President’s Executive Staff

The individuals listed below are members of the President’s Executive Staff. As members of the college’s senior management team they report directly to the president with news, initiatives and results from their respective departments.

Julian Alssid
Elizabeth Canning
Ronald Cavallaro
Dr. Rosemary Costigan
Sara Enright
Bobby Gondola
Alix Ogden
Deb Zielinski

Julian Alssid, Vice President, Division of Workforce Partnerships

Julian Alssid brings deep knowledge of workforce development and a national reputation for building effective employer partnerships to the Division of Workforce Partnerships. He has served as chief workforce strategist for College of America at Southern New Hampshire University and executive director of the national nonprofit Workforce Strategy Center. He also was the director for economic development at LaGuardia Community College in New York City for eight years. Contact Julian Alssid.

Elizabeth Canning, J.D., Associate Vice President of Institutional Equity and Human Resources

Elizabeth works collaboratively across departments and campuses on institutional compliance, employee relations and lifecycle, community culture and inclusion. Previously, Elizabeth served as Director of Title IX initiatives at the College of the Holly Cross, and Director of Equity and Compliance at Johnson & Wales University. Elizabeth earned her Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College and her Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School.. Contact Elizabeth Canning.

Ronald A. Cavallaro, General Counsel

Ron Cavallaro serves as general counsel to CCRI. Since 2006, he has also served as general counsel to the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education. Prior to that time, he was legal counsel for the Department of Labor and Training and worked there in part-time and full-time capacities for just over 20 years. From 1995 to 2009, Cavallaro also was a member of the adjunct faculty at the Southern New England School of Law, now the University of Massachusetts School of Law. Contact Ron Cavallaro.

Dr. Rosemary Costigan, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Rosemary Costigan is responsible for advancing the college's educational initiatives and providing vision and support in areas of educational policy, institutional planning, program review and faculty development. Costigan is a 1978 graduate of the CCRI nursing program. She returned to teach and lead the Nursing Department prior to assuming the role of vice president for Academic Affairs. Contact Dr. Rosemary Costigan.

Sara Enright, Vice President for Student Affairs

Sara Enright has a diverse work history that includes positions in business development, strategic planning and program management over the past 18 years. In her most recent role at Nalari Health, she has led teams responsible for strategic projects, operations, sales support and customer training. Contact Sara Enright.

Bobby Gondola, Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement and College Relations

Leading the Community College of Rhode Island Foundation, Alumni Affairs and community relations, Gondola advances the Foundation's mission to support CCRI, its students and alumni. Through collaboration with the philanthropic community, he helps strategically grow both the endowment and annual giving campaigns. Gondola brings experience from youth-serving organizations and helped lead education nonprofits in Rhode Island, Philadelphia, Harlem and South Africa. He joined CCRI from Hasbro Inc., where he was director of the company's global philanthropy and social impact department. Gondola has a Bachelor of Arts from Salve Regina University and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Contact Bobby Gondola.

Alix Ogden, Associate Vice President for Administration

Alix Ogden serves as the college's Associate Vice President for Administration. Prior to joining CCRI, Alix spent 25 years working for elected officials in state and municipal government in Washington state and Rhode Island. Her work locally includes serving as the parks superintendent and director of operations for the city of Providence under then-Mayor David N. Cicilline. Ogden earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington in Seattle and is a graduate of the Roger Williams School of Law. Contact Alix Ogden.

Deb Zielinski, Assistant to the President

As assistant to President Hughes, Deb Zielinski is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the President’s Office at the multi-campus community college. Beyond her administrative role, she serves as the president’s liaison to the college community, plans major college events, serves on various college committees, and is a resource for faculty, staff, students and the general public. Contact Deb Zielinski.