Alison Bologna '24

Founder and executive director
Shri Studio, Service Corps and baRk

Award Profile

Courageous Thinking & Action
Alison Bologna is an award-winning journalist who co-anchors NBC 10 News Sunrise with Mario Hilario Monday through Friday mornings. Prior to NBC 10, Alison anchored and reported news in Boston at Fox 25 News and produced undercover reports for "Dateline NBC" as one of the network's youngest producers in New York City. Alison has covered stories in virtually every part of New England, delivering live breaking reports on all major events, including the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy and the tragic Station nightclub fire. Several of her investigative reports resulted in reforms at local and state levels. Notable reports include exposing holes in sex offender registry lists, overcrowding in state juvenile detention facilities, and a Vietnam veteran claiming to have earned his most prestigious medal, when in fact, the Army never issued it to him. Alison attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and earned graduate degrees from Columbia University and Harvard University after that.

In 2010, Alison expanded her professional work into the community and founded Shri Studio in Pawtucket with a vision of creating a space where people from all backgrounds could come together to practice yoga, foster healthier and more compassionate communities, and revitalize an area that had been economically struggling since the Industrial Revolution.

Vision & Innovation
As the founder of Shri, Alison has demonstrated vision and innovation through an approach to yoga that is rooted in inclusivity. Shri believes that yoga is for everyone, regardless of age, ability, body type, or level of experience. Shri strives to create a welcoming and non-judgmental environment where individuals can come together and explore the transformative power of yoga. To date the organization serves men and women in recovery, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, seniors, students K-12 in schools and more!

And the social enterprise model goes beyond the studio doors. In 2012, Alison founded Shri’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm, Shri Service Corps, so Shri could self fund many of its programs. And then in 2014, Alison’s husband, Dave Mongeau, officially launched Shri Bark Snacks; the nut-free snacks are now served in schools statewide, with more than 50,000 units sold every month, and these sales help fund Shri’s free programs. An e-commerce platform also exists for the organic, allergen-free bars available direct to consumer.

Inspiring Leadership
Today under Alison’s leadership, Shri serves more than 8,500 students both in its Pawtucket studio and remotely in schools, shelters, hospitals, recovery centers and youth clubs. Every Shri program is guided by a curriculum developed by Alison to support students both on and off the yoga mat. Alison's dedication to community engagement has been recognized by numerous organizations including: Providence Business News, The Women's Center of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Small Business Journal, The National Organization of Italian-American Women, L.I.F.E., Inc., the Rally for Recovery, ARC of Blackstone Valley, the Blackstone Valley Children's Shelter, the Rhode Island Attorney General, The Pawtucket Foundation and many more.

Community Mindedness
Since opening its doors in downtown Pawtucket, Shri has become a cornerstone of the district, drawing hundreds of students to its classes for special events and outreach programs. Since 2010, Shri has outgrown three leased spaces, and in 2020 Alison bought a blighted underutilized 15,000 square foot mill to expand Shri’s mission into commercial real estate and affordable housing with a mixed-use, mixed-income approach. 

Shri at 390 Pine Street in Pawtucket is now home to a world-class yoga center, an art studio for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and a food pantry across the hall. Upstairs in the Shri building there are 8 apartments, 5 of which are deed-restricted affordable housing units.

For her work at Shri, Alison has received more than a dozen community awards. Alison has also been honored with an advocacy award by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse for her work helping men and women in recovery, and Attorney General Peter Kilmartin presented Alison with a justice award, which is given to individuals in recognition of their extraordinary commitment to justice, consumer protection, law enforcement, community outreach, and senior and environmental protection.

In addition to her community work at Shri, Alison also serves on the board at the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket. And when time permits, Alison enjoys spending time with her husband and dogs (Betty + Basil) in Vermont.

JA Mission Moment
“This year I had a great morning with Junior Achievement of Rhode Island at Cunningham Elementary School in Pawtucket. I was invited in to be a Career Speaker in the classroom with 5th grade students, and I was asked to speak about my education-to-career pathway as both a television news anchor in the am and a social entrepreneur in the pm. I loved that my work fit right into the JA Curriculum that day and that the students were so prepared and engaged. After my presentation, we brainstormed businesses they could start on their own and how even at such a young age they could start planning and building skills for the 21st century. Being exposed and connected to community mentors, I believe, is 90 percent of the path to success, and I’m so impressed by JA’s commitment to bring local leaders and kids together in real-world ways. “