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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| Name | June N. Gibbs |
| Address | 163 Riverview Avenue
Middletown, Rhode Island 02840, United States |
| Email | sen-gibbs@rilin.state.ri.us |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
May 13, 1922
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| Died | April 08, 2012
(89 years)
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| Contributor | User 215 |
| Last Modifed | Juan Croniqueur
Jun 09, 2023 02:21am |
| Tags |
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| Info | Mrs. June Nesbitt Gibbs
June Gibbs’ half-century of political involvement began when she signed on as a volunteer campaign worker for President Eisenhower’s 1952 presidential campaign. Her official participation in the Republican party started in 1958, when she first became a member of the Rhode Island State Central Committee and went on to serve as the vice-chair from 1960 - 69. In 1969 June began a 12-year run as the National Committeewoman, serving as Secretary of the Republican National Committee from 1977 - 80. In 1976, she undertook one of her most memorable tasks when she accepted the position of Housing Chairman for the Republican National Convention, a job which gave her responsibility of arranging accommodations for 11,000 party officials, guests, and members of the press.
June’s public service at the national level also included appointment to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, a panel charged with reviewing the status of women in the military and making recommendations to the Secretary of Defense. As a member, she visited military bases around the country. The Secretary appointed June Vice Chair of the Committee in 1972.
Environmental concerns and commitment to the women’s movement inspired June’s first run for elective office in 1974. As she worked to recruit female candidates for elective office, she had been challenged to put her own name on the ballot when a friend said “If it’s such a great idea, why don’t you run yourself?” With the support of the Rhode Island Women’s Political Caucus and local environmentalists, June won her campaign for the Middletown Town Council, becoming the first woman ever to serve and the only Republican elected to the council that year. By 1978, June was elected president of the council. During her tenure, June met her campaign goals of increasing participation of women in local government and protecting the Sachuest Point wildlife refuge.
June parlayed her experience in local government into a run for the state senate in 1984. She won that campaign, and has served as the senator representing parts of Middletown and Portsmouth until the redistricting in 2002 added the communities of Little Compton, Middletown and Tiverton to her district. Her legislative service has included membership on the Senate Health, Education and Welfare Committee; Senate Finance Committee; Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee; Joint Committee on Environment and Energy; Joint Committee on Highway Safety; the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council; and chair of the Permanent Legislative Committee on Child Care.
June is the widow of Donald Gibbs, who was a librarian and director of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. She has one daughter, Elizabeth Gibbs, who is a science teacher at Thompson Middle School in Newport.
RESUME
June N. Gibbs
163 Riverview Avenue
Middletown, RI 02840
(401) 846-1579
PERSONAL
Born June 13, 1922 Newton, Massachusetts
Widow of Donald T. Gibbs, Former Librarian and Director of the Redwood Library
Daughter - Elizabeth - born 1963 - Teacher at Thompson Middle School
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL
Wellesley College -- BA 1943
Boston University -- MA (mathematics) 1947
Naval Officer WWII
Graduate student -- URI (1982-84) -- Computer Science
PUBLIC OFFICES AND COMMISSIONS
STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 12–Little Compton/Middletown/Newport/Tiverton (2003-
present)
STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 48 -- Middletown/Portsmouth (1985 - 2002)
Deputy Minority Leader (1991 - present)
Committees:
Environment and Agriculture (2003 – present)
Health, Education and Welfare (1985 - 2002)
Finance (1989 - present)
Joint Committee on Environment and Energy (1985 - 93; 1996 - present)
Joint Committee on Highway Safety (1995 - present)
Commissions:
Long-term Care Coordinating Council; co-chair of legislative subcommittee
Permanent Commission on Child Care, Chair
Permanent Joint Committee on Healthcare Oversight
Joint Legislative Commission to Study the Implementation of a Funding
Index for Private Community Based Providers.
