NEW: Blazejewski Appoints New Chief of Staff, Ray Simone Out at State House

NEW: Blazejewski Appoints New Chief of Staff, Ray Simone Out at State House

GoLocal has confirmed from three sources with direct knowledge that former Speaker of the House Joe Shekarchi’s chief of staff, Ray Simone, is out.

Newly elected Speaker Chris Blazejewski will not retain him in the top staff position.

Chief Legal Counsel to the Majority Leader of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Danica Dayian Iacoi will serve as the new Speaker’s chief of staff.

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Before the Shekarchi - Blazejewski team assumed the leadership of the House, she was a top staffer to then-Speaker Nick Mattiello.  She has worked at the State House in a range of roles since 2004.

 

Simone: Reed to Shekarchi

Simone has been a top Democratic staffer in Rhode Island for decades.

For years, Simone ran Senator Jack Reed’s Rhode Island. From 1991 to 1996, he was Reed District Director and then served as Chief of Staff from 1997 to 2021.

Simone had been Shekarchi’s chief of staff since 2021.

He made $234,000 this past year in his role with Shekarchi, according to state records.