Liana Cassar announced Tuesday morning, Jan. 23, that she is running for the District 66 seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Ms. Cassar is a Democrat, and currently serves as co-chair of the Barrington Democratic Town Committee.

Rep. Joy Hearn, also a Democrat, has held the District 66 seat for the past 10 years but announced earlier this month that she was not running for re-election.

District 66 includes sections of Barrington and East Providence.

Ms. Cassar and her husband, Larson Gunness, have lived in Barrington for the past 19 years with their teenagers, Jamie and Maria. Ms. Cassar grew up in Connecticut and served as a community development worker in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. She has worked in the health care and public health sectors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, focusing on veteran’s health, public health in low income communities, reproductive health and healthcare technology.

“I am running for State Representative of District 66 because I believe that Barrington and East Providence will benefit from electing a woman dedicated to protecting health care, education and the environment — areas that are a vital to the success of our communities," Ms. Cassar stated in a press release. "I will bring a strong background in political activism and extensive experience in public health to the statehouse. I look forward to talking with members of the community to discuss the critical issues impacting District 66 over the next few months.”

In addition to her role on the Democratic town committee, Ms. Cassar has also served for 10 years on the board of the Women's Fund of Rhode Island. 

She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, and holds a master’s in public health from Boston University and an MBA from Simmons College School of Management.