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Staff

Joseph Alba
Role: Director of Development
What He Does: Responsible for making the code, equipment, and people behind our technology run smoothly.
Background: After graduating with distinction with a BS in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Joe worked as the Web programmer and systems analyst for projo.com where he re-architected the entire site and developed several award-winning interactive features. Another native Rhode Islander, Joe joined the RI.gov team in the beginning of 2004 and has developed the software for many of our award winning Web services.
Outside of Work: Avid musician who has been playing piano since age 2 and guitar since age 10
Little Known Fact: In the fourth grade, Joe participated in the fifth and sixth grade spelling bee and won third place. The word 'receipt' still perturbs him.
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x250
Sidra Amir
Role: Web Application Developer
What She Does: Builds Online Applications!
Background: She holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Punjab, Pakistan, where she was in top five position holders. Sidra is a Brown Graduate with MS in Computer Science with 3.88 GPA.
Outside of Work: Loves to fly at Horizon Aviation, interested in politics and likes to watch cricket.
Little Known Fact: Wants perfection in whatever she does.
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x270
Mike Auclair
Role: Lead Developer
What He Does: Writes the software that allows you to do things online rather than standing in line.
Background: As our youngest team member, Mike ensures that our software leverages the latest developments in functionality and usability. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth he holds a BS in Computer Science. Besides writing software, Mike has an incredible aptitude for crunching numbers. From estimating how many users will take advantage of an online service to explaining the stock market to co-workers, Mike loves numbers.
Outside of Work: Proud repeat finisher of the Wickenden Pub card, which involves sampling all 99 of the pub’s brews
Little Known Fact: Once remarked “Yeah I love that. It tastes like food”
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x210
Danny Chapman
Role: Director of Creative Services 2.0
What He Does: Keep us looking good - from the RI.gov homepage to the UI (that’s geek talk for user interface) on our online services
Background: An artist through and through, Dan earned a BA in art history from Hamilton College and worked as a production assistant in New York for several independent and industrial film productions. After graduation, Dan worked for an upstart software company specializing in the summer camp industry before locating to Rhode Island to take graduate courses at RISD. Dan brought his award winning design talents to RI.gov in August of 2004.
Outside of Work: New father and homeowner
Little Known Fact: Born in Wales and has a huge admiration for all things Disney & Hello Kitty.
Email: dchapman@egov.com
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x240
Nicole Courtemanche
Role: Project Manager
What She Does: Ensures that things get done on schedule and that people know what we did.
Background: Nicole graduated from Rhode Island College with a BA in Public and Professional Communications. As a student she interned for GTECH Corporation in the public affairs division. After graduation, Nicole eventually worked for GTECH’s National Response Center in training and operations. She left in 2007 to work in client services for a Web site based out of Boston, MA that helps high school students with the college application process. She joined the portal team in December of 2009.
Outside of Work: Foodie and a Yogi
Little Known Fact: Nicole is a level one Yogafit trainer. She is currently volunteering at a nursing home teaching wheelchair yoga.
Email: nicolec@egov.com
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x230
Leslie Mann
Role: Designer
What She Does: Anything and everything Web design-related. Designs, updates, implements and maintains many, many Web sites.
Background: Leslie received her BFA in Graphic Design from Alfred University and worked as a graphic designer for the first part of her career. Deciding to move from print to web, Leslie proudly received her Certification in Web Design from Rhode Island School of Design and joined Ri.gov on the day of her graduation!
Outside of Work: When her eyes are not glued to the computer screen, she heads down to the beach or hits the road, as she loves to travel!
Little Known Fact: She and her husband both have names of famous people, an actress and a director.
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x280
Priscilla Nebot
Role: Office & Customer Service Administrator
What She Does: Makes sure our users are happy and our business is running smoothly
Background: Priscilla is the person you will most likely communicate with if you need assistance with our many online services.
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x260
Thomas Viall
Role: General Manager
What He Does: Juggles many things at once.
Background: Before switching careers to the Internet, Tom worked for 12 years in local television as both a producer and production manager. In 1998 he left TV to join the original launch team of Ocean State Online, an early Web portal dedicated to his native Rhode Island. He first became involved with RI.gov in 2003 as a freelance consultant. He thought he would stay less than six months, but he quickly became enamored with their mission and took over as general manager late in 2004.
Outside of Work: Loves to write and tries to paint
Little Known Fact: During his TV years, he directed over 100 episodes of the Bozo the Clown show.
Phone: (401) 831-8099 x220
Web Monkey
Web Monkey
Role: Mascot
What He Does: Gets posed in a variety of interesting places and moves mysteriously from one office to the next.
Background: We think Dan introduced the Web Monkey to our office. Wikipedia defines a ‘Web (or code) Monkey’ as a person only capable of grinding out code, but unable to perform the more intellectually complex tasks of software architecture, analysis, and design. The Web Monkey is also the subject of Tom’s seldom-updated in-house comic The Adventures of Monkey Von Webstien.
Little Known Fact: The employee name “Monkey, Web” was once inadvertently left in a budget as a holding place for a new hire that was submitted to corporate accounting.
NIC Corporate
Role: Our parent company
What they do: Support our local operation - and operations in 20 other states - from corporate headquarters in Olathe, Kansas.
Background: The Portal Operations Division of NIC employs over 100 professionals in accounting, technology, human resources and legal. They are dedicated to making sure that our small Providence-based team can focus on our core mission of developing online services and working with the state of Rhode Island.
Little Known Fact: NIC used to stand for the National Information Consortium but now it just stands for NIC.

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