FAMILY CONNECTIONS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Member
- Senior Director of Programs
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Senior Staff Member
Andreea DiLorenzo, MS is a Diversity and Inclusion Coach for Family Connections' Culture Connections and member of the Equity and Inclusion Committee. She has developed curricula for numerous psychology and education courses in higher educational settings. These include Positive Psychology and Fostering Emotional Intelligence in Children, which were built from the ground up. Her experience in content development reaches beyond the brick and mortar institutions into online learning. Andreea has been a Subject Matter Expert for Psychology of Gender and Psychological Disorders courses. Andreea is a Visiting Assistant Professor at The College of New Jersey. She has 20 years teaching experience in both two and four-year community colleges and universities. Andreea also serves as internship supervisor for the psychology department at Monmouth University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Information Technology
- Senior Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- CFP®, President
Carline Azor, MPA is a Culture Connections Program Manager. She is a member of the agency's Equity and Inclusion Committee. She has more than 10 years in program development and service provision in a variety of services for adolescents and adults suffering from mental illness and substance use disorder. She has provided services in various group home settings for the adolescent population and community programs providing advocacy for the adult population.
Ms. Azor is fluent in French, Haitian Creole, and English. She has been trained in various evidence-based practices such as Motivational Interviewing, HIV/AIDS Intervention and Prevention, LGBTQ+ Adolescent/Adult Case Manager and Project Management. She has facilitated trainings on homelessness to clients and staff; leadership development to her staff; Electronic Charting System to staff and management. Her leadership, project management and coalition building skills honed throughout her career have enabled her to consistently drive concrete and measurable change in her work.
Charlene Berry, BSW, ADAPT Prevention Specialist, graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work. Charlene has experience working in the field with multiple communities and different community needs. Her previous work was with the Children's Home Society of New Jersey as a social worker and per diem Adoption Specialist in collaboration with DYFS as well. As a Prevention Specialist for ADAPT, Charlene, along with the program coordinator oversees the Prescription Drug programming with older adults, the STOP Act with college students, and Student-Athlete Town Hall programming, along with various other sub-committees within ADAPT that promote and support the overall effectiveness of ADAPT. She facilitates senior groups in various senior buildings throughout Essex County on the prevention of prescription drug abuse and misuse and facilitates presentations catered to high school student-athletes and college students on the dangers of substance abuse, which includes alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, vaping, prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Job Titles:
- Diversity and Inclusion Coach for the Culture Connections Opioid Treatment Provider Learning Collaborative
Christine F. Hanna serves as a Diversity and Inclusion Coach for the Culture Connections Opioid Treatment Provider Learning Collaborative at Family Connections. She is also a member of Family Connections Equity and Inclusion Committee. She has previously been an experienced rehabilitation counselor and data coordinator with more than 10 years of experience in social work organizations and has worked with diverse demographics ranging from children to minorities to substance abuse clients and has had roles in home visits and therapy homes. She has developed treatment plans, assessments, managed job fair-resume databases, coordinated career fairs and job hiring boards, and resolved vocational problems with clients that include children, adolescents, adults, and chemical and physical abuse clients.
Christine has been trained in motivational interviewing, risk prevention and safety planning, evidence-based practices, training in the Boston consortium, model for traumatized clients, and suicide prevention training.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Agency
- NJ Digital Marketing
- NJ Digital Marketing Agency
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Member
- Senior Director of NJ4S - Essex
- Senior Director of Programs
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- ADAPT Coordinator
Hector Perez, BA, ADAPT Coordinator, is a graduate of Rutgers University-Newark with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Hector has more than five years' experience working in the non-profit sector. Having worked with diverse communities, he is committed to social justice issues and making sure that future generations can live in a more equal society. He continuously strives to contribute to the progress of humanity.
