Rhode Island
2024 National APSE Board Nominee: Kie O'Donnell, RI – Association of People Supporting Employment First
2024 National APSE Board of Directors At-Large Candidate
MEET THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL APSE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: CLICK to read about all nominees before the election ends on March 22.
The area(s) that best represents your current position/experience:
Family Member of a Person with a Disability, Service Provider or Manager, University Staff, Other: Consultant
Describe your history/nature of involvement/interest in promoting competitive integrated employment in your state. Additionally, explain why you are passionate about competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities:
This is what I was born to do. “In the days before daycare” I would go with my mother who worked in a Sheltered Workshop and learn first-hand the realities of where people with disabilities were at the time. It has been a profound honor and experience to also help lead the successful transition of one of the largest workshops in Rhode Island, and the cultural movement that is still very much occurring in my state. Having the pleasure to serve my community for over 20 years in a variety of capacities including direct support, advocate, instructor, consultant and leader has been what continues to propel me to seek the best and challenge myself “to be better than the me of yesterday”. APSE has very much been a power source to fuel this personal and professional development, and I am grateful for the amazing people I have had the chance to collaborate with within Rhode Island and beyond. Having served on the State Chapter and National Boards only makes me want to dig deeper and explore how I can continue and strive to make a difference. Let’s build brave spaces together.
What relevance does/should APSE and its chapters/members have in national and state conversations regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion?
There is great urgency and value in recognizing the intersectionality and impact of ongoing actions to elevate the inclusion of people with disabilities in the context of civil rights and social justice. Disability continues to be the one marginalized population that is also present among all other historically-excluded groups. With that said, there is more work to be done than to celebrate, and we as an organization and stakeholders have a responsibility to continue to advance and revisit these opportunities to challenge ourselves and others. This is not a “training”, it’s a movement.
What skills, knowledge, or lived experience do you have that will contribute to strengthening and growing the financial health of APSE and promoting its mission to advance employment and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities?
The power of network. As people possess varying types of capital, Social Capital is an area that I work hard to build, and even harder to maintain. In turn, when you develop alliances and bonds with those that can offer a plethora of other types of capital, there is an offer, not an ask needed to help contribute towards a cause people believe in. Similar to my experience in career development and working with businesses, understanding the potential for ongoing partnerships can many times advance more sustainable opportunities for collaboration than cookie-cutter donation approaches. By weaving such relationships and resources together, can leverage possibilities that everyone finds value in and improve the bottom line.
Biography
Kiernan “Kie” O’Donnell was raised by a community resource advocate in a family that includes people with disabilities and learned the importance and power of inclusion at an early age. Such life lessons and relationships helped propel his professional career where he began working in a direct support capacity as a job coach, and through 17 years of dedication and teambuilding now heads a number of initiatives at The Fogarty Center as the Director of Community Day, Youth in Transition and Employment Services. Most widely known for his work in the documentary film by Dan Habib “Intelligent Lives”, Kie has strived to make transition towards a more equitable future a reality for those he serves, and helped lead a successful closure of one of the largest sheltered workshops in Rhode Island. Throughout his journey, Kie has provided direct support, leadership, strategic planning, training, consultation and technical assistance nationally in a variety of capacities including community, competitive inclusive employment, youth in transition, transportation, technology, funding and organizational transformation. Living in the city of Providence for twenty years, values the importance of diversity, which has informed his practice and ethics greatly. A longtime community advocate, Kie helped establish the Rhode Island chapter of the Association of People Supporting Employment First (RIAPSE) where he holds the role of Co-President, and functions as the Delegates Chair for the National APSE Board of Directors. As an Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) instructor and consultant through the NEON grants, Kie has influenced a number of emerging professionals in Rhode Island and nationally through his passion and expertise, namely around customized employment strategies and using a business-friendly approach towards creative workforce solutions. Kie also serves on the Team ASTRO board helping inform strategy and resource application for at-risk youth in the greater Pawtucket area. Kie is a proud father to his wonderful Kieragh and currently lives in Exeter, Rhode Island where he hones his 28 plus year calling as a hip hop artist in The Components, motorcycle enthusiast, SDONKERS scooter club member and unapologetic advocate. “One’s leadership is measured by the leadership you cultivate in others”.
A new era for State Troopers in southern RI
Closing the State Police barracks facilities in Wyoming and Wickford marks the end of an era in community policing
Republican candidate for lieutenant governor John Loughlin wants the office to become the Rhode Island inspector general his party has been seeking in vain for years.
Loughlin, a former state representative, said on May 11 that, if elected, he would staff the underutilized office with people who would help him expose “fraud, waste, abuse, and government corruption.”
