-
Alisa Diakite
Alisa Diakite is a Principal of Nathan Bishop Middle School, a position she has held since 2019. She was born and raised in Providence, attending Sackett Street Elementary, Roger Williams Middle 1985 and then graduating from Central High School in 1989.
Alisa received her BA from Providence College in 1993 as well as her Masters of Education in 2013. She taught in the Providence School Department for 18 years and then became an administrator, working for 5 years out of the district, but eventually returning to her home city. Alisa came back to Roger Williams for 2 years as an Assistant Principal, before taking on her current role of principal.
Alisa has been married for 25 years to Kelefa Diakite. She has two adult daughters, aged 25 and 21, and 1 granddaughter, who is known as “My favorite girl.”
-
Edmicelly Xavier
Edmicelly Xavier was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She and her family immigrated to the United States when she was 9 years old. She entered Roger Williams Middle School as an MLL student and was exited out of the program in 7th grade. Edmicelly was promoted from RWMS in 1996 and then went on to Central High School, graduating in the year 2000. Edmicelly attended Bryant University on scholarship, and graduated with a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.
Currently, she is a Spanish 2 and Spanish 3 teacher and a 10th grade advisor at the Paul Cuffee Upper School in Providence RI, where she serves on both the Communications Council Committee and the Staff Members of Color Committee. She received her MEd in Urban Education from Providence College in 2018 and now resides in North Providence, RI with her husband, Joshua Xavier.
-
Jeremy Ogunba
Jeremy Ogunba attended Roger Williams and was promoted in 2001. He attended and graduated from Classical High School in 2005. From there Jeremy attended CCRI and RIC. He received a degree in education from RIC. He did not go directly into teaching but did work as a university minister at UMass Dartmouth, RIC and Brown University. While working on his degree and during his tenure as a university minister, Jeremy also helped coach the Classical football team for 12 years. 3 years ago Jeremy transitioned from academia and started a career in real estate as an agent. He was also recently hired as the head football coach at Hope High School. Jeremy is married to his wife Charity. Together they have 3 children, Davon (21), Hope (5), and Grace (3). The couple adopted Davon when he was 16.
-
Jose Batista
Member, House Judiciary Committee
Member, House Oversight Committee
Born April 15, 1988, and a life-long resident of South Providence, Representative Batista is the oldest of six children of immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. He attended Providence Public Schools from K-12. He attended Roger Williams Middle School and was promoted onto high school in 2002 where he went on to graduate from Classical High School in 2006, Bryant University in 2011 and Roger Williams University School of Law in 2014.
Representative Batista began his legal career at the Rhode Island Public Defender where he represented thousands of indigent Rhode Islanders before opening a solo law practice in South Providence in 2016 where he continues to serve the community.
He also sponsors a baseball team in the same league he played for as a youth in South Providence.
Jose F. Batista (D) was elected on Nov. 3, 2020, to represent the people of District 12 in Providence’s South Side and Washington Park neighborhoods. He serves as a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee.
-
Jeremy Pena
Born in the Domenican Republic, Pena attended Providence Schools. He attended and was promoted from Roger Williams Middle School in 2011 and went onto Classical High School. In high school he had an excellent athletic career in baseball as well as track and field. He graduated from Classical in 2015 and attended the University of Maine. He was the Houston Astros draft pick in the 3rd round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Maine. He currently plays for the Houston Astros. He stays in touch with many of his teachers from Roger Williams Middle School to this day.
-
Lee Moses
Lee Moses was promoted from Roger Williams Middle School in 2011. Lee went on to Bishop Hendricken where he was a multi-sport star athlete. Lee played varsity football all 4 years there and won 4 state championships with the team. Lee played multiple positions in all three phases of the game. Lee also had an impressive track and field career as a sprinter. Upon graduation in 2015, Lee was recruited by Division 1 UMass to play football. Lee played there all 4 years. After graduating, Lee was picked up by the Arizona Cardinals. He now lives in the Boston area and has opened his own gym called Moses Fitness in Hanover, MA.
-
Ty'relle Stephens
Providence School Board Member
Ty’Relle Stephens became the youngest School Board Member when his term began in February 2021. Ty'Relle Stephens went to Roger Williams Middle School and was promoted in 2015. He graduated from Providence Public School District’s own Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex in 2019, where he had been class president and captain of the football team. After graduation, Mr. Stephens completed the Year Up program, and received certification in Business Operations. He currently works as a patient access associate at Kent Hospital in Warwick, Rhode Island.
Mr. Stephens is actively engaged in the Providence community, and in addition to serving on the School Board, he co-leads the City of Providence AAAG (African American Ambassadors Group)-Youth Voice Subgroup. He previously volunteered as a patient ambassador for Care New England, and as a coach for the West Elmwood Intruders football team. Mr. Stephens’ goals for his service as a School Board member are to help amplify student voice at PPSD, and to make a positive impact on the educational and career opportunities for Providence youth.