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Who We Are
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The Anti-Poverty Network (APN) is a membership organization, made up of individuals with lived experience of poverty, non-profit and community-based organizations, faith-based communities, elected and government officials, private businesses, and all concerned individuals. A full directory of members can be accessed here.
APN is guided by our Executive Director and a Board of Trustees. The eleven member Board includes a diverse group of individuals from New Jersey-based organizations advocating alongside people living in poor communities. The members of the Board apply more than 300 years of collective experience to helping APN better serve the people of New Jersey. This core leadership team works closely with APN's Executive Director to empower the membership and develop unified efforts to fight poverty in all its forms.
The APN thanks the Fund for New Jersey for its substantial support of our efforts to advance the cause of eradicating poverty in the state.
For more information about the Network contact info@antipovertynetwork.org.
Executive Director
Sara Lilja, President Sara is the Director of the Lutheran Episcopal Advocacy Ministry of New Jersey, a joint ministry of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, and the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, as a powerful public witness of faith through advocacy, representing nearly 80,000 people in 450 parishes in New Jersey. Sara holds a BA and Masters of Divinity, with 25 years of related experience. Felicia Alston-Singleton, Board Vice- President Felicia is a tenant advocate for the residents of the city of Newark and surrounding areas. She works with the Greater Newark HUD Tenants Coalition and STEPS (Solution To End Poverty Soon). She is also very involved in local advocacy in the City of Newark. Diane Riley, Secretary Diane is the Executive Director of the Supportive Housing Association of NJ, a statewide, non-profit organization, whose mission is to promote and maintain a strong supportive housing industry. Supportive housing provides a safe, affordable home with access to support services so that individuals with special needs can live as independently as possible in communities of their choice. Diane holds a BS in Human Services with over 10 years of experience in antipoverty advocacy and 25 years in business and technology. | Board Quincy Bloxom, Trustee Quincy is currently the Director of Operations
Johanna Calle, Trustee Johanna Calle is the Director at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ), a coalition of close to 40 organizations that work on advocacy campaigns including expansion of access to driver’s licenses and protecting families against deportation. Johanna’s professional experience includes working as a Leadership Gifts Coordinator at the American Civil Liberties Union and participating in the ACLU of Northern California’s MiACLU campaign, visiting various affiliates fighting for immigrants’ rights. Johanna currently serves as a Trustee on the Hackensack Board of Education. She graduated from The College of New Jersey with a double major in Sociology and Political Science, and a Masters in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. Arnold Cohen, Trustee Arnold is a Senior Policy Coordinator for the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ, a nonprofit organization that has worked to improve the environment for the work of community development corporations (CDCs), and to strengthen their capacity to create housing and revitalize distressed neighborhoods throughout New Jersey. Arnold holds a BA in Sociology and 20 years of nonprofit and advocacy experience. Rev. Eric Dobson, Trustee Eric is the Outreach Coordinator for Fair Share Clara Gregory, Trustee Clara is retired from a long career with the New Jersey Department of Health, and is currently the Diocesan Jubilee Minister for the Jubilee Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, an initiative to engage congregations in the important work of empowering people to change their lives. She is also the Senior Warden for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Clara has a BA and Masters of Public Administration with 26 years of state government and non profit experience. Cuqui works as a community activist. Her |