“Rhode Islanders are sick and tired of watching their tax dollars disappear into a black hole of inefficiency, cronyism, and outright corruption while the General Assembly talks a big game but delivers nothing − year after year after year,” Loughlin said in a news release. “For more than two decades, the legislature has failed to create a true Inspector General with real investigative power. Enough is enough. If they won’t do it, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office will − starting on day one.”
Why turn the lieutenant governor into an inspector general?
The Rhode Island Constitution gives the lieutenant governor little to no authority beyond being available in case the governor is unable to finish their term. That’s prompted some to call it a “do nothing” office and others to propose abolishing it.
“Frankly, the current workload of the office leaves ample time and resources to do far more for taxpayers than ceremonial appearances and ribbon-cuttings,” Loughlin said in his news release. “Rhode Islanders deserve a Lieutenant Governor’s Office that works every day to protect their money and hold government accountable.”
The lieutenant governor’s office has a budget of $1.4 million, which Loughlin said is enough to staff and run an effective investigative team made up of “certified auditors, investigators, and compliance professionals” to review state agency spending and contracts.
He acknowledged that the lieutenant governor does not have subpoena power, but believes that investigations can be completed utilizing public records requests and gathering publicly-available data.
Loughlin, who ended his talk radio show earlier this year when he announced his campaign for governor, said he would communicate his findings through “RI Report” publications, news briefings and podcasts.
He said he would also make the office’s resources available to city and town leaders.
Republicans have been fighting for an inspector general
Rhode Island Republicans have for years promised to lower state spending by rooting out government waste, fraud and abuse. The last GOP Rhode Island governor, Donald Carcieri, launched a “Fiscal Fitness” program that aimed to save money and find efficiencies.
Democrats criticized Carcieri’s tenure for featuring exorbitant privatization and outsourcing.
Since Carcieri, the idea of creating an independent inspector general similar to those in other states has become a holy grail for Rhode Island Republicans, but the Democratic General Assembly has had little interest in it.
“If our office saves just 1% from Rhode Island’s bloated state budget, the savings would return more than ten times the entire cost of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to taxpayers – and that’s only the beginning,” Loughlin said in the news release.
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Numbers numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 9-9-9-0
Evening: 5-5-0-9
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from May 10 drawing
01-13-14-16-32, Extra: 02
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Watch: Khano Smith speaks with media after RIFC drew Tampa Bay
Watch as Khano Smith speaks with media after RIFC drew Tampa Bay
PAWTUCKET — JJ Williams finally had his space and rose to the opportunity.
The Rhode Island FC striker, deep in the attacking zone, came back to a cross and headed Nick Scardina’s service to the near post to salvage the night for Rhode Island. Williams’ goal landed in the 86th minute to draw Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-1, in rain-soaked Pawtucket.
It’s the third draw in USL Championship play for Rhode Island at Centreville Bank Stadium this season. RIFC was turning in a familiar performance before snagging the tie against the league-leading Rowdies as Williams supplied his third regular-season goal of the year. The draw is the first time RIFC has earned a result after the opposition opened the scoring since its 1-1 tie vs. Birmingham Legion FC on July 5, 2025.
Rhode Island now travels to USL League One side Portland Hearts of Pine for its second game of the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage on Saturday, May 16 at 4 p.m. The club returns to Pawtucket on May 23 against Brooklyn FC.
“All night they made it tough because they were doubling,” Williams said of Tampa Bay. “And wherever I went to, they were going contact first, especially in this league with no [Video Assistant Referee] … but on that one, the ball was so good that they spun around, and then I was able to make good contact.”
Rhode Island had a string of missed chances in the first 15 minutes that fed into a goal for Tampa Bay and then a triple substitution in the second half that provided little spark. Max Schneider’s cross from right of the box found Pedro Dolabella at the far post for a clinical header in the 29th minute in front of an announced attendance of 6,790.
The game’s first score came just 10 minutes after attempts from Hugo Bacharach and Jojea Kwizera were saved and Williams sailed an open shot past the bar.
“We tried to correct some of those things that we struggled with last week,” Williams said. “Getting to the ball, making tackles, making a stick, I think that we weren’t as clean in possession as we would have been, especially as we won the ball and played forward. We had a lot of turnovers in the first half where we could have seen more chances, but we did well to weather the storm early and create some. But for me, I [have] to bury that first one.”
Rhode Island creates plenty of chances — it is tied for fourth with 112 attempts — but has just 12 goals this season. If it had finished one of the early chances against Tampa Bay, it would’ve shifted the tenor of the match and forced the visitors to play outside of its form. But the final scoring sequence is still missing with the summer months coming soon.
“Happy with the spirit, happy with the effort, happy with the fight,” RIFC coach Khano Smith said. “You’ve seen that a lot with our team. They just fought to the end, never gave up, kept pushing. Ultimately, it’s two more points dropped at home, and we need to find a way to stop doing that. We need to be ruthless – just ruthless in front of the goal.”
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