ABOUT US

Catherine Wolford Spinella began her career in econometric forecasting and
subsequently worked for more than a decade in domestic and international
telecommunications marketing for Bell Atlantic (now Verizon). She later served as a
technical writer for the Board of Directors of the World Bank.

After relocating to northern New Jersey in 2003, Catherine returned to graduate school,
earning a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University
and a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Ramapo College of New Jersey.
She served for 15 years as a Middle School librarian in the West Essex Regional
School District, retiring in 2022.

She graduated from William & Mary in 1979 with a double major in Economics and
German. She also received a fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service
to pursue graduate studies at the Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms Universität in Bonn,
Germany.

Community and Volunteer Leadership
Active member of Union Congregational Church (United Church of Christ)
Former President of Union Congregational Church
Chaired Task Forces on Digital Communications and Governance Reform
Co-Chair, Archives Committee (documenting 150+ years of church history)
Co-creator and 20-year volunteer of the “Side Door” after-school program for Montclair middle school students
Organizer, Racial Justice Ministry Team
Member, Montclair NAACP
Member, Commission on Church and Ministry (NJ Association of the United Church of Christ)
Member, William & Mary Libraries Board of Directors

Dr. Soheila Vossough graduated with honors from the State University of New York at
Binghamton with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. She received her medical
degree from New Jersey Medical School–UMDNJ in Newark, New Jersey. She
completed her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Pulmonary Medicine at
UMDNJ.

Dr. Vossough served as Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of General
Medicine at University Hospital from 1993 to 1997 before entering private practice. She
currently serves as a physician specialist and Assistant Clinical Professor at the Global
TB Center–Rutgers.

Community Involvement

Member of the Baháʼí Community in Montclair
Member, Race Amity Montclair
Volunteer tutor for children in Newark
Interest in health education and wellness programming
Longtime Montclair resident (30+ years)

Evelyn Gay is an accomplished IT professional with extensive experience at the intersection of technology, corporate finance, and community service. With a career spanning major financial institutions and government, she has developed deep expertise in business systems analysis, quality assurance, and systems development. Evelyn currently serves as a Business Systems Analyst for Prudential Financial, where she leverages her skills in process improvement, systems integration, and data-driven solutions to support strategic business objectives.

Her professional journey includes previous roles as a Business Systems Analyst with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she contributed to mission-critical financial systems, and as a Quality Assurance Analyst at AXA Equitable (now Equitable), ensuring reliability and efficiency of enterprise technology platforms. Earlier in her career, she held the position of Systems Analyst/Development Specialist at Prudential Financial, providing her with a strong foundation in IT systems design and implementation.

Evelyn earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Economics from Pace University and her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication/Media Studies from Temple University. Her academic foundation in both finance and communications complements her technical expertise, equipping her to bridge complex systems with organizational goals.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Evelyn is a dedicated community leader and advocate for equity in education. She is a founding board member and college coach with Imani (Improving Montclair Achievement Network Initiative), a nonprofit partnership with the Montclair Public School District that works to narrow the minority achievement gap and expand opportunities for underrepresented students. She also serves on the board of Sister to Sister of Montclair Mentoring Group, Inc., an organization that empowers young women of color through mentorship, leadership development, and personal growth opportunities.

Through both her professional and volunteer leadership, Evelyn demonstrates a consistent commitment to leveraging her skills and experience to strengthen organizations, support youth, and foster more equitable communities.

Julia Berger is a scholar, educator, and community leader whose work bridges the fields of religion, education, human rights, and social transformation. She holds a Ph.D. in Theology and Religious Studies, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum Design, and a Bachelor of Arts in Cross-Cultural Psychology, an academic background that reflects her lifelong commitment to understanding and advancing the relationship between culture, spirituality, and human development.

