Speakers

We are honored to welcome Rhode Island's senior U.S. Senator, Jack Reed, to this meeting, which we have designated as a "bring a prospective new member" meeting.  We are asking our members to bring at least one person interested in becoming a Rotarian  to the meeting as our guest.  Please visit providencerotary.org for more information.

The Honorable Jack Reed was born in Cranston, and graduated from La Salle Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  He spent several years in active duty military service, including serving as a paratrooper in the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division where he was a platoon leader, company commander and battalion staff officer.

Later, he attended Harvard's Kennedy School, where he received a master of public policy, and then returned to West Point in 1978 as an associate professor in the department of social sciences. He left active duty in 1979 after earning the rank of captain. However, he would remain a member of the United States Army Reserve until 1991 when he retired at the rank of major. After leaving active duty, Reed enrolled in Harvard Law School where he graduated with his juris doctor and then worked as an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan. Afterwards, he returned to Rhode Island and joined Edwards & Angell. He worked with this group until 1990.

He was elected as a state senator in 1984 and served three terms. In 1990, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and in 1996 ran and won the seat to succeed the Honorable Claiborne Pell in the U.S. Senate. He has held that seat since and currently serves as chair of the armed services committee.

 

We are pleased to welcome Clara Decerbo, PhD, CEM to the club!  This is an opportunity for us to get to know her better and to learn about the Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)

Dr. Decerbo is director of PEMA and has an interesting background in emergency management and as an EMT-cardiac/firefighter.  She has a PhD and MA from URI in marine affairs with a focus on hazards and disaster response, and a BA from Middlebury College in international studies with a focus on Middle Eastern history and Arabic.  She is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through the International Association of Emergency Managers.

Welcome Dr. Decerbo!  We look forward to your presentation!