John Franklin

Areas of Expertise:

• Nonprofit leadership and strategic organizational design
• ALICE in northern New Jersey
• Nonprofit mergers
• Community organizing
• How mentoring changes lives

Biography:
John Franklin is an innovative leader who was a driving force behind the creation of United Way of Northern New Jersey. He was named chief executive officer of United Way of Northern New Jersey in March 2011. Franklin has been with United Way for more than 13 years, nine of which he served as chief executive officer of the former United Way of Morris County.  Due to Franklin’s creativity, United Way has expanded beyond its traditional fundraising activities to previously untapped markets, broadening its base of support.  Franklin’s passion to affect real, lasting, positive change for the citizens of northern New Jersey has positioned United Way as a leader in improving and strengthening the region.

Franklin, a resident of Morris County since 1985, has devoted much of his life to the work of mentoring and advising teenagers.  For many years, he volunteered more than 700 hours a year working with his church youth group, Habitat for Humanity, the community soup kitchen, and other human service organizations.

Morris County Chief Professional Officer
Michelle D. Roers

Areas of Expertise:

• Building community coalitions and partnerships
• ALICE in Morris County
• Mentoring across the lifespan
• Interpersonal violence issues and victim advocacy

Biography:
Michelle Roers has led the development of community partnerships and coalitions with Morris County social service, government, and business entities that are successfully targeting the needs of populations in Morris County that were previously overlooked or under-served. Under Roers’ leadership as director of community impact for the former United Way of Morris County, broad-based coalitions were built to draw attention to and create long-term solutions addressing the shortages of both affordable housing and quality, affordable child care.  The primary focus of these efforts has been to support the ALICE population – the working poor who are not earning enough to be self-sufficient.

Roers, a licensed social worker, has lived in Morris County since 1998 and actively volunteers her time in the community as a member of the Morris County Freeholders Advisory Committee on Women and the Morris County Human Services Advisory Committee.

Somerset County Chief Professional Officer 
Philip A. Brown, III

Areas of Expertise:

• Corporate and nonprofit partnerships
• Nonprofit versus for-profit mergers
• Nonprofit versus for-profit management
• Roles and responsibilities of nonprofit board members
• Nonprofit policy governance

Biography:
Philip A. Brown, III was a key architect in the merger of five local United Ways into United Way of Northern New Jersey while serving as president and chief executive officer of the former Somerset County United Way.  Brown has been a leader at United Way for a dozen years, overseeing multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns and community-based programming that annually engaged hundreds of volunteers. Prior to joining United Way, Brown was an executive overseeing acute care hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Brown has been a Somerset County resident for more than 20 years and is involved in numerous community and governmental organizations, including as a board member of the Somerset County Business Partnership, Greater Raritan Valley Workforce Investment Board, Somerset County Bar Foundation and Somerset County Cancer Coalition.

Sussex County Chief Professional Officer 
Mary Emilius

Areas of Expertise:

• Event planning
• Economic development
• Workforce development
• Poverty and demographics in Sussex County
• Prevention of homelessness in Sussex County
• Corporate and nonprofit partnerships

Biography:
Mary Emilius joined the former United Way of Sussex County in 2008 as executive director, bringing with her an expertise in economic development as well as 20 years of event planning experience. She revitalized workplace campaigns and United Way events in Sussex County to grow a wider donor and volunteer engagement base.  She developed public and private partnerships as the former director of the Sussex County Economic Development Partnership and ran her own business for 20 years as owner of Party Personnel, an event planning and staffing company.

A resident of Vernon since 1984, Emilius is dedicated to strengthening Sussex County and also serves as a board member on the Morris, Sussex, Warren Workforce Investment Board, the Human Services Advisory Council and the Council of Service Agencies.

