Melissa Husband

Melissa Husband

Speaker
Deputy Secretary of State/Director of Administration

Having a natural affinity for public service, I have designed my education and career around public policy, nonprofit management, effective leadership, and public administration. I am a passionate, strategic, empowering leader who values integrity, accountability, and creativity in myself and others. In my 20 years of holding leadership roles, I have had the honor of enriching Rhode Islanders' lives, cultivating highly effective teams and leaders, and successfully strengthening organizations. In October 2017 I was appointed RI Deputy Secretary of State/Director of Administration. In this role, I provide leadership across the Rhode Island Department of State through thoughtful strategy. I guide the work and operations of the Elections Division; Business Services Division; Rhode Island State Archives; Rhode Island State Library; Civics and Education Unit; Rhode Island Public Records Administration Unit; Administrative Rules Office; Public Information and Open Government Unit; and Finance and Personnel Division. I lead this work in a way that enables the Department of State to achieve its mission: to engage and empower all Rhode Islanders by making government more accessible and transparent, encouraging civic pride, enhancing commerce, and ensuring that elections are fair and accurate. Previously I was the Executive Director of Community Action Partnership of Providence (CAPP). CAPP is the successor anti-poverty agency to the failing agency Providence Community Action Program (ProCAP). I led ProCAP through receivership and created CAPP in its place. I successfully led CAPP through a new 501c3, reorganization, mission, and vision. I established a new organizational culture and strategic direction, strengthened current programs, and created new programs that support CAPP mission to promote the achievement of economic self-sufficiency for Providence residents in-need. As a result CAPP grew to a 12-million-dollar agency. As an Adjunct Professor, I taught nonprofit management and leadership at Roger Williams University's School of Continuing Studies. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Roger Williams University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Rhode Island.
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