Julia’s professional career spans both academia and the international policy arena. She has served as Principal Researcher on Human Rights and Gender Equality at the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office, where she contributed to global initiatives promoting justice and equality, and as a Research Associate at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she engaged in policy-relevant scholarship on religion and governance. Her research and analysis in these areas culminated in her acclaimed book, Rethinking Religion and Politics in a Plural World: The Bahá’í International Community and the United Nations (Bloomsbury, 2021).

As an educator, Julia has taught across multiple levels, from middle schools to higher education. She currently teaches in the Department of Religion at Montclair State University, where she brings her interdisciplinary expertise to bear in fostering inclusive and critical approaches to religious studies.

Deeply committed to service and interfaith collaboration, Julia is a Trustee of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, one of the world’s leading platforms for dialogue and cooperation across faith traditions. Locally, she co-founded the Montclair Race Amity Initiative, which advances community-based efforts to build unity and racial justice.

Her primary interests focus on community-based collaboration rooted in a framework for action that emphasizes unity and justice, coherence between the spiritual and material dimensions of life, capacity-building, universal participation, and learning as a mode of operation. Whether in scholarship, teaching, or grassroots initiatives, Julia’s work reflects a consistent vision: harnessing the power of knowledge, spirituality, and collaboration to create more equitable and harmonious communities.

Eric Berger is a Learning and Talent Management leader who was most recently the Global Head of Learning at Visa, where he led strategic learning initiatives to drive organizational growth and leadership excellence. Eric also serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law, sharing his expertise in negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution. He is passionate about culture change and dedicated to helping organizations build the capacity to attract, develop, and empower leaders who drive measurable impact.

Eric joined Visa after a distinguished 11-year tenure at Citi, where he held senior positions overseeing Leadership and Executive Development as well as Consumer Bank Learning. His work at Citi was instrumental in shaping the company’s leadership pipeline and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Earlier in his career, Eric was a Senior Consultant in Deloitte Consulting’s Human Capital practice and managed the Kennedy School Negotiation Project at Harvard University, where he focused on bridging research and practice in negotiation and conflict resolution, particularly in complex international disputes. A former Director of External Training at the Harvard Mediation Program, he has delivered negotiation and conflict management training for senior executives and public leaders worldwide.

Eric served for nearly a decade as Board Treasurer of A Better Balance, an NYC-based non-profit providing legal support and legislative advocacy for family-friendly workplace policies such as paid sick leave, parental leave, and protections for pregnant women and caregivers. He is currently a member of the President’s Leadership Council at Search for Common Ground, the world’s leading NGO providing on-the-ground support and tools for ending violent conflict.

Eric holds Masters degrees in Public Administration and Theological Studies from Harvard, and a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University in Canada. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, playing guitar (while attempting to sing along), community service, and spending time with his wife, Julia, and their twin daughters, Ella and Sophia.

Dafney Dubuisson Stokes is an attorney, and she currently concentrates her practice in alternative dispute resolution, insurance and insurance related legislation. Prior to this, Ms. Dubuisson Stokes was a partner at the law firm of Wong Fleming where she practiced complex commercial litigation, creditor’s rights, bankruptcy and automotive finance. Prior to a career in the law, Ms. Dubuisson Stokes worked for almost a decade in the social service sector advocating for youth in specialized foster care placement. Ms. Dubuisson Stokes has since redirected her passion for advocacy by developing strong relationships with her clients, vigorously representing their interests and tirelessly engaging within the legal community in promotion of diversity and inclusion in the profession.

In addition to serving on the board of the Marks Cares, Ms. Dubuisson Stokes presently serves as the co-chair of the Emerging Leaders Initiative within NAMWOLF (National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms), which aims to achieve equity in the legal profession through collaboration between law firms and the corporate sector. Ms. Dubuisson Stokes is also a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Ethics Committee, (District IIIB) and a chair of the Diversity 7

Committee in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, a national community of vetted and peer reviewed corporate and defense counsel. Ms. Dubuisson Stokes has also been recognized by NJBIZ as a 2023 Leaders in Law honoree.

