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, SEED Impact
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
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 Montanez, Executive Assistant