| Ryan W. Pearson is a Democrat representing District 19 (Cumberland, Lincoln) in the Rhode Island Senate.
First elected to the Senate in November 2012, Sen. Pearson was elected to serve as Senate Majority Leader in November 2022. Previously, he served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and a member of the Senate Committee on Education. He has also previously served as Senior Deputy Majority Leader and as Chairman of the Senate Finance Sub-Committee on Education, Commerce and Municipal Aid.
Sen. Pearson is a lifelong resident of Cumberland. As a high school student, he joined a student organization named Save Our Schools to rally support for a bond referendum to make needed improvements to Cumberland High School, which stood on the verge of losing accreditation due to severe facility deficiencies. Following the passage of the bond, he sought and won election to the Cumberland School Committee, where he formed a solid understanding of local government budgeting and challenges.
Sen. Pearson has continued to make improving school facilities a top priority throughout his public service. He led the Senate's task force on school construction, which laid the groundwork for the comprehensive $1 billion statewide plan to fix and build high quality schools all across Rhode Island. He also chaired a 2020 Senate task force examining the decade-old statewide education funding formula and making recommendations to ensure equitable funding for all students across Rhode Island.
Improving Rhode Island's economy has been Sen. Pearson's other main focus since joining the Senate. He has been a leader in efforts to reform tax structures, streamline regulations, invest in job training, and overhaul the state's approach to economic development.
Sen. Pearson was born June 30, 1988. He earned his B.S. in Finance from Providence College. He also attended American University in Washington, D.C., while working as a staff member in the U.S. Senate.
Today in the private sector, he is employed as Senior Vice President of a local financial institution. He has also remained an active supporter of many community organizations throughout his public service.
Sen. Pearson can be reached via email (sen-pearson@rilegislature.gov) and at (401) 276-5584. |