Big Sisters of Rhode Island
“40 Magical Women We Admire”
Honored at Abracadabra Ball

Senator Jack Reed and Kati Machtley
honorary chairpersons

On Saturday, November 10, 500 guests honored “40 Magical Women We Admire” at Big Sisters of Rhode Island’s 40th year anniversary event, the Abracadabra Ball. The women were honored for their personal achievements and work performed on behalf of the community.

This first-ever gala for Big Sisters was held at the Westin Hotel in downtown Providence. NBC10’s Patrice Wood served as the Master of Ceremonies for the sold-out event. Kati Machtley, chair of the Women’s Summit at Bryant University, and Senator Jack Reed served as honorary co-chairs.

The black-tie-optional event was kicked off with entertainment by strolling magicians and a silent auction. Guests were then welcomed into the Narragansett Ballroom where they dined on a scrumptious dinner and dessert.

Preceding the dinner, former Little Sister and honoree, Kendra King, Ph.D. shared her story with the audience and recognized her diverse and accomplished fellow honorees. Dr. King grew up in the Chad Brown projects in Providence. She was matched with her Big Sister at the age of 9 and remained matched until she graduated from Classical High School in 1990. She earned her B.A. in government from Colby College in 1994 and was accepted into the Ph.D. program in political science at the Ohio State University in the same year. Today, Dr. King is an associate professor of politics, and is the new director of the Rich Foundation Urban Leadership Program at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

A live auction, led by professional auctioneer Kathy Kingston, followed King’s touching speech. The guests danced for the remainder of the night to the sounds of John Allmark’s East Side Horns featuring vocals by Mac Odom and Chill.

“This was a magical evening,” said Donna Carris, Big Sisters Board President. “Many of the at-risk young girls we serve aspire to be doctors, lawyers, scientists, chefs, veterinarians, etc. and Dr. King and all the honorees are true role models for our Little Sisters.”

Big Sisters of Rhode Island raised $150,000 from the Abracadabra Ball. The money will be well spent, allowing the statewide agency to continue to mentor at-risk girls throughout Rhode Island.

Some of the event’s generous sponsors included: Collette Vacations, BankNewport, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Amgen, Amica, CVS/Caremark, MetLife, and NBC10.

Pictured here on the grand staircase at the Westin are 33 of our 40 honorees:

• 1. M. Therese Antone, RSM: president, Salve Regina University
• 2. Tracy C. Baran: partner, law firm of Partridge Snow & Hahn, LLP
• 3. Dawn Barrett: dean of architecture, Rhode Island School of Design and owner, Barrett Design
• 4. Susan Bond: only female head PGA professional in Rhode Island, two-time winner of the New England Women’s Open and the first female board member of the New England PGA
• 5. Elizabeth Burke Bryant: executive director, RI KIDS COUNT
• 6. Elizabeth Chace: business woman and leader and advisor to numerous non-profit organizations
• 7. Stephanie D. Chafee: nurse and founder, Rhode Island Free Clinic, Providence
• 8. Susan Colantuono: founder, Leading Women networking/training
• 9. Joan Countryman: retired head of school, Lincoln School
• 10. Trudy Coxe: president/executive director, Newport Preservation Society
• 11. Betty-Jo Cugini: vice president, news, NBC10
• 12. Meredith A. Curren: businesswoman and volunteer leader for several non-profit organizations
• 13. Tabatha L. Glavin: former Big Sister, entrepreneur and a recently-retired sergeant of the Providence Police Department
• 14. Maureen McKenna Goldberg: justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court
• 15. Kathleen Hittner, M.D.: president and CEO, The Miriam Hospital
• 16. Connie Howes: president/CEO, Women and Infants Hospital
• 17. Dorothy Jungels: dancer, choreographer and founder, Everett Dance Theatre
• 18. Kendra A. King, Ph.D.: former Little Sister, professor at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta
• 19. Sally E. Lapides: president, Residential Properties
• 20. Mary F. Lovejoy: former Big Sister; vice president and treasurer, Textron
• 21. Pamela M. Macktaz: associate justice Rhode Island Family Court
• 22. Katherine Ferguson McKenzie: group executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Citizens Financial Group, Inc
• 23. Maria Montanaro: CEO, Thundermist Health Center
• 24. Elizabeth Roberts: Rhode Island Lt. Governor
• 25. Laura Love Rose: president and owner, Field & Rose, a specialty boutique featuring fine jewelry and home accessories
• 26. Deborah L. Ruggiero: former Big Sister and host of Amazing Women program on WPRO and RI Public TV
• 27. Roz Rustigian: owner, Rustigian Rugs
• 28. Gretchen Dow Simpson: painter known for her sharp, bright, close-up views of New England architecture and whose work has been on the cover of the New Yorker
• 29. Cheryl Snead: president/CEO Banneker Industries
• 30. Vanessa Toledo-Vickers: president, Virtual Marketing Associates and co-founder and managing director of Ethnic Business Partners
• 31. Laurie White: president/CEO, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
• 32. Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf: Archbishop Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
• 33. Carol Young: deputy editor, Providence Journal

Click here for biographies of the 40 Women We Admire.

Founded in 1967, Big Sisters of Rhode Island is the state’s only mentoring program exclusively for girls. The agency matches caring women with girls between the ages of 7 to 15 in one-on-one mentoring friendships. It also operates school-based mentoring, pairing high-school girls with younger girls, and offers Life Choices workshops to groups of girls in elementary or middle school. For more information about Big Sisters’ programs or to volunteer as a Big Sister mentor, go to www.bigsistersri.org or call 401-921-2434.

The Big Sisters mentoring agency established the Big Sisters Donation Center in 1997 to augment the agency’s fundraising income. The Donation Center sells clothing and other items of cloth by weight to the local Savers thrift stores. Proceeds provide a major portion of the Big Sisters agency funding. For more information about the Big Sisters Donation Center click “Donations,” at the left, or call 401-464-6500.