Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP), one of the largest community action programs in Rhode Island, has announced the appointment of Chris Mansfield as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 2025.

Mansfield will succeed current CEO Joanne McGunagle, who served in the role for 45 years.

“I am thrilled that Chris has been selected as the new CEO.  Chris has been with CCAP for 33 years and, throughout that time, has been a true warrior in the War on Poverty,” McGunagle said. “He rose through the ranks and knows what it is to be on the front lines, helping those less fortunate. His experience will combine with his strong leadership skills making him an exemplary CEO. CCAP is in very good hands.”

The board is confident that Mansfield’s “leadership will further the organization’s mission to fight the war on poverty,” according to a press release from the agency.

CCAP touted Mansfield’s more than “30 years of experience” at the agency. He most recently served as CCAP’s Vice President of Family Development, and also worked on expanding CCAP’s New Opportunity Homes, RI Works State Partnership, Learn to Earn Program, Donation Exchange and more. Mansfield also served as CCAP’s Safety Director, and oversaw the Environment of Care Committee, and supervised the Maintenance Department.

“For those who know him, Chris is an accomplished leader and a huge asset to the agency,” said Bob Robillard Jr., LMHC, Chair of CCAP’s Board of Directors. “Chris brings decades of service and dedication to fighting the war on poverty, collaborating with community partners, and maximizing funding for programs that help people each day. The Board of Directors wants to congratulate Mr. Mansfield on his new role, and we pledge to partner with him and his administrative team. We are hopeful in this decision and look forward to CCAP’s successful growth in the future.”

Mansfield paid tribute to his predecessor.

"It is truly an honor to step into the role of CEO following Joanne's remarkable 45-year tenure,” Mansfield said. “Her leadership and dedication have left a lasting mark on both this organization and the state of Rhode Island. I recognize her tremendous impact, and I am committed to picking up where she left off—continuing to grow the existing programs that have been so vital to our community.”

CCAP hopes that under Mansfield's leadership, the agency “is well-positioned to build on its rich history of service while advancing new initiatives.”

“As the organization expands its programs and vital services, it will continue to meet the growing needs of Rhode Island's most vulnerable populations,” according to the group that considers itself one of Rhode Island's most prominent organizations dedicated solely to fighting the war on poverty.

CCAP has locations in both Warwick and Cranston, and their “professional staff provides a broad spectrum of services designed to help those in immediate need and empower anyone desiring to become more self-sufficient,” according to an agency press release.

McGunagle said Mansfield’s promotion to CEO will take effect on Jan. 2.

“I’m in lame duck mode,” she said earlier this week. She’s been showing Mansfield the ropes until her planned retirement at the end of the year. “I guess it’s a duet.”

McGunagle announced her retirement earlier this year. She’s been credited with being “the driving force behind CCAP’s growth, transforming it into a comprehensive resource for the community.”

“Joanne took the reins in 1979, envisioning CCAP as a catalyst for change in poverty-stricken lives,” according to the agency. “She aimed to consolidate resources under one umbrella, reducing administrative overhead and channeling more funding into impactful programming. Today, CCAP stands as a testament to Joanne’s visionary leadership, profoundly impacting the community and breaking the chains of poverty.”

“I began a love affair with CCAP in 1979,” McGunagle said earlier this year. “CCAP has given me boundless gifts and rewards I never imagined. Professionally, with my team, we have created a system of care designed to provide services while focusing on poverty and the alleviation of it. Personally, I met my husband when creating housing at St. Matthew’s Church with CCAP. All my life milestones have involved CCAP at some level. I could never begin to give back to CCAP what it has given me.”