Daniel McKee

Daniel J. McKee (born c. 1952) is the 69th and current Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, since 2015. Prior to his election, he served as mayor of Cumberland, Rhode Island. He has an extensive background in public service, business and non-profit organizations.

McKee’s family has owned and operated small businesses in Northern Rhode Island for over one hundred years.

McKee, his wife Susan and his children are products of Rhode Island public schools. After graduating from Cumberland High School, McKee received a B.A. from Assumption College in Worcester, MA and a master's degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

For over twenty-five years he has been a member of the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland-Lincoln, serving as past president of the executive board and chairman of the endowment committee.

During his time on the Cumberland Town Council (1992–1998), Dan developed his skills as a basketball coach, coaching diverse groups of boys and girls at all levels, culminating in two State AAU Basketball Champions in 1998 and 2000.

He served six terms as Cumberland’s Mayor. His record is one of strong fiscal management, visionary education reform initiatives, thoughtful economic development and protection of Cumberland’s open spaces. Dan worked quickly with state and federal officials in the aftermath of Cumberland’s historic spring flooding to minimize the damage; and he is steering Cumberland through Rhode Island’s unprecedented economic downturn.

In 2008, McKee worked with mayors across the state to pass a law allowing for the creation of new, regional, mayor-governed and highly autonomous public schools known as “Mayoral Academies.” In 2009 and 2010 McKee again helped organize mayors and education advocates across the state to pass a fair and equitable education funding policy.