Women's Resource Center Holds 2018 Annual Meeting

Pictured, from left to right: Bryan Dunphy, Treasurer; Kerri Bruneau, Secretary; Mary Johnstone, Vice President; Nicole Benjamin, President

The Women’s Resource Center serving Newport and Bristol Counties (WRC), a nonprofit domestic violence intervention and prevention services agency, held its Annual Meeting at Roberto’s Restaurant in Bristol on Thursday, October 25, 2018. New officers and directors were named to the Board of Directors and the organization awarded community partners with special awards.

The following individuals were appointed to serve one-year terms on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors: Nicole J. Benjamin, Esq., president (she is an attorney with Adler Pollock and Sheehan P.C. in Providence, RI and resides in Bristol, RI); Mary C. Johnstone, vice president (a resident of Portsmouth, RI, she was a lead volunteer at Child & Family in Middletown, R.I., with the Pennfield School in Portsmouth, R.I and an advisor on the Rhode Island Foundation Newport County Fund.); Bryan H. Dunphy, treasurer (he is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Bristol, R.I. and resides in Barrington, RI); and Kerri Bruneau, secretary (she is a certified medical coder for the U.S. Navy and resides in Portsmouth, RI).

Four individuals were newly elected to the Board of Directors to serve three-year terms: Daniel Baker, teacher at St. Philomena School in Portsmouth, R.I. (resident of Portsmouth, RI); Trudy Coleman, CPA, and a resident of Saunderstown, R.I.; Amy Parks, vice president of strategy at Merkle Response Management Group based in Hagerstown, Maryland and resident of Newport, R.I.; and Nathan Tillman, DDS, owner of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Newport, R.I. (resident of Newport, RI).

The 2018 winner of the Champion Award is the Rhode Island Department of Health in recognition of their support of the Newport Health Equity Zones (HEZ) project and in championing the WRC ’s cause. Rhode Island Department of Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH accepted the award on behalf of the HEZ initiative.

Recipient of the Community Partnership award, presented to the organization that works closest with the Women’s Resource Center throughout the year, was the Aquidneck Community Table. Executive Director Bevan Linsley Newport was present to accept the award.

The Empowerment Award, presented to the individual that helps the Women’s Resource Center better serve and empower its clients, was awarded to Kimberly Raunch, Director of RIWorks, Rhode Island Department of Human Services. Ms. Raunch is a resident of Hope Valley, R.I.

A member of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Women’s Resource Centerserving Newport and Bristol Counties (WRC) was founded in 1977 to provide comprehensive domestic violence intervention and prevention services that educate, advocate, and shelter any individual in need of assistance. Each year, WRC helps women, children, families, men and the elderly to obtain the services they need to secure their physical, mental, emotional and financial safety from domestic abuse. Main Office: 114 Touro Street, Newport, R.I.; Phone: 401-846-5263; Warren Office: 624 Main Street, Warren, R.I.; Website: www.wrcnbc.org; facebook.com/wrcnbc