banner photo: JA Executive Council member, Kristin Fraser of KPMG, with students from her 3rd grade JA Our City class during JA Leaders Day.

JA Executive Council

Established in 2000, the JA Executive Council (formerly the JA CEO Council) is a group of Executive Leadership representing a variety of industries that make up the Rhode Island Business Community. The group’s primary function is to be an Ambassador of the JA mission.  The JA Executive Council meets twice a year once in the fall and in the late spring. The meetings are held to update members on the progress of the mission as well as update JA on local business trends. The members of the council are considered to be advisory members as JA has a working board of directors.

The council is led by the Chairman of the JA Executive Council, currently Christopher Graham, Office Managing Partner at Locke Lord. In addition, Members of the council include the Chairman of the JA Board of Directors, and the President of JA of Rhode Island.


Governance

  • Monitor strategic direction of JA programs in Rhode Island

  • Actively participate in at least 1 of 2 JA Executive Council meetings a year

  • Update membership on business trends that could impact mission

Fundraising

  • Personally contribute to JA annually at a level of members choice

  • Secure a gift from his/her company annually (Corporate Gifts start at $5,000)

  • Sponsor, support or participate at one of two major fund-raising event each year (i.e., Morris J.W. Gaebe Profile in Excellence Awards or JA Achieve-A-Bowl)

Volunteerism

  • Secure an individual that will be your company representative on the JA Board of Directors (individual should be someone that has access to you and keep you up to date between meetings)

  • Board member/Community Involvement Department should help secure volunteers from your company to teach JA Programs and participate in Achieve-A-Bowl

Ambassador

  • Recruit new executive leadership to the council

  • Create Awareness for JA when opportunities present themselves. For examples: Opinion-editorials, cause marketing, speaking engagements

  • Learn, understand and actively promote the purpose and mission of JA

2024 - 2025 Members

Chairman

Christopher Graham, Esq., Office Managing Partner | Locke Lord

Members

Marie Bernardo-Sousa, President | Johnson & Wales University, Providence Campus
Brian Britson, Vice President, Operations | Amgen
Thomas Celona, JA Executive Council Emeritus
Keith Kelly, President, Rhode Island Market | Citizens Bank
Steven Kitchin, Vice President and Special Assistant to the President | New England Institute of Technology
Mike Lee, Senior Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Commercial Banking | Santander Bank
Lee Lewis, President | Junior Achievement of Rhode Island
Rick Metters, Vice President of RI Public Affairs and Corporate Community Relations | Fidelity
Ross Nelson, Market Vice President, New England | Cox Communications
Eric Norberg, President | Vertikal6
Col. Oscar Perez, Chief of Police | Providence Police Department
Joseph R. Perroni, President/CEO | Delta Dental of Rhode Island
Casey Riley (Chair, JA Board of Directors), Chief Operating Officer | Newport Restaurant Group
Doug Scala, Regional President, RI and SE Massachusetts | Webster Bank
Irving Schneider, Ph.D., JA Executive Council Emeritus
Kevin Tracy, President - RI Market, Bank of America
Donald Zambarano, Office Managing Partner | KPMG LLP