The Providence Water Supply Board of Directors consists of seven dedicated public officials and private citizens who are committed to fair and equitable service for all customers within our service area. Four members are appointed by the mayor, two members are appointed by the city council and the city's finance director is an ex-officio member. It is the mission of the board to ensure that consumers receive a safe, reliable, high-quality, sustainable water supply for drinking and fire protection services.
Board Members:

Ateesh S. Chanda
Chairperson
Ateesh S. Chanda was appointed to the Providence Water Supply Board and elected Chairman in 2022. He has practiced law for over a decade, starting his career at an international law firm in New York. He returned to Rhode Island in 2017, when he took on his current role as General Counsel of the nation’s leading women and minority-owned investment banking firm. In that role, he is responsible for a wide range of strategic and legal matters, including securities laws and regulations, complex transactions, litigation and corporate governance. Chairman Chanda is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and Brown University. He lives in Providence with his wife and their 6-year old twins.

Joseph D. Cataldi
Vice Chairperson
Joseph D. Cataldi, who was appointed in 1997, is the longest serving member of the Providence Water Supply Board. Mr. Cataldi has served as Vice Chairman of the Board since 2005 and has also served as Chairman Pro Tempore. Vice Chairman Cataldi, a Providence native and resident who is currently retired, spends his time involved in community service.

Juan M. Pichardo
Council President Pro Tempore
Providence City Council President Pro Tempore Juan Pichardo represents Ward 9, which includes the Elmwood and South Elmwood neighborhoods. He also served as a state senator from 2003 until 2017 and as a member of the RI Air National Guard from 1988 until 2010, retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant. Councilperson Pichardo is now a self-employed realtor with Exp Realty. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Rhode Island College, as well as associates degrees in audiovisual from the Community College of the Air Force and in liberal arts from the Community College of Rhode Island. He is the Vice Chairperson of the Providence City Council Committee on Finance and a member of several other committees. Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo has been a member of the Water Supply Board since January 2023.

Oscar O. Vargas
Board Member (City Councilperson)
Councilperson Oscar O. Vargas represents Ward 15, which includes parts of the Silver Lake, Olneyville, Manton and Valley neighborhoods. A resident of Providence for more than 20 years, Councilperson Vargas was born in Zacapa, Guatemala and immigrated to Providence in 1989. He has worked at the Citizens Bank Corporation Office and later opened his own jewelry shop. In 2016, he received an auto mechanic certificate from MTTI. Councilperson Vargas is a long-time staff member of the Rhode Island State Senate, helping officials connect with the needs of the people in Providence. He currently serves on the Providence City Council Committees on Public Works and on Ordinances. Councilperson Vargas has been a member of the Water Supply Board since January 2023.

Sara Silveria
Ex-Officio
Ms. Silveria was appointed Director of Finance for the City of Providence and became a member of the Water Supply Board in 2019. In her capacity as Finance Director, she has primary responsibility for the City’s municipal budget, as well as developing executive-level budget strategies and solutions to complex budgetary issues. Ms. Silveria participates in all major policy undertakings and decisions within the Finance Department and is highly regarded among government leaders, colleagues, and elected officials. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rhode Island College.

Cristen L. Raucci
Board Member
Cristen L. Raucci was appointed as a member of the Providence Water Supply Board in 2016. Ms. Raucci has worked as an attorney for the past decade, currently in the capacity of Council for the Loan Servicing and Asset Management Division of the RI Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation. Ms. Raucci, who resides in Providence, serves on the Board of Directors of various professional associations and charitable organizations including RI Legal Services, Preserve RI and Junior Achievement of RI.

Dr. Alma M. Guerrero Bready
Board Member
Dr. Alma M. Guerrero Bready was appointed as a member of the Providence Water Supply Board in 2020. Dr. Guerrero Bready currently serves as an Attending Physician at Rhode Island Hospital. She is actively involved within the community, providing mentoring support to first-year medical students, volunteering physician services at local area health clinics, and serving on the Planned Parenthood of Southern New England Board of Directors as both a Board member and a Board Governance Committee member.

William E. O'Gara, Esq.
Legal Advisor
William E. O'Gara, Esq. was appointed as Legal Advisor to the Providence Water Supply Board in 2012. A partner in the firm of Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC, Attorney O’Gara is a well-respected labor and employment law practitioner who also possesses a Masters Degree in Industrial Relations. In addition to his two decades of professional experience, Attorney O’Gara has a history of probono involvement with various community organizations.