Network Staff

Diane Sterner, Executive Director - Founding director of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey. She directs this statewide association of 130 community-based development organizations, created in 1989 to enhance the efforts of these groups to create affordable housing and revitalize their communities, and to improve the climate for community development in New Jersey. She has worked in the community development field for more than 20 years. Prior to joining the Network in 1990, Ms. Sterner was a community development consultant working primarily with nonprofit housing developers. She also served as Director of Housing and Economic Development for La Casa de Don Pedro, a community-based organization in Newark. Ms. Sterner has helped found and co-chairs several other statewide organizations working on issues critical to the future of New Jersey communities, including the Coalition for Affordable Housing and the Environment, which promotes the revitalization of cities, the protection of natural resources and the creation of affordable housing. In addition, she is chair of the National Alliance for Community Economic Development Associations. She also serves on the board of trustees of New Jersey Policy Perspective, the National Housing Institute, and New Jersey Citizen Action. Ms. Sterner was the recent recipient of a 2005 James A. Johnson Fellowship.

Paige Carlson-Heim, Managing Director - Coordinates the Network's training and technical assistance programs and provides training and facilitation in organizational development.  Ms. Carlson-Heim has worked in nonprofit management for more than 12 years. From 1992 – 2000, she worked with PACT, an international provider of technical assistance to nongovernmental organizations. Starting as director for finance and administration, she later held positions in Madagascar working with various African programs. Most recently, she was a senior capacity building specialist, which offered her the opportunity to perfect her facilitation skills in all areas of organizational development.  Ms. Carlson-Heim’s expertise ranges from facilitating formal workshops to informal, one-on-one mentoring relationships. She has a bachelor's degree in languages/business from Georgetown University.

Arnold Cohen, Policy Coordinator- Responsible for carrying out the Network’s state level public policy advocacy and education activities and participating in HCDN’s coalition building efforts.  Mr. Cohen joined the Network in 1994, prior to which he worked for over 20 years in organizing grassroots and statewide public policy campaigns in the areas of affordable housing, education, child care, and environmental health and safety.  In addition to his work at the Network, Mr. Cohen sits on the board of the Coalition for Affordable Housing and the Environment and the Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness and is a member of the Anti-Poverty Network Steering Committee.

Staci Berger, Director of Advocacy -Responsible for overseeing the work of the Network’s Advocacy and Policy Team as they build support for the Network’s public policy agenda and support members’ local organizing and advocacy efforts.  Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Berger worked for nine years with New Jersey Citizen Action where she began as an organizer and was advanced to Political and Legislative Director. As the Political and Legislative Director, she devised and implemented political, legislative and electoral strategies for the state’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan independent watchdog coalition. She received her master’s degree in public affairs and politics from Rutgers University in 2004. Ms. Berger also worked as an organizer with the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute.

Jill Harrity, Director of Finance and Administration - Responsible for supervising the work of all financial and administrative staff as well as managing all financial functions of the Network including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, petty cash, inventory tracking, tracking payments against grants and contracts and ensuring adequate internal control. Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Harrity worked for four years as the Accounting and Finance Manager at Isles, Inc. and before that as an Accountant at Imagem, Inc. in Philadelphia.  Ms. Harrity received her B.A. in economics with a concentration in accounting from Rutgers University.

Leonard Robbins, Director of Housing Development - Responsible for developing and delivering training and technical assistance programs for the Network, especially in areas of housing development and asset management. He also assists in monitoring state programs. Prior to joining the Network in 1998, Mr. Robbins served as the Director of the Vailsburg Improvement Program at Unified Vailsburg Services Organization, a nonprofit multi-service organization serving the West Ward of Newark. He also has worked as a construction specialist and neighborhood director of nonprofit housing agencies in Syracuse and New York City. Mr. Robbins is a graduate of the Network’s Housing Development Training Program and active member of the Newark Community Development Network.

Joseph Picard, Communications Specialist - Responsible for media and public relations, and maintaining open communication between the Network and its members, including production of the monthly newsletter and maintenance of the Network website. Before joining the Network, Mr. Picard was a reporter and editor for several New Jersey newspapers over a 20 year span. He is also a speechwriter, English teacher and published author. He has a masters in Literature from Rutgers University.

Felicia Fletcher, Administrative Assistant - Responsible for all functions related to the daily operations of the office, including mail distribution, invoice reimbursement, special event preparations and general receptionist duties. In addition, Ms. Fletcher provides professional support to all staff members including the Executive and Associate Directors. Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Fletcher worked for 20 years as a Performance Assessment Coordinator with Educational Testing Services in Princeton.

Juanita Howard, North Jersey Field Organizer - Responsible for organizing Network members, allies and supporters in the northern part of the state to implement issue campaigns at the neighborhood, community, regional and state levels and recruiting and training Network leaders, volunteers and activists through the Network’s Advocacy Team program (A-Teams). Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Howard worked as an Organizer and Community Educator with New Jersey Citizen Action in Camden and Newark.

James Thompson, South Jersey Field Organizer - Responsible for organizing Network members, allies and supporters in the southern part of the state to implement issue campaigns at the neighborhood, community, regional and state levels and recruiting and training Network leaders, volunteers and activists through the Network’s Advocacy Team program (A-Teams). Before joining the Network, Mr;.Thompson worked for ACORN in Pennsylvania, where he served as the Statewide Political Field Director,  registering and mobilizing new voters, and as the legislative and public affairs director for Philadelphia ACORN.  A graduate of Camden High School, he received a B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia University and served as a legislative intern for the National Network for Youth during college. 

Jessie M. Jones, Membership Coordinator - Responsible for helping to carry out the Network’s membership recruitment and retention process to include a plan to identify potential new members, especially underrepresented groups the organization would like to recruit and conducting outreach to current and new members and engage ongoing participation of members. During her first two years with the Network, Ms. Jones filled the role of Executive Assistant. Ms. Jones has worked in the nonprofit sector for the majority of her career. Prior to joining the Network, she  worked in affordable housing at Presbyterian Homes and Services for almost 10 years.

Julie Alighieri, Coordinator of Urban Initiatives - Responsible for providing our members with targeted policy and technical assistance at the local level, by helping identify opportunities for Network members to further their policy goals.  Julie also works with member organizations in targeted cities to analyze their local housing and community development needs, develop programs and strategies, and identify local policy changes to achieve their goals.  Prior to joining the Network, Julie worked as a programs coordinator for a non-profit technical services and training organization that used energy efficiency to maintain affordable and healthy housing for people of low and moderate incomes.

Pat Mumola, Director of Administration - Responsible for office administration and accounts payables/receivables. Prior to joining the Network in 2002, Ms. Mumola was Director of Administration for the Camden Empowerment Zone Corporation.

Chastity Davis, Executive Assistant - Responsible for helping the executive director and the managing director with scheduling and clerical tasks. Before joining the Network in 2007, Ms. Davis was employed by Fannie Mae New Jersey in its New Brunswick office and brings to her position a knowledge of housing issues and a familiarity with many Network members.

Last updated: September 26, 2007