2021 -- S 0905

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LC002849

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING CARMEN DIAZ-JUSINO FOR HER DISTINGUISHED BUSINESS CAREER

AND REQUESTING THAT THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION GIVE HER

SERIOUS CONSIDERATION FOR THE POSITION OF SMALL BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR NEW ENGLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Quezada, Ciccone, and Goodwin

     Date Introduced: May 14, 2021

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Ms. Diaz-Jusino graduated from the Community College of Rhode Island in

1996, with an Associate's degree in Social Studies, the Universidad del Caribe in Santo Domingo,

Dominican Republic, in 2004, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, graduating Magna Cum

Laude, and from Springfield College in 2014, with a Master of Science degree with a

concentration in Organizational Management and Leadership, graduating with Highest Honors;

and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Diaz-Jusino began her exemplary professional career serving as a

Business Development & Training Specialist for the Center for Women & Enterprise from 2006

to 2008. She had many duties including teaching classes for the Community Entrepreneurs

Program, outreach, logistics, and coordinating client consulting and mentoring programs. She was

promoted to the position of Program Director for the Center where, amongst her many

responsibilities, she administered all business and entrepreneurship education and training

programs, and represented the organization at community and networking events and in print,

radio, and television media outlets; and

     WHEREAS, From 2011 to 2015, Ms. Diaz-Jusino worked for the Rhode Island

Department of Education where she served as a “Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge

Grant” consultant. She also served as part of Rhode Island’s Workforce Knowledge and

Competencies (WKC) for Early Childhood Administrators and Education Coordinators

Committee; and

     WHEREAS, In 2013, Ms. Diaz-Jusino returned to the Center for Women & Enterprise

serving as the Senior Program Director where she was responsible for all aspects of management

and oversaw the Women’s Business Centers at their three locations in Boston, Worcester and

Providence. She also served as the Ownership Women Business Office (OWBO) grant project

manager for the Small Business Administration; and

     WHEREAS, In 2014, Ms. Diaz-Jusino was promoted once again by the Center for

Women & Enterprise to the position of Director of New Enterprise where she effectively

oversaw, managed, and implemented all of the New Enterprise and WBC Programs, and was

responsible for all aspects of management for the Women Business Center’s five locations in

Boston, Westborough, Nashua, Burlington and Providence. She also served part-time as a Quality

Improvement Grant Monitor for Ready to Learn Providence/Center for Early Learning

Professionals where she taught business classes for aspiring Family Child Care Providers in both

English and Spanish and developed a bilingual curriculum for all business classes; and

     WHEREAS, In 2016, Ms. Diaz-Jusino was promoted to the position of Senior Director of

Programs & Services Delivery where she effectively oversaw the implementation of all programs

and Service Delivery of the Center for Women & Enterprise. She also oversaw all site managers

and provided assistance and support for all decisions related to sourcing, hiring, orientation and

onboarding, training and development and disciplinary action and termination; and

     WHEREAS, In 2017, Ms. Diaz-Jusino was promoted to the position of Vice President of

Programs and Community Development for the Center for Women & Enterprise. She helped to

raise the philanthropic resources necessary to support CWE programs and initiatives, oversaw the

general management of all program areas, worked collaboratively with staff leadership across

New England to enhance their fundraising skills and support their revenue generating efforts, and

filled in for the CEO when requested; and

     WHEREAS, In 2018, Ms. Diaz-Jusino was named the Strategic Initiative Officer for

Economic Security for the Rhode Island Foundation where she served as a liaison for the

economic security sector, and identified the key stakeholders and the significant challenges and

opportunities the foundation would face in the future. She also served as the Relationship

Manager with grantees, applicants and community partners, and represented the Rhode Island

Foundation at community events; and

     WHEREAS, Since 2020, Ms. Diaz-Jusino has served as a Vice President and Community

Development Officer. Her responsibilities include being responsible for developing,

implementing and administering many of the strategic aspects of the Bank’s Community

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Reinvestment Act Program by increasing banking relationships with community-based,

charitable, and nonprofit organizations. She is also responsible for establishing opportunities to

meet the lending needs for low- and moderate-income communities, businesses and customers;

now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby honors Carmen Diaz-

Jusino for her distinguished business career and furthermore, believes that her more than twenty-

years of business experience in identifying the strengths and challenges of businesses and

managing a team to design and deliver effective results would be a tremendous asset to the Small

Business Administration should Ms. Diaz-Jusino become the next Small Business Administration

Regional Administrator for New England; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Joseph Biden, President of the

United States, the Honorable Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, the Honorable

Isabella Casillas Guzman, Small Business Administration Administrator, the Honorable Nydia

Velazquez, Chairwoman of the United States House of Representatives Small Business

Committee, the Honorable Jack Reed, United States Senator, the Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse,

United States Senator, the Honorable James Langevin, United States Representative, and the

Honorable David Cicilline, United States Representative.

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LC002849

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