STAFF DIRECTORY
DORIS BLANCHARD
Director, Small Business Resource Programs
Doris’s role is to provide professional assistance to Rhode Island businesses to encourage their growth and expansion, acting as a liaison and business advocate by facilitating access to statewide resources offered through the corporation and its partners. She oversees and manages the Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP). Doris supports the Senior Economic Development Advisor on several special projects and innovation ecosystem initiatives around the state. Doris is the Liaison for EMA ESF 18-Commerce RI and the Rhode Island Alliance for Business Resilience.
Professional Background
Doris is an accomplished economic development, public affairs, and community relations professional with experience in multicultural social marketing, coalition building, business planning, nonprofit management, and public policy. She is a recipient of the Small Business Administration’s 2011 Rhode Island Financial Services Champion of the Year Award, Rhode Island College Alumni Award, Honor Roll 2013, “Cesar Chavez Award” 2013 for Community Leader, and the “Extraordinary Women’s Award” 2010 in Business Development. Doris is a board director of United Way of Rhode Island and serves as a coordinator for the Latina Leadership Institute (LLI). She is the founder and president of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA) for the Rhode Island chapter, past president of the Centro Cultural Andino (CCA), and past president and chair of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPa).
Education
Doris holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College in business administration and computer information systems and a graduate certificate in non-profit studies from the Center of Public Policy at Rhode Island College.
