WHO WE ARE

Laurie comes to the Mental Health Association with 24 years of nonprofit experience and a passion for helping, inspiring and leading. She is driven by the core belief that we are meant to take care of each other, especially our most vulnerable. Laurie has served as a lobbyist and policy analyst for the ACLU; a case manager at AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts; a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the child welfare system; Treatment Access Program Manager at Project HEAL; and the Director of Strategic Partnerships at NeedyMeds. Laurie recovered from anorexia nervosa when she was 17 years old. She has also survived two severe episodes of clinical depression and lives with complex PTSD. In her spare time, She is the 2024 recipient of Butler Hospital’s Lila M. Sapinsley Community Service Award. Laurie enjoys creative writing projects, sewing, hiking, running, reading, yoga and baking vegan treats.  Her favorite inspirational quote is: “What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is your candle.” ~ Rumi

Terry joins the Mental Health Association with over 25 years of non-profit experience as staff, board member and Board President. Terry is a graduate of Rhode Island College and has taken advanced level course work in Marketing and Sales. Throughout his career, Terry has strived to create meaningful relationships, serving on numerous RI boards that work with underserved and immigrant communities. He is the recent past Chairman of the Progreso Latino board, helping steer the organization to its strongest fiscal strength and broadest community reach. After being diagnosed with anxiety over 10 years ago, Terry is aware that good mental health is important to everyone, and access to effective mental health care is vital to a strong community. As Director of Community Engagement, he will endeavor to cultivate resources that strengthen the community. Terry resides in North Providence with his wife and enjoys playing competitive league tennis and traveling.

Laura brings diverse experience to the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island, having worked as a school social worker and provided psychotherapy for underprivileged youth. She has also worked in the nonprofit sector and with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Her personal experience navigating the mental health system, following her own diagnosis of depression and anxiety over a decade ago, gives her a deep understanding of the challenges individuals face in accessing care. In her practice, she specializes in working with individuals with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Passionate about supporting youth and families, she is dedicated to reducing barriers to care and promoting positive mental health outcomes. Laura holds a bachelor's degree in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University and a Master of Social Work from Louisiana State University. Through policy advocacy, resource navigation, and community collaboration, she strives to address systemic obstacles and create a more equitable and accessible mental health system. Outside of work, Laura enjoys reading and discovering new hiking trails with her two dogs, Ringo and Lucy.

Pat Beauchemin, LICSW is a licensed independent clinical social worker.  She has practiced as a psychotherapist in diverse outpatient treatment settings, providing therapy for children and adult populations, with a specialization in trauma work.  Currently, she is a Teaching Associate in Medical Science in the Section of Medical Education, Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School.   Prior to her retirement in 2019, she practiced as a school social worker for 26 years and was the founder of the RI Coalition of School Social Workers (now RI School Social Worker Affiliates). She earned a Master of Social Work Degree from Boston University and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Management from Bryant University.  Pat is committed to addressing systemic social determinants that impede access to equitable behavioral health services for our RI community.    

Alexandra (she/her) joined the Board of the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island in 2026. She brings a varied background, both professional and personal, strengthened by cross-sector work experience and an international upbringing. Each of these experiences have driven her passion for improving equity through systems change.

Alexandra previously worked in the Human Resources field at tech startups, partnering with senior leadership on strategic HR planning, retention, and employee engagement initiatives, as well as building out company-wide diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Deepening her commitment to strengthening systems equity work, she earned her MSW from Rhode Island College and now works in Public Health policy. Alexandra is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds Certificates in Organizational Behavior and Human Services Management. She is a proud Providence resident and enjoys taking walks around her neighborhood with her wife and young son.

Jaron Daniels, MPA (he/him) joined the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island Board of Directors in 2026. He brings a rich professional background to the board, having spent years leading global corporate security, crisis management, protective intelligence, and investigation teams for industry leaders including Amazon.com, eBay, and Microsoft.

Driven by a lifelong passion for helping others, Jaron transitioned to the mental health field in 2024. He is currently pursuing licensure in clinical mental health counseling at Rhode Island College, where he also founded the university's first student-run mental health club. Jaron serves as a clinical intern at the Inner You Counseling Center, providing individual and group therapy to clients ranging from adolescents to older adults.

Judith Fox, JD, worked with a team at BHDDH to design and implement Rhode Island’s efforts to train, certify and provide Medicaid reimbursement for Rhode Island’s peer recovery workforce. She was Program Director of the Rhode Island Women’s Prison Mentoring Program, a transitional program for women leaving prison. Judy began her career at Rhode Island Legal Services, representing low-income people in civil legal matters.  She works as a subject matter expert in Peer Workforce Development for C4Innovations.  Her passion for change in the field of behavioral health is fueled by her own lived experience.

