Special Olympics Rhode Island (SORI), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing year-round sports training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities, announced the appointment of Stephanie Palladini as its first-ever Chief Mission Officer.

In this newly established role, Palladini will leverage over 15 years of professional and volunteer experience to craft and implement a comprehensive blueprint for the athlete experience and development pipeline. She will also spearhead the advancement and oversight of SORI programs across all levels, including local to international, playing a vital role within SORI’s leadership team and serving as a key advisor to President and CEO, Ed Pacheco.

Palladini brings a wealth of expertise to this position, having previously served as Chief of Staff at ALEX and ANI. There, she demonstrated exceptional leadership by spearheading corporate initiatives, driving process improvements, and enhancing operational efficiency.

“Stephanie's remarkable blend of business acumen, philanthropic dedication, and deep understanding of Special Olympics distinguished her as a standout candidate throughout our extensive search process,” said Pacheco. “Her track record in senior leadership, operational management, and staff development, coupled with her hands-on experience coaching athletes, makes her an ideal fit for this critical role."

Palladini’s commitment to Special Olympics spans 18 years, beginning during her time as a student at Cranston West High School. Since then, she has worked with athletes through a staffing agency and later as the founding head coach of the Cranston Cyclones – a Unified Special Olympics team.

A longtime resident of Cranston, Palladini holds a bachelor’s degree in operations management from Rhode Island College.

About Special Olympics Rhode Island

Special Olympics Rhode Island (SORI) is a non-profit organization providing year-round sports training in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. The organization serves over 3,500 athletes of all ages, races and genders. Along with the athletes, SORI offers involvement and support to family members and/or caregivers, along with hundreds of volunteers from high schools, colleges and companies from around the state.