MISSION

Our Mission is to meet employer and industry need for skilled workers through the Registered Apprenticeship system while creating family-sustaining career opportunities for low-income diverse residents.

About Us

Building Futures launched in 2007 as a construction industry partnership focused on leveraging the Registered Apprenticeship model of workforce development. For over 100 years, unions and employers have jointly operated quality registered apprenticeships in  construction occupations to train individuals as highly-skilled tradespeople. Our work spans three distinct but highly aligned areas.

For the benefit of low-income Rhode Islanders, Building Futures developed and operates a comprehensive pre-apprenticeship program to prepare diverse, low-income men and women for success in employment as registered apprentices in the building trades. In addition, we work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that construction projects provide employment opportunities for apprentices at the appropriate level to meet future demand for skilled labor through our Apprentice Utilization Program. Our pre-apprenticeship and apprentice utilization program together provide an effective system for workforce development in Rhode Island’s construction sector.

From this foundation, we have established Apprenticeship Rhode Island, an initiative to expand the use of Registered Apprenticeship beyond the construction sector. Now, we are helping to develop new registered apprenticeship programs in multiple sectors, which include healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing and green/plant-based occupations, among others. Working with employers, industry partnerships, government, and community-based organizations, we are spreading this proven model of Registered Apprenticeship to benefit the state’s workforce and economy.

Staff

Leandro Kufa Castro
Outreach, Recruitment & Leadership Coordinator
lcastro@bfri.org, x216
Cell: 401-632-7146

Ian Chase
Training Director
ichase@bfri.org, x202

Andrew Cortés
Executive Director
acortes@bfri.org

Michael Currier
Recovery Director
Mcurrier@bfri.org,
Cell: 401-426-2470

Katie Cush
Employer Relations Associate
kcush@bfri.org

Rick Daniels
Director of Apprenticeship Expansion
rdaniels@bfri.org, x217

Lisa Dusablon
Accounting & Data Manager
ldusablon@bfri.org, x200

Nick Ferro
Social Services Director
nferro@bfri.org
Cell: 401-862-3693

Kevin Grattan
Training Manager
kgrattan@bfri.org

Sydney Healey
Project Coordinator (Apprentice Utilization Program)
shealey@bfri.org

Vin Hawkins
Math Instructor
vhawkins@bfri.org

Rita Holahan
Finance and Operations Director
rholahan@bfri.org, x204

Linda Impagliazzo
Grants Manager
limpagliazzo@bfri.org, x217

Marlo Jackson
Lead Trainer
mjackson@bfri.org
Cell: 401-208-5947

Kasey Johnson
Employer Relations Manager
kjohnson@bfri.org, x205

Kevin Landry
Bridge to Opportunity Lead Trainer
klandry@bfri.org

Maribeth Marceau
Finance Director
mmarceau@bfri.org

Shelby Mack
Chief of Staff
smack@bfri.org, x209

Natalie McFarlane
Employer Relations Associate
nmcfarlane@bfri.org, x219

Rachel Miller
Communications Director
rmiller@bfri.org

Maia Nesmith
Social Services Coordinator
mnesmith@bfri.org, x201
Cell: 401-330-7851

Evan Rosin-Pritchard
Assistant Training Director
erosin-pritchard@bfri.org, x203
Cell: 401-208-8857

Brook Swanson
Training Coordinator
bswanson@bfri.org, x202

Lori Turchetta
Workforce System-Apprenticeship Liaison
lturchetta@bfri.org,  x215
Lori.Turchetta@dlt.ri.gov

Board of Directors

Gregory Mancini, Chair of the Board
Executive Director & General Counsel, Build RI

Andrew Cortés, Ex Officio
Founder & Executive Director, Building Futures

Scott Duhamel, Secretary

Assistant to the General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades

Secretary-Treasurer, RI Building & Construction Trades Council

Janice Cataldo, Treasurer

Vanessa Crum, Esq.

Eileen Hayes
President & CEO, Amos House

Bruce Iannuccillo
Vice President, R.P. Iannuccillo & Sons

Vennicia Kingston

Building Futures’ Pre-apprenticeship Alumni, 2011

Co-Chair, RI Women’s Council of the RIBCTC

Founder & CEO, Eagle Eye Post Construction Service, LLC

Sandra Powell
Deputy Director – Operations, Rhode Island Department of Health

Patrick J. Quinn

Michael Sabitoni, Director Emeritus

Business Manager & Secretary-Treasurer, Rhode Island Laborers’ District Council

Vice President, LIUNA General Executive Board

President, RI Building & Construction Trades Council

APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND

Apprenticeship Rhode Island, an initiative of Building Futures, works to maximize the use of the highly effective system of workforce development – Registered Apprenticeship – for the benefit of employers, government and residents of the state. Visit the ARI site to learn more.

Apprenticeship Rhode Island