Prachi Kene, PhD, ABPP (she/her/hers) is a licensed clinical psychologist. She earned Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Toledo and has since worked in diverse clinical settings from private practice to psychiatric hospitals. She completed an American Psychological Association-accredited internship at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Via Christi Behavioral Health in Pittsburg, Kansas. In her roles as Professor and Program Director in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology at Rhode Island College (RIC), Dr. Kene trains future mental health professionals. In her role as a licensed psychologist, she provides evidence-based treatment to individuals facing a wide range of mental health challenges at the Clinic of Resilience and Empowerment (CORE). Her areas of research and clinical interests include suicide risk assessment, suicide prevention, and intimate partner violence. A strong advocate for accessible mental healthcare, Dr. Kene’s professional activities have been inspired by a dismay at the lack of resources and the barriers to treatment often encountered by those who need help the most. 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/prachi-kene-3316b0

Lauriza is the daughter of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. She is a lifelong advocate for equitable, community‑centered healthcare. She began her career in mental health and social services, working directly with individuals and families navigating complex health, behavioral health, and social challenges. Those early experiences grounded in empathy, dignity, and a deep understanding of how systems affect real people shaped her belief that meaningful care begins with access, compassion, and culturally responsive support.

Over the past two decades, her journey has taken her through roles in care coordination, case management, project management, and regulatory compliance. Along the way, while balancing work and family, she earned her Master of Public Administration from Roger Williams University, building on degrees from Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island. Today, she serves as a Compliance and Privacy Business Partner, where she is responsible for ensuring that the organization adheres to all relevant laws, regulations, and patient privacy.

Known for her warmth, adaptability, and people‑first approach, Lauriza is driven by a simple belief that strong, ethical systems protect the communities they serve. Her lived experience, professional background, and commitment to equity guide her work with MHARI as she advocates for accessible, compassionate, and culturally responsive mental health care across Rhode Island.

Leonard Ramos joined the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island Board of Directors in September 2023. Mr. Ramos is the Audit Director and Senior Vice President at Bank of America. He has been working in the banking industry for over 20 years. He received his degree from Providence College and began his career at Tides Family Services as a Caseworker and worked part-time at the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket where he assisted the At-Risk Youth in Central Falls and Pawtucket. He has served on various committees and boards throughout his career. Mr. Ramos has always had a strong interest in giving back to the community.

Cristy Raposo Perry is an award-winning communications and marketing leader with 20 years of experience in public outreach, brand strategy, and creative content development. As the Director of Communications & Public Outreach for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), she leads strategic marketing initiatives, manages media relations, oversees digital platforms, and directs a team of marketing and communications professionals to strengthen the agency’s public image and community engagement. She also brings expertise in event planning and graphic design.

Cristy’s work has earned national recognition, including the U.S. EPA’s Clean Air Excellence Award for the Free Zoo & Trolley Too! campaign.

A proud daughter of immigrant parents, Cristy is passionate about inclusive communication and relationship-building. She holds an MBA in Global Business Leadership from Johnson & Wales University and a BA in Spanish with a Marketing concentration from Providence College.

Sandra Victorino is co-founder of the Latino Mental Health Network of RI. She has worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years. Her areas of interest are healthcare access for all populations and health and mental health equity. Her work also focuses on building leadership capabilities, diversity, equity, and inclusion and developing and strengthening community partnerships.

Sandra earned a Master of Arts in Counseling at The University of Mary Hardin Baylor and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate in Mental Health Counseling at Rhode Island College. She is a bilingual, Spanish, bicultural Licensed Mental Health Counselor skilled in Trauma-Informed Care. She is the Chair of the Mental Health Association of RI and Vice-Chair at the Women's Fund of RI. She is on the Behavioral Health Advisory Board at Clinica Esperanza, a free clinic for the uninsured; Diversity & Inclusion Professionals (DAIP) Advisory Board, a professional development organization that brings diversity practitioners together from all economic sectors; a member of the Health Insurance Advisory Council in RI and a committee member of the RI Governor's Workforce Board Healthcare Advisory Committee. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Rhode Island Department of Health Commission for Health Advocacy and Equity, and in her Commissioner role, she participates in the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Health Care System Planning Cabinet - Independent Advisory Council and Olmstead Advisory Group. She is part of the Reciprocity Rhode Island Initiative, which is a collective of people and organizations committed to creating a new educational reality for our young people and families that respects and leverages cultural capital, contributes to our community, and views our youth as future leaders.