Providence City Council Staff
Erlin Rogel, J.D.
Chief of Staff
Serves as staff director and oversees all projects and staff activities. Functions as primary liaison between Councilors, administration and department directors.
Email: Erogel@providenceri.gov
Billy Kepner
Deputy Chief of Staff – Communications
The Deputy Chief of Staff – Communications coordinates communications efforts on behalf of the City Council and its 15 Council members. He also creates and implements strategic communications, and develops marketing and social media strategies to ensure that constituents are informed and engaged in City Council initiatives. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the City Council communications staff.
Email: Bkepner@providenceri.gov
Marylee Dixon
Deputy Chief of Staff – Operations
The Deputy Chief of Staff – Operations coordinates and oversees constituent services, financial services, and the clerical operations of the City Council office on behalf of the City Council and its 15 members.
Email: Mdixon@providenceri.gov
Constituent Services
Michael Florio
Constituent Services
Fields requests and issues from both constituents and Councilors, and enters those requests into the PVD311 database. Ensures that tasks are assigned to the appropriate department and tracks their progress. He also works with the communications team to help organize community events and meetings and provides staffing support for these events.
Email: Mflorio@providenceri.gov
Patrick Griffin
Constituent Services
Fields requests and issues from both constituents and Councilors, and enters those requests into the PVD311 database. Ensures that tasks are assigned to the appropriate department and tracks their progress. He also works with the communications team to help organize community events and meetings and provides staffing support for these events.
Email: Pgriffin@providenceri.gov
Communications
André Herrera
Communications Associate
Assists the Director of Communications in coordinating communications efforts on behalf of the City Council and its 15 Council members. Helps to create and implement strategic communications and develop marketing and social media strategies to ensure that constituents are informed and engaged in City Council initiatives.
Email: Asherrera@providenceri.gov
Stephanie Jourdain
Special Events and Community Meeting Organizer
The Events Coordinator works with her colleagues across departments to organize and implement special events and community meetings from inception to completion. This includes Councilor community meeting, special holiday events, and other projects as assigned.
Email: Sjourdain@providenceri.gov
Policy and Research
Kunal Vasudev
Assistant Director of Policy & Research
The Assistant Director of Policy & Research is responsible for conducting and completing policy and legislative research, including analyses, proposals, and reports for both neighborhood and citywide projects. They also help to oversee other policy and research staff.
Fields research requests from Councilors on all issues impacting the City of Providence. He works with the Councilors to draft legislation, staffs commission and committee meetings related to policy matters. He also staffs legislative hearings regarding matters of interest to Councilors and staffs individual Councilor meetings as requested.
Email: Kvasudev@providenceri.gov
Beshka Kandell
Policy Analyst & Research Coordinator
The Policy Analyst and Research Coordinator is responsible for conducting and completing policy and legislative research, including analyses, proposals, and reports for both neighborhood and citywide projects.
Fields research requests from Councilors on all issues impacting the City of Providence. She works with the Councilors to draft legislation, staffs commission and committee meetings related to policy matters. He also staffs legislative hearings regarding matters of interest to Councilors and staffs individual Councilor meetings as requested.
Email: Bkandell@providenceri.gov
Office Operations & Financial Affairs
Teresa Boucher
Receptionist
The receptionist greets visitors to the Council office, fields all office and Councilor correspondence, and assists with constituent requests on a daily basis.
Email: Tboucher@providenceri.gov
Katia Lugo
Scheduling Supervisor
The Scheduling Supervisor serves as the lead scheduler for the City Council office and the Council President. She manages, schedules, and coordinates the 15-member City Council’s extensive calendar of appointments, meetings, and events. She also oversees and disseminates Councilor meeting requests to assistant schedulers and monitors the progress and completion of assigned tasks.
Email: Klugo@providenceri.gov
Kyle Delgado
Scheduler
The Scheduler works with the Scheduling Supervisor to manage, schedule and coordinate the calendar of a selection of Council members and their extensive calendar appointments, meetings and events.
He also assists with community meetings, events, and other projects as assigned.
Email: Kdelgado@providenceri.gov
Olga Coloian
Project Specialist
The Project Specialist coordinates and provides support to all council related Community Block Development Grants and Neighborhood Infrastructure projects so they may be delivered within the established budget and timeline. She disseminates project information and serves as an active participant in project-related work. She also administers the Capital Improvement Plan on behalf of the Council and assists with constituent service requests and translation services.
Interns
Abigail Appel, University of Rhode Island
Communications Intern
Works with Communications staff on specific projects as assigned: press releases, fact sheets, social media posts, flyer and graphic design.