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.
Mission Statement
La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc.’s mission is to foster self-sufficiency, empowerment and neighborhood revitalization.
Core Values
Board of directors
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,
FoundCare Health Center

Farhan Ali, McCarter & English, LLC

Jossue Bonilla, Bank of America

Margaret Cammarieri, Retired

Jorge Cruz, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Sandra Cruz, Merck & Co., Inc.

Dr. Enrique Diloné, Immunity Bio

Eltia Montano Galarza,
Montano, Galarza, LLC.

Dr. Gayle Griffin, Retired

Dr. Hortensia Kelly, Saint James Health

Dawn C. Robertson, PGIM Real Estate

Ivette Rosario, Rutgers University – Newark
Executive Leadership
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.
Senior Leadership

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