Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong, “Xay” (pronounced “Sigh”) for short, is among the new candidates running for Newport City Council At-Large.
Xay is among ten candidates running for the four At-Large seats.
Xay provided What’sUpNewp with the following statement regarding his campaign;
“Today, Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong, known simply as “Xay” (pronounced “Sigh”), announced his run for Newport City Council At-Large. Xay’s a native Rhode Islander, avid sailor, seasoned civic leader, attorney, and national expert on state and local finances.
“I’ve been committed to civic service my entire adult life to pay forward the kindness and opportunity Rhode Islanders provided my father when he first arrived as a war refugee from Laos in 1980,” said Xay. “I’m running because I believe my two decades of public service experience would be an asset to our community. I’ve spent my career helping state and local governments find financial solutions to the types of issues Newport is facing, from transportation to education and housing.”
Civically, Xay’s worked with state and local leaders across the political spectrum to tackle some of Rhode Island’s biggest challenges. This includes helping the state navigate the financial crisis of 2008 as the State Treasurer’s Deputy Chief of Staff, chairing the board of one of the region’s largest water utilities, and leading the Governor’s transition working group on transportation and infrastructure.
Professionally, Xay’s worked with communities nationwide to help them financially reach their goals — from renewing their infrastructure to fixing public schools and stabilizing pension plans. After working with Morgan Stanley’s public finance group, Xay became the Head of Government Lending for Webster Bank, assisting governments along the entire East Coast.
Today, Xay works with public pension plans to help them reach stable funding levels. At the end of last year, he was selected by the Providence Journal as one of its 22 to Watch, and he’s been a Providence Business News 40 under 40 honoree.
Xay and his wife, Alicia, live in their home on Walnut Street with their cat, Gracie. He is a board member of Grow Smart Rhode Island and an advisory board member of Sail Newport.
Xay attended public schools, is a double graduate of Brown University — earning a BA in International Relations and a Masters in Public Affairs — and holds a law degree from Roger Williams University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.”
Candidates are now in the process of collecting at least 50 signatures from registered voters by July 15. When there are more than eight candidates in the At-Large race, the race participates in the September primary to narrow the race down to just eight candidates for the November General Election.