East Bay CAP Bids Fond Farewell to Susan Schenck

Effective January 31, 2018, Susan Schenck will retire from her position as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) in Newport. Schenck is a lifelong resident of Middletown, RI and 42 year employee of EBCAP. The agency will celebrate her retirement at a party in her honor on February 22nd. For information or tickets to the party call Maggie Laurianno at 401-847-7821, ext. 339.

Schenck began working at EBCAP, formerly known as New Visions for Newport County, in 1975 where she held such roles as Director of Development and Planning, Director of Community Action Programs, Deputy Director, and Acting Executive Director prior to her work as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

In her current role she has senior leadership level responsibility for the Child Opportunity Zone program, Workforce Development and Adult Education programs, Housing Program, Development and Public Relations, and Administrative Services. She also serves as the agency’s Safety Officer.

Schenck is an active member of the community, having served in the following roles: as the President of the Middletown Prevention Coalition, in various leadership roles on the Newport Partnership for Families, as a member of the Governing Council of the Newport Family and Child Opportunity Zone at Pell Elementary School, President of the Middletown High School and Gaudet Middle School Parent Support Group, and as a board member of Women’s Resource Center of Newport County, Lucy’s Hearth Homeless Shelter, and Middletown Public Schools Volunteer Program. She was also a member of the Families Insisting on Safe Student Transportation, and she served as a hotline volunteer at the Women’s Resource Center of Newport County.

Schenck currently serves on the social action committee at St. Lucy’s Church in Middletown and teaches in the children’s homily program.

When asked about which professional collaboration she is most proud of she said “The Child Opportunity Zone -Newport and Middletown-are a source of real pride. They bring together the schools and the community to help students succeed academically and become good citizens.” Of all her personal achievements she ranks highest a school transportation safety improvement. “I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to be part of an effort over three decades ago to put school bus monitors on all Rhode Island elementary school buses and to make school bus transportation safer in the state. Although this work was the consequence of a local tragedy, the results led to safer school bus transportation for RI children for several decades,” said Schenck.

Expressing why she chose to dedicate her entire career to work at EBCAP she said “It’s exciting work – never standing still – always trying to improve and offer more and better services to our clients.” She also complimented the EBCAP staff, describing them as “amazing” and “always going above and beyond, loyal and dedicated.” She concluded saying “I definitely feel that I received more than I could have ever given. EBCAP has been a very fulfilling and rewarding part of my life for 40 years.”

Dennis Roy, President and Chief Executive Officer said on behalf of the Board and Staff of EBCAP, “Susan has been an incredible catalyst in leading EBCAP to achieve our mission of providing quality and comprehensive services to our consumers. She is well known in the communities that we work in as an outstanding advocate in our efforts to reduce the effects of poverty.”

Schenck is the wife of Casper “Kip” Schenck, mother of Peter Schenck of Virginia Beach, VA and Amy Schenck of North Providence, RI, and grandmother of Lia and Grace Schenck of Virginia Beach, VA. She is a graduate of the Class of 1967 from Middletown High School and Class of 1971 from the University of Rhode Island.