Dee DeQuattro honored during ceremony

Johnston Sun Rise ·

“As mayor, it is always an honor to recognize special individuals in our town,” Joseph Polisena, the Town of Johnston’s top elected official, recently told a standing room only audience inside Operation Stand Down at 1010 Hartford Avenue. “I’m sure I speak for everyone here, we are all very proud of what Diana Holly Rothermel has accomplished.”

Polisena was speaking about the daughter of Ken and Winnie DeQuattro, who is affectionately known as Dee DeQuattro and was recently sworn into the United States Army and Rhode Island National Guard during a ceremony that read like a “Who’s Who in the Ocean State’s military and public official’s communities.

Everyone from Lt. Gov. Dan McKee to Director of Veterans Services Kasim Yarn to Lt. General (Retired) Reginald Centracchio turned out to witness DeQuattro being sworn into both military branches of service and receive her ranking of 1st Lieutenant in the Rhode Island National Guard.

“It is with great pleasure I extend to you warm wishes upon this honor and I would like to express the hope for continued success in all of your endeavors, now and in the years to come,” Polisena went on noting that DeQuattro recently received her law degree. “You have made your parents, who by the way are good friends of mine, and our town proud.”

DeQuattro, who has helped her founding OSDRI father Ken since 2015, recently completed her law degree at the University of Massachusetts’ School of Law so she could continue her extraordinary work as Director of Development and Legal Services at OSDRI.

Erik B. Wallin, Esq., Executive Director and Legal Counsel at OSDRI, is thrilled that DeQuattro, who founded Boots on the Ground for the Heroes Memorial that honors the lives of those Killed in Action on 911 in the Global War on Terror – will continue working with him and under the title of Director of Development and Legal Services.

“This is something I have always wanted to do,” DeQuattro, who is steeped with experiences and awards dating back to her days in the Rhode Island media, offered. “Growing up in a family with strong ties to the military, the notion of serviced before self has been instilled in me at a young age.”

She is also a graduate of Providence College with an MA in History-American Politics and also graduated from Roger Williams University with a BA in Communications and Political Science with a minor in Marketing.

During her time at the UMass School of Law, DeQuattro compiled a 3.75 GPA and ranked in the top 10 percent of her class. At RWU, she had a 3.80 GPA.

Now, in her position of the senior leadership team of RI’s largest provider of veteran housing and supportive services, DeQuattro will also be responsible to run the legal services program for veterans and their families including assuming representation of clients and making outside referrals.

She will also help identify, apply for and assist in initial execution of government and foundation grants that will directly benefit OSDRI.

“It is really important for me to serve in some capacity because I work in veteran services and I don’t want to be the person that is advocating and assisting veterans but was never willing to wear the uniform,” DeQuattro said after taking her oaths. “In a sense, it’s putting my money where my mouth is and doing something that’s bigger than myself.”