A Message from President & CEO Dr. Mary Onyejose

My Story

Welcome! And thank you for visiting our website!! As a dedicated God-fearing human service professional; my number one priority center around affording the best care, welfare, safety, and security to our service participants/recipients at all times.  At Community Living of Rhode Island, your loved one is welcome with an open hand to our family-oriented organization, where every participant is treated with utmost dignity and respect. We value and cherish the rights of our participants as they navigate through life.

For our participants to thrive, we utilize evidence-based practices that consist of interventions that have been scientifically researched, studied, and have been shown to produce measurable outcomes. For example, person-centered planning practices enhance and promote relationship building, community inclusion, independence, privacy, choice, dignity, respect, and rights.

My love for humanity and the less fortunate individuals in our society, such as individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is the driving force behind Community Living of Rhode Island’s mission, vision, philosophy, and purpose. I execute my day-to-day work with great humility and pride.  I am sincerely thankful for all the parents and guardians who have such great trust in our organization to care for their loved ones.  We do not take that trust for granted.

As a motivational, inspirational, and insightful leader, I am profoundly proud of our qualified and compassionate Team Members, including our Direct Support Professionals and our entire workforce, for their commitment to our values and philosophy. Our team of staff here at Community Living are trustworthy, passionate; they radiate authenticity, encourage unity across the organization, and are dependable, approachable, and inclusive. These are the type of skill-set that our employees must possess before we can open-handedly welcome them into our family-oriented organization.

As a professional with deep faith, I constantly exude hope, enthusiasm, humility, brightens in every situation and put smiles on the faces of the most vulnerable in our communities. I continually utilize high standards of excellence when instituting innovative ideas in developing employees and their career growth opportunities. The field of human services has been fascinating and a learning experience for me and has enabled me to combine hard work and mentoring with the thrill of extending human service frontiers.

Education:

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Leadership Development and Coaching, a Master’s degree in Philosophy, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Licenses & Certifications:

I am an American Red Cross Certified Trainer/Instructor in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid. I am also a Certified Trainer/Instructor in Nonviolent Crises Prevention Intervention through Crisis Prevention Institute.

Professional Organizations:

American Psychological Association (APA), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP)

For the love of humanity and the sake of the creator of the universe, I continually radiate high motivational energy to all CLRI employees and the participants alike. As an advocate and champion for the Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, I always maintain membership with the two most potent National Associations in this industry: The American Network of Community Options Resources “ANCOR” and the Association of People Supporting Employment First “APSE”

As a self-directed and driven President & Chief Executive Officer of Community Living of Rhode Island, it is with great humility I thank you, parents and guardians, for believing and trusting us with the apple of your eye (your child). And to our future parents and guardians, I thank you for considering our organization.