Gamm Appoints Four New Distinguished Board Members

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) will open its 40th anniversary season with four new board members who were unanimously appointed at this month's annual meeting. With backgrounds in government, business, and law, these highly accomplished individuals bring years of experience and leadership to The Gamm at an exciting moment in its history. As arts organizations across the state navigate new post-pandemic fiscal realities, their guidance will help ensure The Gamm continues to thrive and advance its mission of artistic excellence, educational outreach, and civic engagement through theater.

The new board members include:

• Keith D. Hoffmann, Chief of Policy, Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
• Louis Martin, President of Wholesale, UNFI
• John J. McConnell, Jr., Chief Judge, United States District Court, District of Rhode Island
• Sally P. McDonald, Managing Partner, Cameron & Mittleman LLP

“For any nonprofit organization, the importance and value of a supportive and engaged board cannot be overstated. We at The Gamm are honored to add these individuals to our board and further deepen the bench of talent on our governing body,” said Board President Miriam Weizenbaum. “We are fortunate that this theater continues to attract such bold and creative thinkers who believe in our mission and who will be the architects of our future.”

Keith D. Hoffmann is the Chief of Policy at the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, where he previously served as Chief of the Civil Division's Civil and Community Rights Unit. Since joining the Attorney General's Office, he has spearheaded groundbreaking civil rights and public health initiatives. He has served on the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission and the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias, and has trained community organizations and police officers around the state on hate crimes and civil rights issues. Hoffmann is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law School. He lives in Providence.

Louis Martin is President of Wholesale for UNFI, a national wholesale distributor of healthier food options headquartered in Providence. Louis joined UNFI in 2022, relocating from Arkansas to Providence, where he lives with his wife, Jennifer. Previously he was with Coca-Cola for 15 years, working in multiple roles in the areas of strategy, finance, mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, operations and sales, and most recently as President of Coca-Cola's Global Walmart Customer Team. Before that, he was with McKinsey & Company and also ED & F Man. Louis' first paying job was as a teenage actor at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville, Fla., and he has been an avid and passionate supporter of the great local theater ever since. Louis is a Princeton University graduate and holds an M.B.A. from New York University's Stern School of Business. He previously served on the board of TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Ark., as well as The Boys & Girls Club of Benton County, Ark.

John “Jack” J. McConnell, Jr. is the Chief Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. He joined the court in 2011 after being nominated by President Barack Obama. His appointment followed 25 years as a trial attorney. He tried cases in over 13 states, representing people injured by asbestos and lead paint. He was also one of the negotiators of a $365 billion settlement between 46 states and the tobacco companies. Judge McConnell is the past chair of the board of Crossroads Rhode Island, the state's largest provider of services to those experiencing homelessness. Previously he served as chair of the board of Trinity Repertory Company, as a member of the board of the Nonviolence Institute, as a member of the Roger Williams University Board of Trustees, and on the boards of many other community organizations. A native of Providence, Judge McConnell graduated from Brown University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award.

Sally P. McDonald is the Managing Partner of the Providence-based law firm Cameron & Mittleman LLP. She specializes in several areas of litigation including business, employment, estate and trust, and construction. McDonald has extensive experience practicing in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining Cameron & Mittleman, she was Managing Counsel of the Rhode Island office of a Los Angeles-based law firm. She also served as Lead Local Counsel for one of Rhode Island's most well-known companies. McDonald has been named a Rhode Island Super Lawyer, a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. She is a graduate of Trinity College, and Roger Williams University School of Law. She serves on several non-profit boards, including the Foundation Board of the Providence Public Library and the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA). McDonald grew up in Madison, Wis., and now lives in Cranston, R.I. 

“Each of our new board members comes to The Gamm with not only a wealth of professional experience but also a deep passion for the work we do," said Gamm Executive Director Jason Cabral. “In a time when thoughtful leadership is more critical than ever, they've stepped up, ready to offer their insights and talents. I'm truly grateful to welcome them as we kick off this milestone season. I know their commitment will resonate with our community, as they become ambassadors for all that The Gamm represents.”

ABOUT THE GAMM THEATRE

Founded in 1984, the non-profit Gamm Theatre is proud to tell stories that entertain, provoke, and engage seriously with the most important issues of our time. The Gamm further serves the public with educational programming that enriches the cultural and civic life of our community. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Estrella and Executive Director Jason Cabral, The Gamm is a regionally recognized, award-winning theater and a proud member of New England Area Theatre (NEAT), a bargaining unit of the Actors' Equity Association.

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