Ms. Dubuisson Stokes is licensed to practice law in Alaska (2023), New Jersey (2013), New York (2018), Ohio (2022) and Pennsylvania (2012). She holds a B.A. with honors from Boston College and a J.D. from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law.

In law school, Ms. Dubuisson Stokes served as a judicial intern for Magisterial District Court Justice David R. Strawbridge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Her responsibilities included reviewing reports and recommendations and editing draft opinions in the area of Social Security. Ms. Dubuisson Stokes also became certified in domestic relations mediation and volunteered at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Family Division, where she used her conflict management and negotiation skills to assist estranged families.

Ms. Dubuisson Stokes is licensed to practice law in New Jersey (2013), New York (2018), and Pennsylvania (2012). She holds a B.A. with honors from Boston College and a J.D. from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law.

Nadia A. Mian is Senior Program Director at the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement and a Lecturer at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. She holds a Ph.D. from The New School and a Master’s in Environmental Studies with a specialization in urban planning from York University in Toronto, Canada. Her research explores the intersection of faith, urban development, and social equity, with a particular focus on faith-based property development and the role of religious institutions in advocating for land use and zoning reforms to expand affordable housing.

Currently, Nadia is building a national database cataloguing faith-based affordable housing developments and serves as a Research Fellow at Villanova University, studying the use of density bonuses for faith-based affordable housing in Seattle, Washington. Her scholarship has been published in The Conversation, Shelterforce, and Planning Magazine.

In addition to her research, Nadia is deeply committed to community engagement and sustainable urban development. She is a member of the Environmental Commission in Hanover Township, New Jersey. Her broader research interests include placemaking, historic preservation, and environmental sustainability. Nadia’s work bridges academia and practice, fostering innovative solutions to address housing inequities and create more inclusive, resilient communities.

Karline “Kay” Dubuisson is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church and a graduate of Palmer Theological Seminary. With a lifelong commitment to ministry and service, she has served congregations across multiple states, including Chambers, Riverside, and Suffern United Methodist Churches, and Spring Valley UMC in New York. She is currently the senior pastor of St. Mark’s UMC (The Mark Montclair) in Montclair, NJ.

Kay’s ministry is informed by a rich and diverse professional background, including roles as an Administrative Assistant, Operating Room Nurse, and Social Worker, giving her a unique perspective on pastoral care, community health, and organizational leadership. She has contributed extensively to church governance and social outreach, serving on several key boards and committees, including the Connectional Table, Ethnic Local Church Concerns, the Palisades District Poverty Task Force, and the Board of Ordained Ministry. She is also recognized as a circuit elder, providing mentorship and oversight across multiple congregations.

A devoted family person, Kay and her husband, Edvard, are proud parents of four children and share their home with their beloved Pekehund, Sulli. Outside of her ministry, Kay enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends, bringing the same warmth and intentionality to her personal life as she does to her professional and spiritual leadership. Kay’s life and work reflect a steadfast dedication to faith, service, and community, blending pastoral care, professional expertise, and civic engagement to uplift and empower those around her.

Lillie Johnson Edwards is Professor Emerita of History and African American Studies at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, where she served as the founding Director of Pan-African Studies and as Director of American Studies before retiring in 2016. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and her B.A. in history and English with honors from Oberlin College, where she was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2002. She currently serves on Oberlin College and Conservatory Board of Trustees and chaired Oberlin’s most recent presidential search. 4

A public intellectual and historian, Lillie has lectured and consulted for libraries, corporations, K-12 educators, historical societies, and museums. Her scholarship includes articles on African American women and religion, and she continues to serve as a consultant and public historian for museums, foundations, and civic organizations.

As a gubernatorial appointee to the New Jersey Amistad Commission since 2002, Lillie currently chairs the Commission and guides the strategic initiatives to support educators in integrating African Americans into the K-12 curriculum. She is a lay member of the Board of Ordained Ministries of the New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, a life member and former National Director of the Association of Black Women Historians, a life member of the NAACP, a boule member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and a life member of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which honored her with the Mary McLeod Bethune Award.

