Linda’s insight and leadership makes her the perfect recipient of this year’s Village Supporter Award.