The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV) is pleased to welcome its new slate of Board of Directors. RICAGV Board Chair Sydney Montstream-Quas said, “In addition to several returning members, we are pleased to welcome five new dedicated individuals to our Board, each bringing a level of knowledge and expertise that will further help drive our goals and objectives.”
JUAN CARTER, who is from Providence, RI is a father of two. Shaughn Carter, 22 years old and Elaina Carter, 16 years old. He has been a Violence Intervention/Prevention Specialist for 13 years. Starting in 2009 as a Streetworker for the Nonviolence Institute. Two years after joining the organization, he became the Director of Street Outreach. Through national partnerships with other Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations, Juan has trained Street Outreach organizations and professionals across the country in Nonviolence Violence Intervention/Prevention Strategies. His endless dedication to reduce violence in communities across the country, he has had the honor to present, also be a panelist at the LA Gang Conference and Homeboy Global Network Gathering. Juan has received a host of community awards for his efforts and has continued to further his career in CVI. Now serving as the Community Violence Initiative Outreach Manager at Giffords. Juan is also the President of A Sweet Creation Youth Organization, a board member for Sheila E. Nowell Academy and Providence Sports Leadership.
VERNELL CLOUDEN-DUVAL is a successful development professional with over 20 years of experience in educational, arts, healthcare, and social services organizations. She is passionate about building productive relationships with all stakeholders and inspiring donors to greater levels of giving to support the mission of the organizations she works with. She has proven success in major gifts and varied aspects of development work including annual giving, event management, corporate asks, grants, and planned giving. Originally from the Caribbean (Grenada and Barbados), Vernell pursued an undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then made the move to the US to pursue her MBA. Twenty-five years later she calls Somerset, MA home.
Vernell Currently is the Director of Development at Caritas Communities which provides permanent housing in Greater Boston and builds a sense of community for very-low income individuals including, previously homeless and veterans. Caritas Communities is headquartered in Braintree, MA. Living in the US has given Vernell the opportunity to explore her creative side. An avid self-taught, multi-passionate creative, Vernell uses the Bullet Journal system to organize her personal and creative life. She is an avid reader and casual writer and considers herself to be a life artist. Vernell is a former Board Member of New Urban Arts, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Rhode Island Chapter, and former Co-Chair of National Philanthropy Day Rhode Island.
MARLON HENRY – As a career educator and technology leader, Marlon joins the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV) board with a wide range of professional and volunteer experiences. His deep commitment to building healthy communities and improving the physical and emotional safety of young people on and offline has put harm prevention at the core of the work he has been involved in for the last several years.
Marlon’s professional work over the last two decades utilizing technology to measure and support the social and emotional health of school communities as well as his volunteer experiences mentoring young boys of color and serving on the East Providence Mayor’s Community Advisory Board have been instrumental in developing his understanding of and approach to community safety.
The opportunity to serve with RICAGV and expand on his work fighting for the safety of communities and young people is truly a passion and privilege for Marlon and he is excited and hopeful about moving the work forward.
RICH STREITFELD, Board Treasurer, has been a CPA and partner for over 25 years with Aaronson Lavoie Streitfeld Diaz and Co, a long-time leader in servicing local non-profits. He is also a Mortgage Loan officer with Total Mortgage, also in Cranston. Rich was Director of the Kwan Um School of Zen from 1984 to 1991. “KUSZ” has its offices at the Providence Zen Center in Cumberland, where he also lived for seven years. Rich has served on the boards of Second Story Theatre, Economic Progress Institute and others. He lives in Providence, his home the site of more than 30 popular home art shows over the past dozen years (initially christened “Rebel HQ”, now “Hope’s Alive”). He recently remarried, to his long-time sweetheart. He has two sons, one in Providence and one in Brooklyn. However, he has a new passion – Pickleball. Rich has been nicknamed “Zen Mensch Accountant” and “Total Mortgage Mensch” to reflect his upbringing and practice. For the last few years he has offered a small matching gift to tax clients who contribute to a non-profit from a list of (mostly local) organizations Rich provides. Between recipient gifts and his family’s match, The Coalition has received close to $1,000 in the past 2 years.
ARIANA L. WOHL has been a volunteer with RICAGV since 2015 and has participated in lobby days, community outreach, canvassing efforts, member meetings, and other events. For almost 20 years, she has been a middle school teacher and leader at several small schools in Providence, Central Falls, and New Bedford. The Coalition’s work is personal to her; she has lost multiple former students to gun violence. She participates in the Washington Park Neighborhood Association, has contributed to local education initiatives, and is active in the local arts scene. She has also served as a professional development coach in the Dominican Republic, a student-travel educator, a curriculum consultant, and on a public interest litigation team. Ariana was a 2010-2011 Fulbright Distinguished Teaching Fellow in Argentina and has also lived in Chile, Panama, and Italy. She believes in joyful learning that promotes social justice and nurtures the whole child.
Ariana earned her M.A.T. from Brown University and a B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University. She loves travel, theater, reading, writing, gardening, photography, food, civic engagement, and exploring the outdoors with her beagle, Luigi.