La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc. (LCDP) was founded in 1972 by a group of local activists seeking to establish educational and charitable programs to meet the needs of Newark’s Puerto Rican community.

Named in honor of Don Pedro Albizu Campos, LCDP has since evolved to become the largest Latinx-led organization in the state of New Jersey, serving 50,000 Newark and Essex County residents annually under three central pillars:

Early Childhood (Prenatal, Early Head Start, Head Start, and Pre-K);

Healthy Homes (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP], Weatherization, Lead Remediation/Abatement);

and Community Empowerment (Women & Family Center, Immigration, Workforce Readiness, Youth Enrichment, Housing & Home Ownership Support, and Community Organizing).

Be sure to follow @lacasanwk on all social media platforms.

La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc.’s mission is to foster self-sufficiency, empowerment and neighborhood revitalization.

Breaking down the barriers created by systems of oppression which seek to block equity and liberty for all people.

It’s not who you love, but how you love. Love is the driving force that guides our mission.

We stand with ALL marginalized people. Through unity, we will achieve victory.

Our duty is to elevate those we serve to a level where they can flourish and reach their fullest potential.

We don’t just invite you in, we want you to feel at home. “La Casa es su casa” will always be our promise.

We are proud to have a passionate and dedicated Board of Directors committed to our mission. They represent and personify the communities that we serve offering a broad range of expertise and knowledge that supports La Casa’s vision. We are grateful for their dedication and commitment to helping us reach new heights.

Arcelio Aponte, Chairman, Rutgers University – Newark

Rita E. Robles, Vice Chairwoman,
Legal Services of New Jersey

Daniel Czerniawski, Treasurer,
Insights FINP

Steven Gomez, Secretary, Citizens Bank

Richard Roper,
Immediate Past Chair,
The Roper Group

Jesus Mercado, Jr., At Large, eXp Realty

Farhan Ali, McCarter & English, LLC

Margaret Cammarieri, Retired

Sandra Cruz, Merck & Co., Inc.

Dr. Enrique Diloné, Self-Employed

Dr. Gayle Griffin, Retired

Eltia Montano Galarza,
Montano, Galarza, LLC.

Dawn C. Robertson, PGIM Real Estate

Ivette Rosario, Rutgers University – Newark

Jorge Cruz, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Dr. Hortensia Kelly, Saint James Health

La Casa de Don Pedro’s leadership team’s personal experiences, professional track record, ongoing training, and leadership on boards, coalitions, and advisory boards make us uniquely qualified to lead an organization whose foundation is building community resilience. With an average tenure of 17 years at La Casa, we are regional experts in our respective fields.

Norma Sessa, Managing Director, Healthy Homes

Thealisa Moss, Managing Director, Community Empowerment

Laura Vazquez, Interim Deputy Director, Early Childhood

Gloria Jerez, Interim Pre-K Director

Tanya Q. Munyan, MSELA, IMH-E, Interim Head Start Director

Enid Roldán, Senior Director of Human Resources

Gregory Hodne, Senior Director of Operations, Community Empowerment

Christopher Pagan, Senior Director of Operations, Healthy Homes

Willie Reyes, Senior Director of Buildings & Auxiliary Services

Crystal Harris, Controller

Elgin Cintron, Director of Communications

Enmanuel Mercedes, Ph.D., Director of Organizational Wellness

Cecelia S. Aiken, Home Energy Assistance Program Manager

Bradley Jean, Weatherization Program Manager

Rochelle Hawkins, HR Manager

Alexandra Mansonet, Grants Manager

Shana Perez, Executive Assistant