A native of Columbus, Georgia, she and her husband, Paul B. Edwards, have two adult children.

https://www.lillieedwards.com/biography

Khemani Gibson is a community organizer, public historian, and educator from Orange, New Jersey whose scholarship and activism are rooted in the histories and lived experiences of the African Diaspora. His research and teaching center on the intersections of African Diaspora studies, Caribbean migration, Black identity, and the pursuit of racial justice, particularly as these themes unfold in New Jersey and the greater metropolitan region.

Khemani earned his B.A. in History with a minor in African and African American Studies from Drew University, followed by a Ph.D. in History from New York University in 2020, specializing in the history of the African Diaspora and the Caribbean. His academic career has included teaching and research appointments at New York University, Rutgers University, Drew University, Fordham University, and Barnard College at Columbia University. He currently serves as a faculty member in the Department of Africana Studies at Brooklyn College, where he teaches courses that challenge students to examine global Black histories while connecting them to contemporary struggles for equity and justice.

Beyond the classroom, Khemani is dedicated to bridging the divide between academic scholarship and community empowerment. He has collaborated with grassroots organizations such as the University of Orange, The HUUB, and the Montclair History Center to design and lead public programs that address pressing social needs, including affordable housing, equitable development, and cultural preservation. Through these partnerships, he works to highlight the power of history as a tool for collective memory, resistance, and liberation.

As both a scholar and an organizer, Khemani is committed to cultivating spaces where marginalized communities can tell their own stories, reclaim their histories, and shape their futures. He seeks to inspire and equip the next generation of community organizers, educators, and leaders to continue the ongoing fight for justice, equity, and dignity for all people.

https://www.khemanigibson.com

Esther Canty-Barnes is a distinguished legal scholar, practitioner, and community leader, serving as a Clinical Professor of Law and the Director of the Education and Health Law Clinic at Rutgers University Law School. In this role, she leads a clinic dedicated to advocating for indigent parents and caregivers of children with disabilities, ensuring access to critical educational services. Under her guidance, the clinic also trains law students in special education and health law, and provides educational programs for parents, caregivers, attorneys, and others responsible for the welfare of children with disabilities, combining rigorous legal instruction with real-world impact.

Esther was a driving force behind the development and implementation of one of New Jersey’s first “Special Education in the Courts Initiative,” a pioneering program bridging the legal system and educational advocacy. Her professional experience spans both leadership and public service. She is the former president of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey and a former presiding municipal court judge for the Township of Irvington. She also served on the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Women in the Courts, where she was appointed the first chairperson of the committee on women of color, reflecting her longstanding commitment to equity and representation in the legal profession.

Beyond her academic and professional accomplishments, Professor Canty-Barnes is actively engaged in faith-based and community organizations. She currently serves on the Social Justice Committee of United Methodist Women and as Vice Chair of the Leadership Board of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church (The Mark Montclair). where she works to advance social and community initiatives.

Esther earned her B.A. from Bennett College, summa cum laude, and her J.D. from Rutgers School of Law–Newark, credentials that underpin her exemplary career in legal education, advocacy, and community service. Her work exemplifies a lifelong commitment to justice, inclusion, and the empowerment of underserved communities, blending scholarship, legal practice, and civic leadership to create lasting social impact.

ABOUT US

Executive Director

Jen Watley Nelson

Board of Directors

Esther Canty-Barnes, Esq.
Chair

Lillie Edwards, PhD
Vice-Chair

Eric Berger
Treasurer

Dafney Dubuisson Stokes, Esq.
Secretary

Julia Berger, PhD

Nadia Mian, PhD

Rev. Karline “Kay” Dubuisson

Catherine Wolford Spinella

Evelyn Gay

Soheila Vossough, MD

Khemani Gibson, PhD