WOMAN OF THE YEAR: LINDA CZIPO
Czipo has devoted her entire professional career to nonprofits and championing their work. As CEO of the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, the nonprofit community’s statewide network, she has advocated in both Trenton and Washington, D.C., so that not-for-profit organizations have the tools, resources, public appreciation and public policies to carry out their essential missions.
Through the years, she has successfully advocated for a strong fundraising framework to protect donors and charities, defended the advocacy rights of charitable nonprofits, encouraging nonprofits to become involved in advocacy and has worked to streamline needlessly complex government bureaucracy for nonprofits. Czipo has spearheaded the center’s research into key funding, management and policy trends affecting the state’s nonprofits, and with her team works to advance the center’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, both internally and within the greater nonprofit community.
During the height of COVID, Czipo and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits team educated policymakers and philanthropic and nonprofit leaders about rapidly changing developments and their impact on charities’ ability to meet skyrocketing community needs. Alongside partners both in New Jersey and nationwide, the center pushed for—and continues to promote—inclusion of nonprofits in critical relief programs.
She works closely with the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, the state’s membership organization for philanthropy, to strengthen and equalize the partnerships between charities and funders, streamline funding processes and promote full funding of the real costs of nonprofit work.
Czipo stresses that this work is a collaborative effort, and is made possible by a visionary board, immensely talented staff team, extraordinary partners, and the entire community of nonprofit organizations that inspire and improve lives every day.
CLAUDINE ARCHER
Archer, the visionary founder behind the Beloved Project of New Jersey, embodies the spirit of compassion and community empowerment. With a commitment to service, she has become a driving force in addressing multifaceted social issues in Burlington and soon Gloucester counties.
Archer’s motto, “just because you are considered poor doesn’t mean you must live poorly,” is not just a phrase but the guiding principle defining her work. Archer’s approach to social impact encompasses various critical areas. She relentlessly provides food and essential resources to underserved populations. Archer is also a tireless advocate for at-risk youth and individuals in reentry, guiding them through mentorship and life-skills programs, instilling hope and confidence in their futures.
Immigration support is another facet of her work but Archer’s dedication doesn’t stop there. As president of the Willingboro Township Youth Advisory, she invests in the future of her community while actively collaborating with local government agencies, community organizations and coalitions to create a robust network of support for those in need.
Archer’s involvement with organizations like the Burlington County Continuum of Care, Governance Board, Homelessness Task Force Trust Fund, and ReEntry Coalitions demonstrates her commitment to driving systemic change.
KATE WILLIAMSON
Williamson’s goal is to leave everything her work touches in better shape than she found it. Having a positive impact and leaving “good fingerprints”—a lesson from her grandmother Elizabeth Markham—is what guides and motivates her. She admires women who show leadership with empathy and drive to create change; similarly, Williamson surrounds herself with positive inspirations, such as her wife Susan, who worked as a compassionate special education teacher before retirement, and consistently works to be as caring and generous as those around her.
Williamson became an Impact100 member in 2018, finding its model of women’s collective giving focused on their local communities incredibly powerful and empowering. During her time as a member, Williamson served on grant-review teams—including co-chairing the Women, Children & Families focus area teams—before co-chairing all of grant review. In 2020, Williamson joined the leadership council and later assumed the role of vice president of Impact100 South Jersey in 2022. As of June 2023, the chapter has awarded more than $1,000,000 to 18 nonprofits in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Cumberland counties.
Williamson has also served on the board of Clarifi since 2016. The Philadelphia-based nonprofit is dedicated to building financial security and financial literacy, and empowering clients to achieve financial resilience and positively impact their communities. Clarifi serves clients in the Philadelphia metro area, including Delaware and South Jersey, and has helped tens of thousands of people in its 40-plus-year history. At a time when income inequality is greater than ever, Clarifi’s help in developing greater financial and housing security is more necessary than ever.
Additionally, Williamson has served for many years as senior warden of Christ Episcopal Church in Bordentown City. In that role, Williamson co-led the vestry, the lay leadership of the parish, and led both stewardship and community outreach efforts. Those efforts include a monthly meal program that cooks and delivers meals to an average of 120 people each month, all of whom are temporarily housed in area motels.
CHRISTINA RENNA
Renna is dedicated to improving the business landscape in South Jersey. She began her work with the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ)—the largest and most influential business association in the region—in 2007 as director of governmental affairs. In 2014, Renna became vice president, followed by a promotion to senior vice president in 2018; now, Renna is CCSNJ’s CEO and president.
Since taking the helm of the CCSNJ, the organization has grown exponentially, with approximately 300 new members joining and participating in the CCSNJ’s events and networking opportunities. CCSNJ now boasts over 1,200 members, including approximately 150 nonprofit and community organizations.