As Coordinator, Hector works specifically on the Prescription Drugs Initiative for Older Adults. He helps to coordinate programs that aim to improve the overall Health and Wellness of senior citizens in Essex County. He participates in community outreach efforts that include working with law enforcement, site coordinators/directors, healthcare sector, and many others.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- CFSA, CCSA, Vice President
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Member
- LPC, Chief Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Manager
- Licensed Professional Counselor
Jayme S. Ganey is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and currently the Senior Program Manager for Family Connections' Culture Connections. She is the co-chair of the agency's Equity and Inclusion Committee and a member of New Jersey's Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services' Multicultural Services Advisory Committee. She possesses 5 years of Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategy experience, 12 years of content development, and 13 years of management and supervisory experience in corporate and non-profit sectors. She also has 20 years of experience as a trainer and speaker for mental health and media professionals and university students, with over 10 years spent creating programming and training organizational leaders, community members, clinicians and peer counselors in systems and community advocacy, cultural competency, crisis intervention, Mental Health First Aid, and trauma informed care.
Additionally, Jayme has 13 years of experience in program development and service provision in both adult mental health services and the Children's System of Care, including caregiver support services, in-home and in-community therapeutic assessment and case management services, and community support services. Jayme has been trained in Mental Health First Aid, Motivational Interviewing, Attachment Self-Regulation and Competence (ARC), and the Nurtured Heart approach. Additionally, she has channeled her passion for cultural competency and inclusion, health advocacy and promotion of self-care into writing articles for multiple publications, two of which won National Association of Black Journalism Awards.
Job Titles:
- ADAPT Coordinator
- Coordinator for ADAPT
Jenna Marion, BS, ADAPT Coordinator, graduated from William Paterson University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health. Jenna has experience working in the field with multiple communities and different community needs. Her previous work was with the Bloomfield Health Department as an intern and employee working with their Health Education Division as well as assisting one of their contracting towns by being their Municipal Alliance Coordinator. Jenna has also worked with Passaic County as a Municipal Alliance Coordinator by assisting 16 towns who were being funded by the Governor's Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA).
As a coordinator for ADAPT, Jenna oversees the LGBTQ+ programming and activities, along with any additional duties needed to support the overall effectiveness of ADAPT. She will facilitate groups during the school day for youth on prevention education strategies to reduce early first use of alcohol, marijuana, and prescription and over the counter medications, as well as bullying behavior. Jenna will assist with planning LGBTQ+ programming and outreach events for LGBTQ+ residents, their families, their peers, youth, etc., throughout Essex County.
Job Titles:
- ADAPT Coordinator
- Coordinator for ADAPT
Jessica Delgado, BA, ADAPT Coordinator, is a graduate of Rutgers University-New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish. Jessica has more than 20 years of experience in the mental health and prevention field, including case management, crisis intervention, parent education, and coalition building to improve the health and wellness of children, families, and communities.
As a coordinator for ADAPT, Jessica oversees the youth initiatives including the Essex County Youth Tobacco Action Group and underage drinking initiatives, Prevention Hub, and initiatives to engage faith-based communities in the prevention of substance misuse and abuse. Jessica collaborates with various community sectors, including but not limited to schools, youth-serving organizations, municipal alliances, law enforcement, health departments, and other partners to address underage drinking, underage tobacco/nicotine use, underage marijuana use, and prescription and over-the-counter drug misuse and abuse.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- ADAPT Director of Programs
Joel Torres, MA, MCHES, ADAPT Director of Programs, is a graduate of Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a Masters in Public and Organizational Relations at Montclair State University. Joel is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) with over 15 years of experience in community organizing, outreach, advocacy, and grassroots campaigns. He has also worked with municipal health departments and non-profit organizations to bring programs and services to under-served, low-income members of the community. Previously, Joel served as an elected representative on the Hudson County Board of Commissioners, representing parts of Jersey City, and on the Jersey City Board of Education, where he served as President in 2017.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Coalition
- Retired Educator and Community Leader in Millburn and Montclair
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board of Trustees
John Surface - Chief Strategy Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Senior Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Director of Programs
- Senior Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Senior Staff Member
Konniesha M. Moulton is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Chief Operating Officer at Family Connections. She has more than 20 years of experience working with the child welfare system and the Children System of Care; including roles in in-home therapeutic treatment, out of home placement facilities, juvenile justice and community resource agencies. Not only has she worked in these capacities, she has also created new program initiatives to enhance ongoing support for families and children within the community. Ms. Moulton has been trained in various evidence-based and promising practices of trauma treatment, including Attachment Self-Regulation and Competence (ARC), ARC GROW, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment (SMART), Motivational Interviewing and the Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma for Adolescents (ITCT-A). Her passion for trauma-informed care extends to supporting culturally inclusive policies and practices. She believes in providing education and best practices to clinicians and paraprofessionals about working with individuals impacted by trauma and always with a culturally informed lens.
