Jessie Jones, Membership  Coordinator, ext. 19

Terry Lisk, Resource Development Specialist, ext. 23

Patricia Mumola, Director of Administration, ext. 32

Leonard Robbins, Director of Housing Development

Newark Office (973) 286-0086, ext. 1

Diane Sterner, Executive Director - Director of the Housing and Community Development Network, she directs this statewide association of 150 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. Diane has worked in the community development field for more than 25 years. Prior to joining the Network in 1990, she 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. Diane 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. She serves on the boards of trustees of New Jersey Policy Perspective, the National Housing Institute, and New Jersey Citizen Action.  Most recently, as a James A Johnson Fellow, she helped found the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA), a new voice for community development practitioners in Washington, DC, and a vehicle for bringing together state and citywide CDC associations to exchange best practices and support each others’ work 

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Staci Berger, Director of Advocacy & Policy - Responsible for leading the community development policy staff team, including working with the Policy Coordinator and field organizers, to broaden and mobilize support for the Network’s public policy agenda.  In addition, Ms. Berger is working to further develop, enhance, and strengthen the Network’s “Advocacy-Team” (A-Team) concept.  Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Berger worked for nine years with New Jersey Citizen Action where she went from being an organizer to the Political and Legislative Director.  As the Political and Legislative Director, she devised and implemented political, legislative, and electoral strategy for the state’s largest non-profit, non-partisan independent watchdog coalition.  She received her Masters in Public Affairs and Politics from Rutgers University in 2004.  Ms. Berger has served as a associate trainer for the Midwest Academy, a leading national training institute for the progressive movement, and worked as a labor organizer with the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute and the Health Professionals and Allied Employees/AFT/AFL-CIO.

Nina Arce, Media Coordinator - Responsible for coordinating the Network's overall media and outreach communication efforts with members, supporters and media representatives.  Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Arce worked five years as a Public Relations Coordinator for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  She holds a bachelor's of science degree in public policy from Penn State University.  During her time at Penn State, Ms. Arce interned with the Harristown Development Corporation in Harrisburg, PA, helping to market their downtown redevelopment plan and providing research analysis.       

Arnold Cohen, Policy Coordinator - Responsible for coordinating the Network’s public policy advocacy and education activities. Mr. Cohen joined the Network in 1994, prior to which he worked in organizing grassroots and statewide public policy campaigns in the areas of affordable housing, early childhood education, health care, and environmental justice. In addition to his work at the Network, Mr. Cohen sits on the boards 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.

Kate Cruz, 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). Prior to joining the Network, Ms. Cruz worked as Consumer Advocacy Coordinator at Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton and was a member of the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness. Ms. Cruz holds Master’s Degrees in Social Service and Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr School of Social Work & Social Research.

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Chastity Davis, Executive Assistant - Responsible for providing administrative support to the executive director and the managing director.  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 knowledge of housing issues and a familiarity with many Network members.

Angela Goode, Director of Technical Assistance and Training - Responsible for overseeing the Network’s technical assistance and training programs in housing, community planning, and economic development.  Ms. Goode has over 15 years of experience in providing assistance to non-profit organizations to develop their capacity to implement housing and economic development projects and to grow their organizations.  Prior to joining the Network, she worked in a variety of roles with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs including housing policy and program development, oversight of the state’s capacity building program for CDCs, and planner for the Council on Affordable Housing.   Ms. Goode holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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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.

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.  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. Ms. Jones has a bachelor’s of science degree in Psychology and Family Studies from Corban College.

Terry Lisk, Resource Development Specialist -- Responsible for grantwriting and development. Terry has over twenty years of experience working with non-profits and foundations in every aspect of grantwriting and grantmaking.   Prior to joining the Network, she worked as a program consultant for the last ten years focusing on developing grants and programs that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars to area non-profits.  Her work centered around  providing local and regional non-profits with the knowledge and resources necessary to build solid programs and budgets with an eye toward sustainability She also consulted in capacity building and program evaluation for private, state, and federal projects.   

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Pat Mumola, Director of Administration - Responsible for office administration, human resources, vendor procurement, property management, accounts payables/receivables and administering employee benefits.  Prior to joining the Network in 2002, Ms. Mumola was employed by the Camden Empowerment Zone and the NJ Economic Development Authority’s Urban Programs Division where she worked with non-profits throughout

New Jersey.

Leonard Robbins,  Director of Housing Development - Responsible for the development and delivery of housing related training and technical assistance programs for the Network. 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 private developer, in New Jersey, as well as a construction specialist and neighborhood director of nonprofit housing agencies in and Syracuse and New York City. Mr. Robbins is an NDC Housing Development Finance Professional, graduate of the Network’s Housing Development Training Program and active member of the Newark Community Development Network.