Our Team
Staff
Jackie Edwards
Executive Director
As the previous Vice President of Strategic Engagement for the Pascale Sykes Foundation, Jackie Edwards utilized her varied experience to design, initiate and maintain innovative systems that measure and evaluate how the Pascale Sykes Foundation’s Whole Family Approach impacts its grantees’ families. Jackie Edwards’ career is dedicated to making the community a better place. With a deep understanding of the many challenges faced by disadvantaged, low-income families, she has been a steadfast and outspoken advocate for those within our society for more than 35 years.
Vena Davis-Williams
Program Assistant
Elevyna “Vena” Davis-Williams has over 20 years of experience working with families impacted by child welfare. She has worked with Parents Inc. for over 10 years, providing support and technical assistance to parent support groups and children’s programs statewide. Her experience as a Family Support Partner and Advocate for families gave her the foundation she needed to become a voice for those looking for their own.
As a teenage mother turned passionate advocate for families, she leverages her personal experience and professional expertise to drive positive change. Understanding the complexity of navigating life’s challenges while pursuing dreams, she founded Connect4Success, a Nonprofit Organization dedicated to supporting teen parents as they overcome "life interruptions" and achieve their goals.
Vena has been married to her best friend, Pastor Maurice A. Williams, Sr. for 24 years. They have 5 adult children and 15 grandchildren. Spending quality time with them is her favorite pastime.
Laurie Komjati
Director of Volunteers
Laurie is passionate about the safety and happiness of children and families. She has 35 years of management experience with a focus on Recruitment, Training, Retention, and Recognition. She has been working at Parents Inc. for over 26 years.
Laurie is a people person. She has been married to her high school best friend, Dave, for over 20 years, and they have one daughter, Sophia. Laurie loves eating, traveling, going to concerts, and spending time with her family. Many of Laurie’s family members volunteer for Parents Inc.
Rosemarie Lajara
Administrative Assistant
In October 2023, Rosemarie became a part of Parents Inc. of New Jersey. With a background in operations and sales in the US and abroad across various industries such as financial, consumer products, real estate, and manufacturing, she took on her first role in the non-profit sector, fulfilling her long-held dream. She is dedicated to volunteering and enjoys forming small groups of like-minded individuals to connect with. During her free time, she finds pleasure in gardening, traveling, and participating in crafting activities. Rosemarie resides in Lawrence Township with her daughter, Rose Anne, who works as an Occupational Therapist.
Ayanna McLean
Regional Program Coordinator
Bio coming soon
Thomas Cody
Bookkeeper
Tom currently works as a bookkeeper for Parents Inc. of New Jersey. He retired from the State of New Jersey as Chief Accountant in the Department of Human Services in 2008 after 37 years of service. He has a BSC in Accounting from Rider College and an MPA degree from Rutgers University. From 2012 to 2018, he worked as a consultant for NJ Mental Health to assist Hurricane Sandy victims. Since retiring, he has held positions in several nonprofits that deliver social services to special needs individuals. He keeps busy by auditing courses at Rider University and has audited over forty classes in the accounting, PMBA, and MACC programs. He is married and has five children and three grandchildren. He spends his summers in Ship Bottom, NJ, and volunteers as a coach at HTRSA and for the AOH parade committee.
Jeffrey Johnson
Program Director
Jeff Johnson is a proud father, recent grandfather to three, and avid outdoorsman. Jeff is a licensed clinical social providing individual, group, and family therapy since 1986. He worked for a decade in intensive adolescent inpatient/day programs, and outpatient settings, provided transitional therapeutic services to youth returning from inpatient settings, and has provided in-home therapy. Since 1999 Jeff has worked for Keansburg School District providing school-based therapeutic services, and most recently serves on a Child Study Team. In 2000 Jeff linked up with Parents Anonymous of New Jersey to gain knowledge and experience to serve parents in a group modality right in the school system. This community collaboration led to founding Father Time in 2005 along with an amazing group of loving dads from the local community.
Board of Trustees
Carl M. Bloomfield, AAI
President
Bio coming soon
Tiray T. Silvis
Vice President
Tiray T. Silvis is a devoted father of two with a deep passion for supporting and empowering parents and families. His commitment to community engagement is fueled by both his personal experiences and his role as the Director of Strategic Marketing & Growth at Aetna Better Health of New Jersey. In his professional capacity, Tiray focuses on initiatives that enhance member experience, strengthen community relationships.
Tiray has been a valued member of the Parents Inc. of NJ board since 2022, bringing a compassionate and hands-on approach to his work. His dedication to helping others aligns perfectly with our mission, and his blend of personal and professional experiences makes him a valuable and enthusiastic contributor to our efforts to positively impact the lives of parents and their communities.
Edward J. Szemis
Treasurer
Ed has served on the board of Parents Inc. of New Jersey for over ten years. He is a former Senior Vice President, now retired, of Bank of America, where he held various roles in the administration, finance, and technology organizations. He currently resides in New Hope, PA, and Skaneateles, NY with his wife, Chris. They have three grown sons. He enjoys pickleball, working out at the gym, gardening, traveling, and many other hobbies and interests.
Autumn Carter
Trustee
Autumn joined the board of Parents, Inc. of New Jersey in 2022. She currently works as the Assistant Vice President of Learning and Organizational Development for a wealth management firm where she is responsible for diagnosing root cause performance gaps throughout the firm and managing the delivery of a wide range of interventions to improve organizational effectiveness. As a proud parent of two sports-enthused boys, you’ll often find her on a track, football field, or any other sports venue cheering them on. Family is at the heart of everything Autumn does, and she cherishes every moment spent learning, reading, and enjoying time with her loved ones. Autumn is deeply passionate about helping children and is thrilled to be a part of Parents Inc. where she can help make a positive impact on the lives of children and families. Volunteering at Parents, Inc. allows Autumn to combine her love for family and her desire to support and nurture young minds.
Diana Cooper-Vanderlip
Trustee
For over two decades, Diana has been a steadfast supporter and community partner of Parents Inc. of New Jersey, formerly known as Parents Anonymous of New Jersey. She is honored to be serving in her second year as a Board member. As a mother, grandmother, and wife, she had the pleasure of helping her husband raise two grandchildren, both of whom have now graduated high school. One is now going into their sophomore year of college, and the other is soon to be a freshman, starting college in September. Blessed as the eighth sibling of eleven, she loves and is deeply loved by her family and is passionate about helping to strengthen all families.
Mardi Faltz
Trustee
Mardi has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development Master of Science in Management. She is an experienced systems thinker and operations leader dedicated to service excellence. She is skilled in culture change initiatives and implementation. She specializes in team training and coaching, CPI, with solid customer relationship management and advocacy. Prior to joining the Board of Trustees, Mardi volunteered for the Parents Inc. Family Helpline for two years.
Steve Goodman
Trustee
Bio coming soon
Charles Jean-Pierre
Trustee
Charles Jean-Pierre is a highly experienced Information Cybersecurity professional with a 15-year track record in the Financial, Healthcare, Higher-Ed, and Manufacturing sectors. He has worked with renowned companies such as Merrill Lynch, GE Consumer Financing, DLL Financial Solutions, and Comcast. Currently serving as the Sr. Information Cybersecurity Operations Manager at Princeton University, Charles is focused on aligning Cybersecurity programs with business needs and ensuring 100% transparency in his work. Apart from his professional endeavors, Charles is passionate about volunteering and making a difference in his community, as demonstrated by his involvement with Parents Inc. In his free time, he enjoys spending quality time with his family—his wife, Elise, and their two daughters, Ashley and Leilani. and cheering for the Baltimore Ravens football team.