Barbara Cesaro to retire after 35 years in government

On a bittersweet note, Barbara Cesaro, OER’s Interdepartmental Project Manager, will be retiring at the end of July after 35 years of working in Rhode Island government. She has been with OER for the past 11 ½ years. We asked Barbara to reflect on her career, her fondest memories of state service, and what she plans to do in retirement.

Please tell us about the programs you worked on at OER.

Currently, my work has focused on transportation initiatives, RGGI and the DOE State Energy Program. I started my work at OER managing over $23M of DOE State Energy Program American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. One of those early projects, funded with the ARRA dollars was the installation of 50 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state. I am currently working on Electrify Rhode Island – an electric vehicle charging station incentive program. The program seeks to make more charging stations accessible to RI drivers. As I reflect on my time at OER, it seems I have come full circle.

Tell us about your career in government.

I began working for the state 35 years ago. I initially spent several years at the DOT, followed by over twenty years at DEM. While at the Office of Air Resources, I was responsible for developing and implementing both the Operating Permit Program and the RI CO2 Budget Trading Program (also known as RGGI).  Over eleven years ago, eager to make a change and learn something new, I transferred to the Office of Energy Resources. It was one of the best decisions I ever made as it opened up entirely new subject matters for me to explore around clean energy and climate change mitigation. 

Reflecting on your time at OER, what will you miss?

I will miss the daily interaction with my co-workers. It has been a delight to work with such a dedicated, intelligent and thoughtful group. I will also miss many state and federal colleagues with whom I have developed strong and fruitful relationships over the years. 

I especially enjoyed being the state coordinator for the National Energy Education Development Project. I planned and coordinated a yearly event that recognized students and teachers that participated in the program. The NEED Project provides students and teachers a hands-on curriculum that brings the science of energy out of the textbook. I loved seeing what the students learned about energy. 

What are you most looking forward to in retirement? 

Spending more time in Michigan and South Carolina with my husband, children and their families. I’m excited by the prospect of being with my grandchildren, Nora, William, Beau and Paige, as they grow. Knitting, reading, gardening, volunteering at a local animal shelter and finally finishing my second children’s book, A Slice of Pizza, are also in the mix. When COVID-19 is behind us, I’m hoping to cross off a few more items from my bucket list: a visit to the Shetland Islands, Patagonia and a river cruise in France. 

What is a cause or charity that’s important to you?

There is a soft spot in my heart for animals, all animals. We currently have two rescue dogs (Pedro and Sophie) from Puerto Rico who bring great joy and happiness to our lives. I look forward to spending more time with them and taking them on long walks. I am especially attached to the “The Sato Project” which is an organization dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned dogs in Puerto Rico.

Barbara, thank you for your service to OER and Rhode Island. We will miss you!