John J. Lombardi has represented the 13^th ward of Providence since 1984.  From September 2002 to January 2003, he served as Acting Mayor of the City of Providence.

 

Councilman Lombardi was elected to the Providence City Council in 1984, filling the position vacated by former Mayor Joseph A. Paolino.  After nearly 15 years of hard work and dedication to the betterment of his district, he was elected Council President in January 1999.  He served with distinction in that position through 2006.

 

As a child growing up in the area of DePasquale Avenue in Providence’s Federal Hill, he lost both his parents at an early age, and was left to raise his younger brother, Frank.  He graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1970, earned a Bachelor of Arts from Rhode Island College in 1975, and a Master’s in Secondary Education in 1982. In 1987 he graduated from Suffolk University College of Law with a Juris Doctorate. 

 

Early in his career, Lombardi taught social studies at Notre Dame High School in Central Falls, and later taught social studies as a substitute teacher for the Providence School Department from 1975 through 1980. In 1984, Lombardi became the director of the Providence Recreation Department, and worked as a paralegal at the DiLuglio Law Offices from1985 to1987. 

 

After being elected to the Providence City Council in 1984, Lombardi served as legal counsel for both the Rhode Island Senate Labor Committee (1987-1988), and the Rhode Island Senate Corporations Committee (1989-1992).

 

Lombardi has served the Providence community in many different capacities during his decades as a public servant. These positions include: Democratic Majority Leader; Chairman of the Public Property, Housing, Claims and Pending Suits, and Education Committees; and member of the Providence Housing Authority, Ethnic and Racial Tolerance Commission, Civic Center Authority, and the Hospital Trust Community Bank Advisory Board. Before becoming Council President in 1999, he previously served as the President Pro-Tempore of the City Council, and was re-elected President of the City Council in January 2003.

 

John Lombardi’s deep interest in the well-being of the residents of Ward 13, is evident by his active engagement in a myriad of neighborhood organizations, such as: the Federal Hill Commerce Association; the West Broadway Neighborhood Association; Federal Hill Crime Watch; Federal Hill Knights of Columbus; Federal Hill Lions; Sons of Italy; the Italo-American Club; Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association; Young Lawyers Clerkship Program; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Social Committee; and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Finance Committee.

 

Councilman Lombardi was named Knight of the Year by the Federal Hill Knights of Columbus, and received the "Outstanding Young Man of America Award" in 1987.

 

He and his wife, Denise A. (Troccoli), reside in the Federal Hill neighborhood.