Warrren County Chief Professional Officer
Sarah Brelvi

Areas of Expertise:

• Women as a philanthropic force; women's professional mentoring
• Poverty and childhood hunger in Warren County
• ALICE in Warren County
• Corporate and nonprofit partnerships

Biography:
Sarah Brelvi has created and led community and corporate partnerships for more than a dozen years with United Way, with a dedicated focus on women’s philanthropy. She has successfully launched both a local and statewide United Way Women’s Leadership Council – women’s philanthropic networks consisting of professional leaders from the corporate, health care, education, legal, and nonprofit sectors.  Brelvi was introduced to United Way as an AT&T employee, becoming director of AT&T’s United Way Corporate Campaign. She then joined United Way as director of major gifts and women’s leadership at United Way of Essex and West Hudson for three years before she was tapped to lead the former United Way of Warren County as chief executive officer.

Brelvi, a resident of Allamuchy since 1990, is integrally involved in the community, serving as a board member of the Warren County Chamber of Commerce, Warren County Community College Foundation Board, Northwest New Jersey Regional Women’s Center Advisory Council at Centenary College and the Warren County Human Services Senior Service Advisory Council.

Senior Vice President of Resource Development
Theresa Lepore

Areas of Expertise:

• Nonprofit fundraising
• Corporate and nonprofit partnerships
• Nonprofit leadership

Biography:
Theresa Lepore oversees United Way of Northern New Jersey’s $14 million annual campaign.  She is responsible for all aspects of fundraising including corporate campaigns, grants, events, and major giving.  Lepore served as director of resource development for seven years with the former United Way of Morris County.  She has served as chair of the United Way New Jersey Collaboration of Campaign Directors.  And in partnership with United Way Worldwide, Lepore was instrumental in developing National Standards of Excellence, which are still implemented by the system today.

Community Impact Manager
Kathy Kwasnik

Areas of Expertise:

• What makes for a quality child care center
• The importance of social and emotional learning at the earliest ages
• Coalition building

Biography:
Kathy Kwasnik, a 22-year United Way veteran, spearheads the United Way Success By 6 coalition, leading efforts to improve access to quality child care in Morris County.  Kwasnik built the coalition over the past decade, successfully bringing together child care professionals and dedicated volunteers with an early childhood expertise. Under her guidance, the coalition is a strong and active partner in the community working to help all children receive the foundation needed to begin kindergarten ready to learn. She oversees programs that provide continuing education both to early childhood educators and parents and collaborates with child care centers to strengthen their financial and management systems.     

Kwasnik is a member of the Morris County Child Abuse Prevention Collaboration, Morris County Child Care Directors’ Association, and the Lead Abuse Prevention Collaboration.

Community Impact Manager
Liz Warner

Areas of Expertise:

• The importance of social and emotional character development
• How to improve school culture and climate and why it's important
• The impact of the new, state anti-bullying legislation on schools and how to implement prevention programs
• How to give students a voice in their communities and schools
• What schools can do to help prepare children to thrive academically, in the workplace, and in personal relationships
• Building community partnerships
• Implementing mentoring programs in schools

Biography:
Liz Warner joined United Way in 2007 to lead the United Way Youth Empowerment Alliance.  Since that time, Warner has developed the Alliance into a valuable resource sought out by local educators to help improve the climate in their schools and ensure our children are developing the solid foundation and skills needed to thrive in our rapidly changing world.  Warner has engaged local educators, parents, students, and volunteers to work together to create safe school environments that arm our youth with the critical thinking, ethical decision-making and teamwork skills needed to thrive in school, work and life.  Warner has presented nationally and regionally on the challenges facing children and schools today and how United Way is supporting schools and children in addressing these challenges.

In addition, Warner is a motivational speaker.  She often shares the tale of her 10-day trek to the North Pole in April 2005, illustrating the power of commitment and trust in oneself to adults and teens.

Family Success Center Director
Durelle McPherson

Areas of Expertise:

• Community-based financial, job coaching, and parent education programs

Biography:
Durelle McPherson was named director of the Family Success Center in 2010, a one-stop source for social services information, referrals, support, and educational programs in North Essex. McPherson has developed partnerships with local businesses, social service providers, government agencies, and faith-based institutions to assist hundreds of area residents on the path to financial self-sufficiency.  McPherson instituted a series of financial, career coaching, and parent educational programs with community partners that help individuals develop personal goals and action plans that promote financial stability and strong family relationships.  She also leads the Center’s counseling and referral services, helping to direct individuals and families to the array of resources available through United Way and other community-based organizations.

