Board Members

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

Debra Gold moved to East Greenwich from Boston 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. 

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.

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]

Kate E. Glass, assistant editor, graduated from The George Washington University, Kent School, and programs at Bond University, Monterey Institute of International Studies, and The Academy for Nonprofit Excellence. A spouse of a Naval Aviator and mother to two young children, Kate runs on coffee and loves to play tennis. Email: [email protected]

Mary Louise Formisano, director of sponsorship and community outreach, leads all initiatives to develop relationships with potential sponsor advertisers, event sponsors and corporate leadership campaign sponsors. She has also managed and led events for East Greenwich News. A native New Yorker, ML has lived in East Greenwich for 19 years where she raised two children who are now adults. She believes fiercely that EG News, local and independent, is a treasure that must be sustained. Email: [email protected]com

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]

Anthony Burnett-Testa, Sales & Community Specialist, engages and networks with the community in his commitment to help local businesses succeed. He believes local news is vital to a strong community. Anthony previously taught science in New York and Massachusetts and currently teaches computer science at Cole Middle School. His interests include comedy, hiking, kayaking and mountain biking. Email: [email protected]