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Member
- Director of Advancement
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Committee
- Prescription Drugs Committee Chair
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Member
- Senior Director of Compliance
Job Titles:
- Youth Prevention Specialist
Nessie Mae De Chavez, BS, CHES, Youth Prevention Specialist, is a graduate of New Jersey City University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Nessie is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Nessie is trained to deliver PreVenture, an evidence-based prevention program that uses personality targeted interventions to promote mental health and skill development and delay youth substance use for at-risk youth ages 12-17. As a Youth Prevention Specialist for ADAPT, Nessie works on youth initiatives such as the Underage Drinking Committee and the Essex County Youth Tobacco Action Group. Nessie collaborates with various community sectors, including but not limited to schools, youth-serving organizations, municipal alliances, law enforcement, health departments, and other partners to address underage drinking, underage tobacco/nicotine use, underage marijuana use, prescription and over-the-counter drug misuse and abuse.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Coalition
- Essex County Prosecutor
Paquita Mason, MSW, SFOE Program Coordinator, is the Program Coordinator for Strengthening Family Bonds Program, and a Trainer for Trainers for the Active Parenting Curriculum. A Masters Level Social Worker with more than 20 years' experience working with the underserved populations in Essex and Passaic County. A success story of the East Orange School District. Paquita is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Strengthening Family Bonds is an engaging and effective 6-12-week program for the whole family. Parents and children alike develop new skills to enrich family communication and deepen family bonding. Studies prove that Strengthening Family Bonds increases healthy family communication and decreases the chances of children experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and other high-risk behaviors
Her motto is, "Everyone is born with a pencil to write their life's story. Remember the eraser when you make a mistake and move on."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Member
- LSW, Director of Quality Assurance
Job Titles:
- Learning Environment Operations Administrator for Culture Connections
Tamika Marshall is the Learning Environment Operations Administrator for Culture Connections at Family Connections. Tamika manages all aspects of operations, event management, use of resources and materials, and all administrative responsibilities for the program. Tamika specializes in creating learning environments that are conscious and inclusive. She is also a member of Family Connections' Equity and Inclusion Committee and a member of the New Jersey DMHAS Multicultural Services Advisory Committee. She has 10 years' experience in client engagement, 5 years' experience in educating and creating curriculum for at-risk youth focused on engagement, self-awareness and empowerment, and 10 years of experience working toward equity and inclusion for her clients. She also has provided in-community services for 7 years, group home services for 4 years, and has worked with DD, at-risk youth, and adult populations throughout her career.
She is trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, Attachment Self-Regulation and Competence (ARC), and Person-Centered Therapy. Additionally, Tamika is completing her certification through the National Black Doula Association to work specifically with mothers of color to combat high maternal mortality rates and medical malpractice. Her curriculum-based work allows her to educate black and brown mothers about informed consent and advocacy while being treated in hospitals postpartum. She provides support through meditation, stretching, provision of information resources and safety planning for mothers who may struggle with postpartum depression.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Senior Staff Member
Ytzayrys Ojeda, BA, ADAPT Prevention Specialist, graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. Ytzayrys has worked with various populations in the social work field over the last ten years. She has been able to work with youth via school-based youth services programs in Essex County and Passaic County, has provided mental health services to women in treatment for substance use at the Straight and Narrow Agency in Paterson, and recently was working as a Housing Case manager for the HomeSafe program at Family connections.
As a Prevention Specialist, Ytzayrys works on the LGBTQ committee initiatives, participates in outreach to elementary schools within Essex County and facilitates an evidence-based curriculum to students in order reduce early first use of alcohol, marijuana, prescription and over the counter medications.