Community Impact Manager
Jodi Miciak

Areas of Expertise:

• Affordable housing in Morris County
• ALICE in Morris County

Biography:
In 2010, Jodi Miciak was tapped to lead United Way’s work in collaborating with public, private, and nonprofit agencies to improve access to affordable housing in Morris County by helping to lead the United Way Housing Alliance. As vice-chair of the Alliance, Miciak shares responsibility in leading the group in its efforts to raise awareness about the need for affordable housing and advocate for solutions to increase the affordable housing stock in Morris County.  In addition, she guides the strategic direction of United Way’s work to help Morris County residents achieve financial self-sufficiency, including overseeing partnerships with the state and federal government to create long-term plans to decrease the number of individuals and families facing homelessness.

Community Impact Vice President
Lynn Weckworth

Areas of Expertise:

• ALICE and poverty in Somerset County
• Financial education programming
• Financial stability mentoring
• Free tax programming
• Workforce development
• Emergency disaster response

Biography:
Lynn Weckworth has 20 years of experience with United Way, leading and overseeing community-based initiatives that seek to help Somerset County residents break out of poverty, achieve financial stability, and develop job skills that match the needs of employers.

In addition, Weckworth is leading an initiative to mobilize the Somerset County community to develop strategies that make it possible for more families to be financially stable and independent.  A first step has been to listen to the daily challenges and experiences of a broad cross section of the community, including unemployed professionals, welfare recipients and business leaders, among others. Beginning in 2011, Weckworth oversaw nearly 40 conversations with more than 300 area residents participating. United Way of Northern New Jersey is just one of 13 United Ways in the country piloting this approach for seeking long-term solutions to helping families become financially self-sufficient.

Community Impact Manager
Carol DeGraw

Areas of Expertise:

• Caregiving across the lifespan
• Gerontology
• Crisis intervention/disaster response
• HIV/AIDS
• Program development
• Coalition building

Biography:
Carol DeGraw is a founding member and continues to lead the United Way of Northern New Jersey Caregivers Coalition, which has been recognized at the state and national level as an effective model for supporting caregiving populations.  Under DeGraw’s guidance, the Coalition has been an effective voice for advocacy and has created new and unique resources for caregivers.  Prior to joining United Way, DeGraw was executive director of the Coalition on AIDS in Passaic County for seven years.

A licensed clinical social worker, DeGraw has more than 20 years of experience in direct service work, including case management, crisis intervention, HIV/AIDS, gerontology, and psychotherapy.  She has been an instructor since 1997 for Rutgers University School of Social Work’s Institute for Families Office of Continuing Education.  She is the author of Case Management Challenges and Strategies in Invisible Caregivers:  Older Adults Raising Children in the Wake of HIV/AIDS, 2002, edited by Daphne Joslin, Ph.D., Columbia University Press, New York, N.Y.

Community Impact Coordinator
Deborah Day

Areas of Expertise:

• Resources and services for North Essex caregivers
• Coalition building

Biography:
Deborah Day joined United Way in 2009 and recently launched a United Way Caregivers Coalition for the North Essex community, focused primarily on serving caregivers of seniors. In less than a year’s time Day has brought together 250 caregivers, service providers, and community agencies and members, to begin filling what has been a gap in services for the community.  Day is overseeing the coalition’s monthly meetings and building a volunteer leadership team as well as guiding the development of educational and social resources for caregivers.

Pantry Partners Coordinator
Eileen Sweeny

Areas of Expertise:

• Community gardening in North Essex
• Healthy food sources for North Essex food pantries and soup kitchens
• North Essex youth involvement in gardening and food equity advocacy

Biography:
Eileen Sweeny works with North Essex residents, organizations, youth groups and businesses to increase access to healthy foods and social services for food pantries, soup kitchens, and others in need.  She has been integrally involved in launching several community garden initiatives and coordinates a local day of action aimed at transforming the American diet through advocating for healthy, affordable food.