Cristina Amedeo graduated from Rhode Island College, with a Bachelors of Arts, concentration in communications, in May 1996. She also completed an Associate degree in Business Administration at the Community College of Rhode Island. 

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Amedeo began her work in the social services profession in 1994 when she became a volunteer Travelers Aid of Rhode Island, now called Crossroads Rhode Island. She became a full time Information & Referral Specialist/Interpreter in January of 1995. She was promoted to Volunteer Coordinator and supervisor of community/I&R services in January of 1997. In 2000 she was again promoted to Director of Community Services. That same year she became a Certified Information & Referral Specialist (CIRS)   by the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems. 

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As an interpreter Amedeo, worked on a project for AT&T in Disney World Florida, as a research specialist collecting information on the very famous Spaceship Earth ride, owned by AT&T. She also did free lance translation for court, medical and immigration appointments for the Portuguese and Hispanic community.  As a special skill she is 100% Fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. 

Amedeo has led state efforts to have a 2-1-1 statewide system in Rhode Island since 1999. By attending the yearly national conference of information and referrals specialists, chaired by a national governing organization Inform USA, she has been able to keep Rhode Island on the map for a 2-1-1 and Aging & disability resource center  system and kept information flowing between other states and Rhode Island. Amedeo has been working   with the Unite Way of Rhode Island with its decision to move to a priority on “community impact” in 2002. The United Way assumed  primary overall responsibility for the development of 2-1-1 and for mobilizing the resources required to ensure that it will remain a high-quality resource for all people in Rhode Island.  Amedeo has been part of the system change including 2-1-1 in the UWRI plans.

 

Amedeo is an active member of several boards: Real Access Motivates Progress, SER-Jobs for Progress, The Autism Project, Rhode Island Counseling on Problem Gambling and the MAE Organization. She is currently appointed to the National 211 Steering Committee, National Education Respite Committee, Inform USA Leadership Group, the Rhode Island Olmstead Group, Rhode Island Long Term Care Integration Council, the National Council of Social workers – Older Adults group, Rhode Island Community Services committee, the Continuum of Care group, Protect our Health Care Coalition, Care Transformation Collaborative, Money Follows the Person Coalition, Family Voices Coalition among others. 

 

Amedeo is a senior director of community services and an employee of 17years  at United Way of Rhode Island. Amedeo’s portfolio includes several programs in support of Rhode 
Islanders in need of information & referral and services for seniors, adult with disabilities and caregivers. The programs include: The Point – Aging & Disability Resource Center and 211 Call center, Family Caregivers Alliance, After Hours Crisis Line, Medicare/Medicaid Enrollment Center, Benefits Enrollment Center, MyOptions web intakes – Person Centered Options Counseling, Medicare Information Awareness and Assistance, Gamblers Helpline, Community Connections – outreach and others.