Sabina Matos

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Sabina Matos
Sabina Matos 11.21.jpg
Matos in 2021
70th Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
Assumed office
April 14, 2021
GovernorDan McKee
Preceded byDan McKee
President of the Providence City Council
In office
January 7, 2019 �� April 13, 2021
Preceded byDavid Salvatore
Succeeded byJohn Igliozzi
In office
Acting: May 19, 2017 – December 21, 2017
Preceded byLuis Aponte
Succeeded byDavid Salvatore
Member of the Providence City Council
from Ward 15
In office
January 2011 – April 13, 2021
Preceded byJosephine DiRuzzo
Succeeded byOscar Vargas
Personal details
Born (1974-02-13) February 13, 1974 (age 48)
Paraíso, Dominican Republic
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Patrick Ward
Children2
EducationRhode Island College (BA)

Sabina Matos (born February 13, 1974) is a Dominican-American politician serving as the 70th Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island since April 2021. Sabina Matos is the first Afro-Latina lieutenant governor and the first Dominican-American to hold state-wide office in the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented Ward 15 in the Providence City Council and served as its president.

Early life[]

Matos was born in Paraíso, Barahona, Dominican Republic.[1] Her mother was a teacher and her father served as mayor of Paraíso.[2] Matos emigrated to the United States in April 1994, at the age of 20, with her parents and sister. She spoke no English when she went to the United States,[1][2] and thought she would return to the Dominican Republic by the end of the year.[3]

After briefly living in New York, Matos and her family settled with her uncle in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island.[2] Matos graduated from Rhode Island College with a bachelor's degree in communications and public relations in 2001.[1][4] She became a United States citizen in 2005.[2]

Political career[]

Matos ran for the Ward 15 seat on the Providence City Council in the 2006 elections, losing the Democratic primary to long standing incumbent Josephine DiRuzzo. She challenged DiRuzzo again in 2010, and won.[2] She was a 2014 Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow.[5]

Matos became acting president of the council in May 2017 and served in the role until December 2017.[6] She was elected president of the city council in January 2019.[7] During the 2020 presidential election, she served as one of Rhode Island's four electors.[8]

In 2021, after Gina Raimondo resigned as Governor of Rhode Island to become the United States Secretary of Commerce, and Lieutenant Governor Dan McKee succeeded her as Governor, Matos applied to become the next Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island.[9][10] On March 31, 2021, Governor McKee announced he would nominate Matos to be Lieutenant Governor.[11] The confirmation process began in the Rhode Island Senate on April 8,[12] and the judiciary committee approved her nomination unanimously, sending her nomination for confirmation by the full Senate.[13] On April 9, she submitted her resignation from the Providence City Council, effective April 13.[14] Matos was confirmed as lieutenant governor by the State Senate on April 13 by a vote of 34–0 and was sworn into office on April 14.[15] She is the first member of an ethnic minority and the second woman to hold the position.

Personal life[]

Matos and her husband, Patrick Ward, have two children.[2]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Tejada, Miguel Cruz. "Sabina Matos representa el poder político de la mujer dominicana en Estados Unidos como presidenta del ayuntamiento en Providence". Diario Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gregg, Katherine. "Will lieutenant governor's office be next stop on Sabina Matos's political journey?". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. ^ List, Madeleine (January 11, 2019). "Providence City Council, with first-ever female majority, sets a new direction". Providence Journal. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  4. ^ Martini, Ann M. (October 2, 2020). "2020 Vision: A Sit Down with Sabina Matos". Providence Media. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  5. ^ List, Madeleine. "Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg in R.I. next month". The Patriot Ledger. Quincy, Massachusetts. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  6. ^ McGowan, Dan (December 21, 2017). "David Salvatore elected Providence City Council president". WPRI. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "Matos takes charge as City Council welcomes first-ever female majority". WPRI. January 7, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  8. ^ GAVIGAN, PARKER (December 3, 2020). "Who are Rhode Island's electors about to vote for president?". WJAR. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  9. ^ "Sabina Matos tapped to be lieutenant governor – The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  10. ^ "McKee picks Sabina Matos for RI lieutenant gov". WPRI.com. March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  11. ^ "WATCH LIVE: McKee picks Sabina Matos for RI lieutenant gov". WPRI.com. March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  12. ^ "McKee cites LG pick's 'inspirational' story". Cranston Herald. April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  13. ^ "Matos approved as LG by Senate committee; full Senate to vote next week". WPRI. April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "Matos submits resignation letter to Providence City Council". NBC 10. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  15. ^ Russo, Amy (April 14, 2021). "Sabina Matos sworn in as Rhode Island's first lieutenant governor of color". The Providence Journal. Retrieved April 14, 2021.

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
2021–present 		Incumbent
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