Meet Kim Ahern
Experience Where It Counts
Kim Ahern is ready to fight for Rhode Island. From the courtroom to the State House, Kim has the experience, dedication, and vision to keep Rhode Islanders safe — now and for future generations.
Kim has served at the highest levels of Rhode Island state government. A trusted prosecutor for nine years, Kim served as a Special Assistant Attorney General under three Rhode Island attorneys general — Peter Neronha, Peter Kilmartin, and Patrick Lynch. She fought to uphold the law and protect Rhode Islanders, prosecuting over 1,000 cases in what is now known as the Special Victims Unit, as well as environmental crimes to protect Rhode Islanders’ air and water. She served as the Attorney General’s representative on the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias and worked closely with the office’s Civil Division, focusing on hate crimes and providing training to police departments across Rhode Island on civil rights, antisemitism, and LGBTQ+ issues.
Kim went on to serve as a senior counselor to Rhode Island’s past two governors. Appointed as Deputy Counsel to Governor Gina Raimondo and Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Dan McKee, Kim was a trusted advisor on a range of policy and legal matters, including juvenile justice reform, reentry support, and housing.
When the COVID-19 crisis hit Rhode Island, Kim helped lead the state’s response, including efforts to provide food, housing, and other supports to the state’s most vulnerable populations.
Most recently, Governor McKee appointed Kim as the first-ever Chairperson of the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission. From 2023 to 2025, Kim successfully built a new, independent state agency, balancing economic opportunity with public health safeguards. She oversaw the regulation, licensing, and enforcement of adult-use and medical cannabis in a way that was safe, transparent, and equitable.
Grounded in public service
Through her parents’ examples, Kim was raised with a core belief in public service and its power to improve the lives of others. This principle has been a driving force in her life and career.
The daughter of a Vietnam War veteran and a State Department employee, Kim earned a B.A. in Public & Community Service Studies at Providence College. She met her future wife Jenna at PC, and together they won a national championship on the women’s rugby team and chose to make Rhode Island their home. Kim went on to graduate with honors from the Roger Williams School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. She was then selected for a highly competitive judicial law clerkship to the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, for whom she provided research and counsel on issues ranging from energy policy to protected public spaces.
Recognized for leadership
Local organizations and peers have consistently recognized Kim’s accomplishments and outstanding contributions to our community.
- Providence Monthly “10 People Who Can Change The City” (2010)
- YWCA Rhode Island “Women of Achievement” Award (2016)
- Providence Business News “40 Under Forty” Award (2021)
- Roger Williams University “Law Alumni Service” Award (2021)
- Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association “Newsmaker of the Year” (2024)
Dedicated to Community & Family
Over the years, Kim has served on local boards for the YMCA, Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, RWU School of Law, State Planning Council, Criminal Justice Policy Board, and, currently, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England. Kim is an avid runner and triathlete, a devoted Girl Scout leader, and a proud mama. She lives in Providence with her wife Jenna and their three daughters.
“Our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need an Attorney General who will fight back. For me, that fight is personal. From protecting the legality of my marriage to my wife Jenna, to guaranteeing our daughters don’t grow up in a world with fewer freedoms than we had, to ensuring Rhode Island remains a safe and welcoming place for all, the stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines.” – Kim Ahern
