Cianci Names Cyd McKenna Campaign Manager
Friday, August 01, 2014
The Magic of Buddy Cianci seems to be back. The Buddy 3.0 campaign is going to be led by a Providence-native who is a MIT and Harvard graduate - Cyd McKenna.
McKenna who once worked for Cianci in his policy office, has a dazzling resume and is a big get for the Cianci campaign. She maybe the perfect leader of a campaign focused on rebranding Providence under a new Cianci administration.
"After a long search - I interviewed a lot of people - I went with Cyd for a number of reasons, one of which because I've worked with her," said Cianci in an interview with GoLocal.. "Not only does she know the City, she has the attributes and characteristics of a person who can pull the campaign together and make it happen. She's been on for about two weeks. I have the utmost confidence in her ability and character."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMcKenna earned Master's degrees from both MIT and Harvard and has been seen on photoshoots with Elizabeth Hurley and once wrote a book with Giovanni Feroce for Alex and Ani.
"Cyd is an extremely positive individual that adds value to any situation. I found her depth of knowledge in politics and business refreshing in a field often lacking real world experience," Feroce told GoLocalProv.
McKenna is a Homegrown Success
"I'm excited to be running Buddy's campaign. I believe in Buddy and everything he's done for Providence, and his leadership now is what is needed to take Providence to the next level," said McKenna in a phone interview with GoLocalProv.
"I was born and raised in Providence -- my dad, Leonard Anderson, as a civil rights worker in South Providence in the '70s and '80s, and my mom worked alongside him. I'm a homegrown girl -- I grew up on the East Side and graduated from Hope High," she said.
McKenna's addition to the campaign will move Charlie Mansolillo who was the acting campaign manager over to the chairman's position. "He was holding the spot until Cyd came along, she's the one doing the nuts and bolts now," said Cianci.
"I got my BA in urban studies at San Francisco State, came back and worked for Buddy in his second administration in the policy office, then got my Masters in City Planning from MIT and Masters in Education from Harvard graduate school of education," said McKenna.
Regarding her first stint with Cianci, he praised her policy work. "She was responsible for the historic preservation efforts downtown, as well as the Eagle Square project," said Cianci. "It was at the time we landmarked historic mill buildings for historic preservation," said Cianci.
Related Slideshow: Buddy Cianci in Pop Culture
Take a tour of Buddy Cianci's career from walk on roles on TV dramas to featured in pop art.
Related Articles
- Cianci’s Former Fire Chief Now Earns Pension of Nearly $200,000 Annually
- Buddy Cianci: Timeline of His Life
- Cianci Running for Mayor
- Ron Reacts: The General Assembly and Buddy Cianci
- NEW: Smiley Challenges Cianci to Debate on Ethics and Good Government
- Will Cianci Run for Mayor of Providence on a Regionalization Platform?
- Buddy Cianci’s History in Pop Culture
- NEW: Former Providence Mayor Cianci Diagnosed with Cancer
- PODCAST: Cianci Weighs In on the Providence Mayor’s Race
- EXCLUSIVE: Cianci Weighs in on Providence Mayoral Race
- Listen: Ron Reacts: A Cianci Run For Mayor
- Cianci 1-on-1 Interview: Cicilline “Deficit King” and So Much More
- LISTEN: Is WPRO Violating Equal Time with Buddy Cianci Show Title?
- “Anybody But Cianci” Group Forming to Take on Buddy
- NEW: Former Cianci Driver Rep. Hull Endorses Smiley
- Russell Moore: Anybody But Cianci?
- Questions Buddy Cianci Must Answer to be Providence’s Next Mayor
- GoLocal Goes 1-on-1 With Marrocco: He Slams Cianci and Solomon
- LISTEN: “Anybody But Cianci” Group Forming to Take on Buddy
- Ric Santurri: The Big Question– Can Cianci Win?
- Is WPRO Violating Equal Time with Buddy Cianci Show Title?
- John Perilli: Buddy Cianci’s Long, Sad Comeback Trail
- National Media Reacts to Buddy Cianci Running for Mayor
- The Economist Dubs Providence “NE Armpit” and Cianci “Gangster”