Joint Legislative Committee to Establish a Permanent Education Foundation Aid
Formula for Rhode Island
MIDDLETOWN TOWN COUNCIL (1974-80, 1982-84)
President (1978-80) -- first woman to serve
RI League of Cities and Towns Executive Committee (1979 - 80)
Governor’s Advisory Committee on Home Heating (1979 - 80)
Aquidneck Island Development Corporation Board (1979 - 80)
RI Coordinating Committee for the International Women’s Year (1976 - 77)
Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (1970 - 72)
Vice Chairman 1972 -- appointed by Secretary of Defense
Middletown Charter Commission (1967-68) -- elected
Middletown Beach Commission (1957 - 65) -- appointed
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
New Visions of Newport County Development Advisory Committee (1987 - 1990)
Child and Family Service of Newport County Board Member (1987 - 92)
Board member of GENERATIONS, an ecumenical organization of clergy and laymen concerned with meeting the spiritual needs of the frail elderly (during the 1980s)
Citizen’s Advisory Committee, Aquidneck Island Project of Save the Bay (1983 - 86)
Board of Trustees, Newport Hospital (1991 - 2000)
Ethics Committee, Newport Hospital (1999 - present)
AFFILIATIONS:
Newport Art Museum
American Association of University Women (Newport County)
Newport County YMCA
Women’s Political Caucus
Preservation Society of Newport County
Newport Historical Society
United Congregational Church
Council for International Visitors
League of Women Voters (Newport County)
Norman Bird Sanctuary (Middletown)
Save the Bay
Aquidneck Island Land Trust
Easton’s Point Association (Middletown)
REPUBLICAN PARTY OFFICES:
National Committeewoman for Rhode Island (1969 - 80)
Chairman of Housing, 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City
Secretary, Republican National Committee (1977 - 80)
Rhode Island State Central Committee Member (1958-80; 1995-present)
Vice Chairman (1960-69)
Became politically active working for Eisenhower campaign (1952)
AWARDS:
2004 - John E. Fogarty Award - Governor’s Commission on Disabilities. Given to recognize the efforts of members of the General Assembly in enacting laws to improve the quality of life of the 172, 000 Rhode Islanders with disabilities.
2004 - Legislator of the Year - Newport County Chapter ARC, James L. Maher Center.
2004 - John H. Chafee Vision of Leadership Award - Rhode Island Council of Resource Providers for Children Youth and Families. Given for commitment to needy children and families.
2002- Rhode Island Woman of the Year. Given for her distinguished professional achievements and community service.
2002-The Thomas A. Lamb Home Care Award. Given for her outstanding support and leadership in promoting home and community based care in Rhode Island.
2002 - Certificate of Appreciation - CHILDSPAN. Given for her commitment to providing high-quality care for Rhode Island’s children, youth and their families.
2002 - Childcare Champion for Advocacy - Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.
1998 - Legislator of the Year Award - United Way of Southern New England. Given to recognize members of the General Assembly who have made important contributions to the delivery of health and human services in our state.
Mary A. Dwyer Award - Visiting Nurses of Newport County.
HOBBY : Windsurfing
LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
STATEWIDE
- Addressed the shortage of child care workers in the state by raising reimbursement rates and providing health care benefits for traditionally low-paid child care workers who care for disadvantaged children. This policy helped the state recruit and retain more child care workers, an important factor in the success of Rhode Island’s welfare reform policy.
- Promoted cost-effective health care for the elderly in the least restrictive environment. Advances in long-term care policy has helped more seniors live in the comfort and relative independence of their own homes longer, keeping many seniors out of far more costly and restrictive nursing homes.
- Promoted and worked for passage of the state’s RIte Care health insurance program, a program that raised Rhode Island’s percentage of insured children to one of the highest in the nation.
- Worked for and supported economic development policies such as investment tax credits, research and development tax credits, phasing out the inventory tax credit, and lowering state income taxes.
- Sponsored and advocated for a senior victims’ bill of rights, which makes the criminal justice system more accommodating to the needs of older citizens who are victimized by crime.
- Successfully worked with child care advocates and educators to improve the quality of child care and early childhood education through the establishment of higher standards for teachers and programs. Rhode Island’s progress has received national attention.
LOCAL CONCERNS
Senator Gibbs has followed the Department of Transportation’s plans for the Sakonnet River Bridge, and voted for a bill prohibiting tolls on the new bridge. She also supported legislation to increase cities’ and towns’ shares of the hotel tax -- the bill died, but she pledged to support it in the future. The Senator responded to a number of traffic safety concerns, as well, including speed-related concerns on West Main Road near the Bay View Apartments. She also lobbied the State Traffic Commission to investigate the need for a traffic light at the intersection of Mitchells Lane and Route 138.
Education has been an ongoing concern for Sen. Gibbs, who said her disappointment over inadequate state aid was one of the many reasons she has voted against past state budgets. She has spoken out on behalf of fair treatment in the state budget for communities that sponsor all-day kindergarten programs. She was appointed in 2004 to sit on the Joint Legislative Committee to Establish a Permanent Education Foundation Aid Formula for Rhode Island. She continues to work hard for District 12 schools.
[Link]
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