{"id":2970,"date":"2017-02-13T12:42:58","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T17:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/?page_id=2970"},"modified":"2025-02-18T16:06:49","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T21:06:49","slug":"risbdc-staff-bios","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/risbdc-staff-bios\/","title":{"rendered":"RISBDC Staff Bios"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"cl-wrapper cl-hero-wrapper\"><div class=\"cl-hero super   cl-has-accessibility-controls\"><div class=\"cl-hero-proper\"><div class=\"overlay\"><div class=\"block\"><h1>Meet the RISBDC Staff<\/h1><\/div><\/div><div class=\"still\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/RISBDC-Team-Photo-2023-scaled.jpg);background-position:50% 13%;\"><\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-controls-container\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-controls\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-icon\" title=\"Accessibility controls\">Accessibility controls<\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control cl-accessibility-motion-control cl-accessibility-control-hidden\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-default\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-button\" title=\"Pause motion\">Pause motion<\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-label\">Motion: <span class=\"cl-accessibility-syntax\">On<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-alternate\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-button\" title=\"Play motion\">Play motion<\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-label\">Motion: <span class=\"cl-accessibility-syntax\">Off<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control cl-accessibility-contrast-control\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-default\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-button\" title=\"Increase text contrast\">Increase text contrast<\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-label\">Contrast: <span class=\"cl-accessibility-syntax\">Standard<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-alternate\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-button\" title=\"Reset text contrast\">Reset text contrast<\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-control-label\">Contrast: <span class=\"cl-accessibility-syntax\">High<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-system-setting\"><div class=\"cl-accessibility-toggle\" title=\"Apply my preferences site-wide\"><\/div><div class=\"cl-accessibility-toggle-label\">Apply site-wide<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"uri-people-tool cl-tiles halves\"><div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/alaina-capasso\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Alaina.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Alaina Capasso\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Alaina.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Alaina-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Alaina-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Alaina-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Alaina-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/alaina-capasso\/\">Alaina Capasso<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Training and Marketing Coordinator<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/amit-basnet\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Amit.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Amit Basnet\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Amit.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Amit-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Amit-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Amit-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Amit-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/amit-basnet\/\">Amit Basnet<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Director, Central Region<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\"> Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/diane-fournaris\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Diane.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Diane Fournaris\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Diane.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Diane-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Diane-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Diane-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Diane-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/diane-fournaris\/\">Diane Fournaris<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">State Director<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/lisa-tremblay\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Lisa.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Lisa Tremblay\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Lisa.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Lisa-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Lisa-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Lisa-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Lisa-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/lisa-tremblay\/\">Lisa Tremblay<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Office Administrator<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/manuel-j-batlle\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Manuel.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Manuel Batlle headshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Manuel.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Manuel-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Manuel-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Manuel-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Manuel-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/manuel-j-batlle\/\">Manuel J. Batlle<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Associate Director<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/paul-harden\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Paul.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Paul Harden\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Paul.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Paul-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Paul-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Paul-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Paul-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/paul-harden\/\">Paul Harden<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Director, Greater Newport Region<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/susan-davis\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Susan.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Susan Davis\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Susan.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Susan-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Susan-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Susan-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Susan-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/susan-davis\/\">Susan Davis<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Business Counselor<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"peopleitem h-card has-thumbnail\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/yashwant-meghare\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Yashwant.jpg\" class=\"u-photo  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Yashwant Meghare headshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Yashwant.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Yashwant-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Yashwant-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Yashwant-364x364.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/987\/Yashwant-400x400.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"p-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/meet\/yashwant-meghare\/\">Yashwant Meghare<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"inside\">\n\n\t\t<p class=\"people-title p-job-title\">Providence Center Director<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"people-department\">Rhode Island Small Business Development Center<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To schedule a no-cost appointment with the RISBDC<\/strong> <strong>please call (401) 874-7232 or email\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:susandavis@uri.edu\">susandavis@uri.edu<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To schedule a no-cost appointment with the RISBDC please call (401) 874-7232 or email\u00a0susandavis@uri.edu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":701,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-2970","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/701"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2970"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10984,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2970\/revisions\/10984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/risbdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}