PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Mayor David N. Cicilline, elected last month to the state's 1st Congressional District seat, announced a 10-member transition team Thursday that includes a mix of former state lawmakers, local officials, lawyers, educators and community activists.

According to a Cicilline news release, his team consists of:

• Nancy Benoit, a former state representative and the current chairwoman of Family Resources Community Action;

• J. Clement Cicilline, a former state senator who is now president and CEO of the Newport County Community Mental Health Center, and who is also the incoming congressman's uncle;

• Octavio Cunha, an East Providence Planning Board member who is active in the state's Portuguese community;

• James Diossa, a Central Falls City Council member who works for College Crusade of Rhode Island;

• Madeline Ernest, an advocate for senior citizens and a founding member of the Long Term Care Coordinating Council who is now president of the Rhode Island Forum on Aging;

• Onna Moniz-John, a community activist who serves on the Martin Luther King State Commission and the Governor's Commission on Prejudice and Bias;

• Tony Nobrega, a former Cumberland Town Council member who is now president of the Benefit Development Group;

• R. Kelly Sheridan, a lawyer and lobbyist who is past president of the Rhode Island Bar Association;

• June Speakman, president of the Barrington Town Council member and a political science professor at Roger Williams University; and

• Chris Vitale, a lawyer who worked for outgoing 1st District Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy and managed one of his reelection campaigns.

Mayor Cicilline said in a statement that he is "proud to have the assistance and advice of this outstanding team" as he prepares to "make the transition to Congress."

"Bringing a wealth of experience and on-the-ground knowledge, these community leaders will help ensure that the transition is seamless and responsive to the needs of the residents of the 1st District," he said. "I am grateful for their time and talents and I know they will help make sure that we have a top-notch operation in place come January."