Thrive Behavioral Health has inducted James C. Alexander and Paul N. Council III into the organization's Board of Directors. Thrive's Board Members consist of 17 local business leaders and behavioral health consumers who advise and steer the organization with sound, ethical and legal governance while ensuring it has adequate resources to advance its mission.

"The members of the Board of Directors are really excited to have James and Paul join us. We look forward to using their expertise and experience to help guide us in our quest to become a true multicultural organization to better meet the behavioral health needs of the entire community," stated Dan Kubas-Meyer, Thrive's President and CEO.

Long-term Thrive Board Member, Robert Walker, nominated both James and Paul to the Board.

"I have known both of these gentlemen for many years and worked with them in various community organizations witnessing first-hand the intellectual and diverse insight they each bring to the table. When Thrive began seeking greater diversity, equity and inclusion in its organization, I thought they would both be valuable additions to the Board."

James, of West Warwick, has decades of experience serving on multiple boards and advisory committees in the non-profit sector including the boards of African Alliance of RI, Open Doors, Blessing Way and Higher Ground International.

"I have spent the majority of my half-century career in non-profit community service, both international and national, helping my clients address their problems and issues that require specific services and interventions. To serve on the Board of Directors of Thrive will provide me with the opportunity to participate in solving some of the needs of a specific segment of the population, as well as to satisfy my need for 'service above self'," said James.

Paul is also a West Warwick resident and is currently employed as Resident Ambassador at the West Warwick Health Equity Zone. He is a Board Member of the West Warwick Prevention Coalition, Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness and Co-Founder of Overflow-RI, a workgroup of alumni from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Belonging spheres who are actively pursuing Anti-Racist agendas.

"I have chosen to serve on Thrive's Board of Directors because I believe in the mission of recovery for all people. There is a tremendous amount of stigma in the populations that we serve, and sometimes we can unknowingly contribute to that stigma by our words, conduct and beliefs. I choose to serve in order to help combat that stigma for the general benefit of the staff and stakeholders," said Paul.