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Meet Our Staff

Meet Our Staff

Our StoryMeet Our Staff

Kevin ZealandExecutive Director

Kevin is the Executive Director of the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children and has been working professionally at ARFC since 2002. He earned a B.F.A. from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and a M.B.A. from Rutgers University. Kevin is a member of the Child Welfare League of America and the Essex-Newark Coalition to End Homelessness. He is a Leadership Newark fellow and also a fellow of the Nonprofit Executive Program at the Institute for Ethical Leadership. His work at ARFC led to the creation of the Academy Street Firehouse afterschool program, one of the first in the country to address the specific needs of children impacted by HIV/AIDS. Kevin also led the expansion of ARFC’s supportive housing program, growing this initiative from 50 individuals to over 200 families receiving safe and stable housing. Kevin has also led ARFC’s expansion from a $3.5 million operating budget to over $6.5 million. He is currently working to increase ARFC’s support to New Jersey’s marginalized homeless populations and to the escalating number of abused and neglected medically fragile children.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Annie ChenChief Operating Officer

Annie is the Chief Operating Officer for the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children where she’s currently leading the creation and implementation of ARFC’s most recent strategic plan. She has been a member of the ARFC team since 2003 and specializes in program and staff development. Annie received her B.F.A. from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and holds a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University. She is a member of the Community Health Advisory Council at the United Way; an Emerging Leaders fellow at the Institute for Ethical Leadership; a fellow of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative at the Center for Creative Leadership; and received the Judith O’Connor Scholarship at the BoardSource Leadership Forum. Her notable experiences at ARFC consist of presenting program best practices at local, national, and international conferences, including at the World Forum on Early Care and Education. She is also an article author for the National Afterschool Association’s quarterly publication.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Chester BorroughsChief Financial Officer

Chester graduated in 1992 with a B.S. in Accounting from Baruch College. He worked at a law firm for 19 years then ventured into the non-profit sector in 2009. He enjoys helping children and people and is encouraged to continue doing this line of work as a result of the lives that have been impacted at ARFC. He has been a member of the Knight of Columbus for the last 10 years and has previously served as the Grand Knight. He is currently a trustee and spends a considerable amount of time serving the needs of the church and the community.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Yira CuevasDirector of Human Resources

Yira is the Director of Human Resources at the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children. She pursued a B.A. in Psychology from Kean College of New Jersey and completed a Human Resources Management Certificate Program at George Mason University. Yira joined the ARFC family in 1995 as an administrative assistant, where she became an advocate for the organization and its clients. She has 10 years of experience in the field of HR management and organizational development. Yira is affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and is also an Advisory Board Member for Growth and Development Services. Yira embraces diversity and empowering staff to fully engage in the mission of the organization.

Location: Vancouver Office

Chiemelie UmenyioraDirector of Development

Chiemelie is the Director of Development at the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children. She was first introduced to ARFC in 2011 where she worked to support all development efforts including fundraising, advocacy and grant writing. She has worked across three continents in roles specific to policy development, outreach, strategic communications, and project management. She has experience working and interfacing with senior government officials in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, community service organizations, and private sector leadership. She received her Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a Concentration in Global Politics at Rutgers University-Newark and her Masters of Science in International Relations at The London School of Economics and Political Science. She’s passionate about working with underserved communities and creating sustainable impact.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Henry TancrediDirector of Housing Development

Henry has 45 years of experience in commercial and residential real estate acquisition and development. He has a wealth of experience in land development and site location for the food industry, neighborhood shopping centers, and various government agencies. Henry pursued a B.A. in Philosophy at the College of St. Hyacinth College and studied Theology and German Language Studies at Turbingen University in Germany. He also studied for his Catholic Priesthood at St. Anthony on the Hudson in New York. He is a Co-Founder and Commercial Broker for Fairmont & Realty as well as one of the chief organizers that founded the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children (ARFC). Henry has been the Chairman of ARFC’s Board of Trustees for over 10 years.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Beatrice Simpkins, MPASt. Clare’s Homes Program Director

Beatrice is originally from Jersey City, NJ and has lived and worked in Hudson and Essex Counties, NJ in the field of nonprofit program development and management for over 20 years. She is the Program Director for St. Clare’s Homes, serving the state’s medically vulnerable children. Her career includes serving as the Vice President of Employment and Training at the Hudson County Urban League (Jersey City) and Senior Grants Manager at St. Michael’s Medical Center (Newark). She is a former board member of the Freedom Center for Social Justice located in Charlotte, NC and the Newark Community Health Centers located in Newark, NJ. She is a current board member of the Newark LGBTQ Community Center. Ms. Simpkins holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA). She is a dedicated volunteer for the Residents Renewing Newark – Woodland Cemetery Restoration and is an active member of the Unity Fellowship NewArk church. In 2016, MS. Simpkins was nominated and became a Rutgers 250 Fellow – receiving a medal at the “A Day of Revolutionary Thinking”, the culminating event of Rutgers’ yearlong 250th birthday celebration.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Luis UlerioDirector of Housing

Luis started with ARFC as Director of Housing in December of 2013. He leads a team of dedicated staff that deliver services through four (4) housing programs: HOPWA, Project-Based Section 8, Shelter Plus Care and HOME. Prior to joining ARFC, Luis held the role of Project-Based/New Admissions Coordinator for the Newark Housing Authority and prior to that role, he held positions as Relocation Specialist and Client Services Team Leader, all while employed at Quadel Consulting Corporation. Luis holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, and is currently pursuing a Master in Public Administration. He hold certifications in Affordable Housing and Case Management from Quadel Consulting, Nan McKay and Associates and Rutgers University School of Social Work. He represents the organization as a voting member in the CEAS/CoC Committee and is serving as a member of the Housing and Homeless Prevention Subcommittee.

Location: Roseville Avenue Office

Veronica SandersDirector of Social Services

Veronica is the Director of Social Services at the AIDS Foundation for Children. She has worked at AFRC since 2013. Veronica received her Masters of Social Work degree from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. She is also licensed social worker (LCSW), licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LCADC), and Leadership New Jersey Alumni. Veronica has worked in social services for the past 25 years in various settings that have included a Corrections, Mental Health, Child Welfare ,Domestic Violence and Counseling for Youth and Adults. She is currently embarking on becoming a Certified DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapist) and leading the way in implementing this modality of therapy in the two Transitional Living Programs for gay/bisexual males in East Orange and Ventnor, NJ.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse

Dr. Jaclyn HarteYouth Program Director

Jaclyn came to the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children by way of academia where she taught courses that explored the relationship between English and Service Learning. Her doctoral dissertation, “In Search of Lost Women” is a performative interrogation of the experience of trauma in women and the restorative power of language. She believes that storytelling is the single most powerful catalyst in developing agency and integrity and is energized that her research background has prepared her for practical application at ARFC, where she brings trauma-informed care principles and programming to the Academy Street Firehouse Afterschool Program and to Coalition H.O.W.L. When she is not at the Firehouse, you can find her on an adventure or at her home that she shares with her cat Greta Garbo.

Location: Academy Street Firehouse