Leanne Barrett, IMH-E® is Executive Director of the Rhode Island Association for Infant Mental Health (RIAIMH) where she works in partnership with the Board of Directors, staff, community partners, and nearly 300 members to strengthen systems that help nurture strong relationships among infants, young children, and the adults who care for them. She is responsible for building strategic partnerships, overseeing administration of equity-driven workforce development and professional education programs, and leading the strategic direction for RIAIMH’s future.

Before coming to RIAIMH in 2026, Leanne was Director of Early Childhood Policy and Strategy at Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, working to improve early childhood policy statewide (Birth – Age 8). At Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, she coordinated and staffed the Rhode Island Early Learning Council for 14 years and led the RIght from the Start Campaign, an advocacy coalition working to advance state policies for families with babies and young children in Rhode Island. Leanne has been a leader in developing state laws, policies, and systems to expand access to high-quality child care, Pre-K, Head Start, Early Intervention, family home visiting, maternal and early childhood mental health services, and paid family leave.

Earlier in her career, Leanne was Vice President at United Way of Rhode Island, Program Manager at Work/Family Directions, Inc., and managed data collection for a federally-funded infant temperament research project at Bradley Hospital. She has a bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology from Brown University and a master’s degree in child and family policy from Tufts University. Leanne is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Policy Mentor.