2025 Annual Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island

Welcome from the 2025 Co-chair and the 2025 Host Committee

Dear Colleagues,

It is a pleasure for us to invite you to the 64^th CSG East Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum in Providence, Rhode Island. Join us on August 17-20, 2025 for the largest gathering of state officials in the East. Although the smallest state, Rhode Island’s attractions are vast! Enjoy Gilded Age mansions, famous restaurants, and all the sailing capital of the world has to offer.

Mark your calendars and join us for thoughtful discussions on issues of regional importance! Explore CSG East’s policy areas, including agriculture and rural development, education and workforce development, energy and environment, the Council on Communities of Color, fiscal, health, housing, territorial relations, Canada/U.S. relations, and transportation.

Registration opens this winter. As always, the Annual Meeting is family friendly with special activities planned for adult guests and children aged 6 to 17 years old. For more information, please contact AR Braver.

Sincerely,

The Rhode Island Host Committee
Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi, Speaker of the House, 2025 CSG East Co-chair
Senator Dominick J. Ruggerio, President of the Senate, 2025 CSG East Co-chair
Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski, House Majority Leader
Representative Michael W. Chippendale, House Minority Leader
Senator Jessica de la Cruz, Senate Minority Leader

Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi Senator Dominick J. Ruggerio Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski Representative Michael W. Chippendale Senator Jessica de la Cruz

Joseph Shekarchi

Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi, Speaker of the House, 2025 CSG East Co-Chair

K. Joseph Shekarchi is the current Speaker of the House in Rhode Island. He was elected in 2021 and again in 2023. In his role as Speaker, Shekarchi has focused on housing legislative initiatives, as well as economic reform, climate

Dominick J. Ruggerio

Senate President, Rhode Island; CSG East 2025 co-chair

Dominick J. Ruggerio is the President of the Rhode Island Senate. He has served as the Senate President since March of 2017 and previously served as Majority Leader (2010-2017) and Majority Whip (2003-2010). First elected to the Senate in 1984,

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Senator Ruggerio is the “Dean," or most senior member, of the Senate. Ruggerio started his career in public service as a policy aide to the Lieutenant Governor in 1977. During his time in the General Assembly, he has focused on economic development, co-sponsoring the Senate's initiatives to make it easy to do business in Rhode Island by reforming the income tax code, cutting red tape, improving access to capital, and building the skills of the workforce. President Ruggerio resides in North Providence and represents District 4, which includes portions of North Providence and Providence. He is the father of two children, Charles and Amanda.

Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski

Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski, House Majority Leader

Christopher R. Blazejewski represents District 2 in Providence, Rhode Island. As House Majority Whip, he has focused on issues of climate change, housing affordability, and public-school funding. Representative Blazejewski also advocates for reproductive rights and co-sponsored legislation regarding gun safety

Representative Michael W. Chippendale

Representative Michael W. Chippendale, House Minority Leader

Representative Michael W. Chippendale is the House Minority Leader. He has been in public office since his first election in 2010. Representative Chippendale was unanimously elected by his colleagues as the House Minority Whip from 2018-2022. He serves on the

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Oversight Committee, Committee on Corporations, and the House Committee on Healthcare Oversight. In his various leadership roles, Representative Chippendale has focused on economic policies and keeping businesses in Rhode Island. He is a Rhode Island native, father of two, and a self-employed manufacturing consultant. A previous real estate CEO of Intrepid Enterprises and a graduate of the New England Institute of Technology.

Senator Jessica de la Cruz

Senator Jessica de la Cruz, Senate Minority Leader

Jessica de la Cruz represents the 23rd District of Rhode Island, serving as the Minority Leader in the Rhode Island Senate. Senator de la Cruz was first elected to the Senate in November 2018. She has been Minority Leader since

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2022, and previously was the Minority Whip from 2020 to 2022. The Senator is a former member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was awarded a spot on the 2022 “Women to Watch” list. During her time in office, Senator de la Cruz has focused on issues of hospital funding, constitutional rights, and criminal justice reform. She is a Rhode Island native and is a mother to three children.