Board Members

Debra Gold, board chair, moved to EG in 2017. She was the director of Global Talent Development at IGT before retiring, specializing in leadership development at Swarovski, IBM, and Bose. She is honored to have been a Heart Association “Woman of Impact” in 2021, and has served on other local boards. Email: [email protected]

Greg de Groot, treasurer, has lived in East Greenwich since 1984. Greg retired from U.S. Trust – Bank of America Private Wealth Management in 2019. He has been active on a variety of boards in Rhode Island.

Michael Balsamo, C.P.A., was born in Rhode Island but raised in the Washington D.C. area. He is owner and president of Balsamo Accountants based in East Greenwich.

Jody Sceery, J.D., Secretary, was born and raised in Guilford, Connecticut. She is an Attorney at Law, specializing in residential and commercial real estate closing. She has served as a board member and a volunteer in many committees in the community.

Len Iannuccilli has lived, worked and invested in Rhode Island communities for more than 46 years. He is Co-Owner/Broker of RE/MAX Professionals, and a longtime supporter of initiatives to raise funds for breast cancer research. Len is an ongoing contributor to the Children’s Miracle Network with a deep appreciation of the mission and work of Hasbro Children’s Hospital where he is a member of the Board of Governors.

Joannie Hinman and her husband Chuck raised two children in East Greenwich. Joannie’s quarter century in broadcasting including hosting WSNE’s the “Jones and Joan” morning show; she now works in commercial banking operations. Joannie served as a Girl Scout leader and in other volunteer capacities in EG.

Lisa Sussman, past chair, moved to Rhode Island twenty years ago. She is a freelance writer and editor, she has served on many committees in the community. 

Cynthia Blanthorne has lived in Rhode Island for 15 years, most of that time in East Greenwich. She is a Professor of Accounting at the University of Rhode Island and has served on numerous higher education committees and non-profit boards.

Bridget Zech Shapiro grew up in East Greenwich and after living out of state for a time, settled back in EG with her husband Mark to raise their son. Bridget’s professional background is in operations and client success in the corporate preventive health/wellness and digital accessibility industries. She’s an active volunteer and has served on several local boards over the years.

Find out more about all of our board members HERE.

Staff

Elizabeth McNamara, editor, has been in writing and reporting about East Greenwich since 2009, when she joined my02818.com, where she developed a deep love of community reporting. A California native, she has lived in East Greenwich since 1989. She and her husband, Neal McNamara, have three adult children. Email: [email protected]

Deron Murphy, business manager, moved to East Greenwich in 2007 after previously living in Virginia and growing up in Connecticut. With a background in business he’s excited to contribute to the success of East Greenwich News. He enjoys volunteering his time protecting our local cemeteries, planting trees around town and helping to clean up the bay. His interests include movies, pickleball, going for hikes around the state and traveling with his wife and daughter. Email: [email protected]

Corinne Steinbrenner, events and development manager, is pleased to be helping donors support the vital work of EG News. She moved to East Greenwich with her husband, Derek, and their two sons in 2016 and has since been active in the community, serving as president of the East Greenwich-Cowesett Neighbors Club, the Frenchtown Elementary Parent Teacher Group, and the Eldredge Elementary Parent Teacher Group. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University and has written news and feature articles for trade magazines and university alumni publications. Email: [email protected]

Stephen Susi, social media manager, is a former firefighter and current man-around-town keeping followers and readers informed of the latest and greatest on social media while loving EG life with his wife and two young boys. Email: [email protected]

Andrew Disa, sales manager, comes from a strong business and sales background where he believes in honesty, integrity and building long-lasting relationships within the community. Andrew is an avid musician playing guitar and drums in his spare time. Andrew loves living in East Greenwich with his wife, Jessica, and raising their two children, Henry and Jonathan, and their dog, Copley. Email: [email protected]