Council President Pro Tempore Josephine “Joan” DiRuzzo has served on the Providence City Council for 28 years.  She was first elected to represent the 15^th Ward in 1982, and rose to her current leadership position in 2007.

 

Josephine was born in Providence and has lived in the city for the past 48 years.  She has served the city as a public servant for 38 years, 28 years on the Providence City Council and 10 years on the Providence School Committee.  She was appointed to the Providence School Committee in 1972 by former Mayor Joseph Doorley, and in 1978 she was elected by her peers to become the first female Chairperson in the history of the Providence School Committee.  She was a member of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees and served as the Rhode Island delegate to the National School Board’s Association for six years during her tenure.

 

Josephine worked for the State of Rhode Island for 35 years in a number of positions.  In 1972 she was appointed Administrative Assistant to the former Honorable Thomas J. Paolino of the RI Supreme Court for the Commission on Judicial Changes in the Law, and she subsequently worked for the RI Superior Court as an Assistant Court Secretary.  After 17 years at the courts, she left to become the RI General Treasurer’s Agent for the RI Department of Employment & Training.  In 1994 she was appointed Property Manager for the RI Department of Labor & Training, and later served as an Employment & Training Administrator for the Labor Standards Division of the RI Department of Labor & Training.

 

As a Councilwoman, Josephine’s history is significant:

 

·         Council President Pro Tempore 1989 & 1990 and 2007-present

·         Chairperson, Committee on Urban Redevelopment and Renewal 1986-1998 and 2006-present

·         Member, Committee on Ordinances 1986-1998

·         Council Delegate to the Capital Center Commission 1986-present

·         Former Chairperson, Committee on Dr. Charles V. Chapin Memorial Award

·         First woman elected to the position of Majority Leader

·         Former Deputy Majority Leader

·         Former Chairperson of City Property Committee

·         Member, Public Works Committee

 

Josephine is an original founder of the Olneyville Housing Corporation and was an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors through 2008.  She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Nickerson Community Center.

 

Council President Pro Tempore DiRuzzo has received numerous awards for her commitment and dedication to the community.  She is a past recipient of the following awards:

 

·         “Woman of the Year” Merit Achievement Award – Order of Sons of Italy

·         Merit Achievement Award – Silver Lake Annex Center

·         Award for Advancing the Influence of Women in the Political Process

Rhode Island Women’s Political Caucus

·         Outstanding Woman of the Year Award - YMCA

 

Josephine is the daughter of the late Concetta and Angelo Pazienza and the mother of four children: William, Robert, Gina and Steven and grandmother of five.  She resides on Roosevelt Street in Providence.