Gina Raimondo was born and raised in Smithfield, Rhode Island, the daughter of Joseph and Josephine Raimondo. Her father, now retired, worked for 28 years at the former Bulova Watch manufacturing plant on Dexter Street in South Providence. Her mother was a homemaker. Raimondo has two siblings: Marianne Jasinski, director of religious education at St. Philip Church, Smithfield, and Dr. Thomas Raimondo, a pulmonologist at Kent County Hospital.
Raimondo is a successful businesswoman and committed community leader. Raimondo co-founded Point Judith Capital, a Providence-based investment company that invests in start-up companies in high-growth industries. Under her leadership, Point Judith has grown to $100 million of assets under management and has invested in over 20 start-up companies, primarily in the IT, healthcare, and internet industries. Two of these companies are in Rhode Island: NABsys and the Narragansett Brewing Company. Raimondo leads the firm’s healthcare investments, and is a recognized expert in the healthcare industry.
Raimondo serves as Vice Chair of the board of Crossroads RI, the state’s largest homeless services organization and played a key role in launching a new shelter for women. She is also a trustee at Women and Infants Hospital, and has served on the boards of Family Service RI and LaSalle Academy.
Raimondo graduated from LaSalle Academy as valedictorian of the Class of 1989. She received her BA in Economics from Harvard University, where she was recognized as the top economics student in the Class of 1993. She earned a doctorate in Sociology from Oxford University (1999) where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar. She earned her law degree in 1998 from Yale Law School, where she served as co-head of its Housing and Economic Development clinic, and received an Olin Scholarship for law and economics. After law school, she began her career as a judicial clerk for the Hon. Kimba M. Wood on the United States District Court, Southern District of New York. She also was a founding member of the leadership team of Village Ventures, a company that supports a national network of venture capital funds, and directed its business development efforts.
Raimondo lives in Providence with her husband Andy Moffit, and their two children, Ceci and Tommy. They are active members of St. Raymond’s Catholic Parish in Providence.
La Salle Academy Alumni Magazine
When Gina Raimondo ’89 came to La Salle in the late summer of 1985 as a freshman, she never gave much thought to the fact that only a year earlier the school had gone through the trials and pangs of a merger with St. Mary’s and St. Pat’s high schools and became coeducational
“From my perspective, it was as if girls had always been there so it never really entered my thinking,” said Gina. “The fact that is was co-ed and dealing with it was not an issue.”
“Of most importance to me was the fact that La Salle was filled with many very special faculty and staff who took a real interest in the students,” said Gina in a phone interview from her office in Providence where she is a general partner of Point Judith Capital, a venture capital firm that she co-founded in 2002.
“I particularly remember Brother James Donohue, Brother Frederick Mueller, Mr. McMamara and Mr. Carpenter. These men looked out for their students, in class and outside of the classroom,” she continued. “Both Brother James and Brother Fred stayed in touch with me through college, law school and even while I lived abroad while studying at Oxford. And, some 15 years after I graduated from La Salle my husband and I were delighted to have them both at our wedding.”
“Brother Frederick is simply the greatest. He is smart and committed to excellence in all that he does – and, by his example, he encouraged me to push myself to be better,” said Gina. “I remember one day when the late Senator Chafee made a presentation to La Salle and opened the floor to questions. I was reluctant to ask a question but Brother Frederick prodded me to speak up. With his encouragement, I overcame my hesitance and asked the question. I remember to this day how it helped me become more positive and sure of myself.”
“La Salle prepared me so well for college – academically and emotionally –I was confident and grounded,” she continued. “At La Salle I developed values and principles that have served me well in all I have done since, be it academically or in my career.”
Although she never practiced law, she clerked for a judge in New York City and has put her law background and her degrees in economics and finance to good use in the venture capital world. “I think that what I do now in the business of creating and building companies draws on my law experience,” said Gina who leads Point Judith Capital’s healthcare investing, with a focus on medical device and healthcare information and technology companies.
Before joining Point Judith Capital, Gina was Senior Vice President of Fund Development at Village Ventures. In that role she managed the team that established twelve venture capital funds nationwide. Gina received a BA from Harvard University, a law degree from Yale University and a doctorate from Oxford where she was a Rhodes Scholar. She currently serves on several non-profit boards, including the board of the New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA), Crossroads RI and is a trustee of Women and Infants Hospital. She also served on the La Salle Board of Regents for two terms from 2001 to 2007 where she was on the Futures Committee. She is a member of the Rhode Island and New York Bars. She is married to Andrew Moffit and they have two children, Cecilia, who is age five and just began kindergarten and Thompson age 2-1/2.
“Gina is an extremely bright person who has been a great contributor to La Salle as a student, an alumnae and a board member,” said La Salle President Brother Michael M. Mc Kernery.” And, although it does not alter in any way my opinion of her, I should point out that she happens to be my cousin.”