In addition to growing CCSNJ’s numbers, Renna and her team are devoted to increasing the diversity of the chamber with great success. The overall membership, which tracked diversity for the first time in 2021, has seen a 15% increase since then with more than one in five members being a woman and/or a person of color. In turn, the makeup of the panelists at the chamber’s numerous events is dramatically different, as 42% of the chamber’s 2022 event speakers were female, and 26% were ethnically diverse.
Renna is not only directly involved in the South Jersey business community, but also active with organizations such as her local Habitat for Humanity, The Burlington County Workforce Development Board and the Burlington County Women’s Advisory Council, among others.
LESLIE MORRIS
Morris grew up in public housing in Long Branch, under the watchful eyes of a “village of adults” who hailed from the Jim Crow South. Those adults were poor, but poverty inspired them to push their children to take advantage of the opportunities they were denied. As a result, Morris was the first person in her family—on both sides—to graduate from college.
Morris’s public health and social work career spans 30 years at the local, statewide and national levels. In 1987, she developed and implemented the state’s first comprehensive school-based health center at Snyder High School in Jersey City. Morris further distinguished herself in several ways during her 12-year tenure in Jersey City, which includes implementing one of the first school-based HIV testing programs in the nation and founding a nationally recognized teen abstinence program that culminated in three appearances on CBS-TV.
She was then called to work on a five-year national CDC-funded program at the National Association of Community Health Centers in Washington, D.C, where she provided training, technical assistance, consultation and resources to the nation’s network of community health centers that sponsor school-based health centers for youth in underserved areas.
Following that, Morris resumed working in New Jersey, assisting community health centers in implementing services for underserved communities. In 2006, Morris joined the New Jersey Primary Care Association (NJPCA), the membership organization for the state’s network of community health centers, where she served nine years as director of community relations—and also assisted in implementing Obama Care at the network of federally qualified health centers in New Jersey.
In 2012, Morris began laying the foundation for Women of the Dream, a Camden-based organization serving girls in grades 7- 12; upon its nonprofit status in 2014, she departed NJPCA to serve full-time as Women of the Dream’s founder and CEO. She has forged strong partnerships with the Camden School District, Campbell Soup Company, American Water, Wells Fargo, and PNC Bank foundations, Rutgers–Camden and other entities.
Morris was recently recognized with a New Jersey Women of Achievement Award after being nominated for the honor by the GFWC Woman’s League of Mount Holly.
FRANCINA PENDERGRASS
Pendergrass is an advocate, speaker, licensed minister, forensic nurse examiner, as well as founder and president of Hannah’s House Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with an extensive history of empowering and mentoring women in crisis. Hannah’s House was birthed from Pendergrass’s vision to assist incarcerated women in successfully transitioning back into the community and reuniting with their families.
Certified as a forensic nurse examiner, Pendergrass has provided medical care to hundreds of victims of sexual assault, human trafficking and domestic violence. She regularly participates in rescue and restoration efforts for victims of commercial sex trafficking in Italy and South Africa. Pendergrass believes that raising community awareness, providing services for survivors of human trafficking and gaining support from the legal system are vital components to abolish the modern-day slavery of human trafficking.
In 2004, Pendergrass started the first comprehensive family literacy program for women housed at the Cumberland County Department of Corrections. Graduates of the literacy program earned a GED and, once released, could find employment and transition back into the community. Several of the graduates received additional services through Hannah’s House and were awarded custody of their children.
Pendergrass received the United Negro College Fund’s Women of Faith for Education Keeper of the Flame Award in 2022.
She serves on the Southern New Jersey Continuum of Care Executive Board (chair of the Southern New Jersey Shelter Providers Committee), New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence (Women of Color Task Force) and is a member of the International Association of Forensic Nurse Examiners.
KIMBERLY HILL
Since 2016, Hill has run the health and wellness department for the Food Bank of South Jersey—one of the three pillars of the food bank’s mission, along with emergency food assistance and sustainability initiatives. The objective of this work is to encourage individuals and families to make healthy food choices, reduce food waste and choose an active lifestyle. Currently, Hill manages a team of more than 20 nutrition specialists and educators within health and wellness, one of the most important and visible programs at the Food Bank of South Jersey.
She has expanded the reach and depth of these programs since she joined the food bank. In 2022 alone, more than 14,113 people attended nutrition programs throughout the year. The area is also focused on various health initiatives, including vaccine distribution and food equity.
“Kimberly and her group are changing culture in South Jersey, aimed at reducing poor food choices that lead to poor health and are systemically rooted in poverty and a lack of choice surrounding healthy food access,” said Charles Hosier, the Food Bank of South Jersey’s COO.
Hill has been working directly with several community advocacy programs and initiatives aimed at serving more diverse and special populations. She’s built alliances with community organizations to expand the reach of nutrition education in South Jersey.
LEONA DAVIS
Have you ever wondered what happens to those beautiful and expensive floral arrangements gracing the tables at weddings and special events after the event ends? Sadly, many of these florals end up discarded—but these gorgeous florals can be given a second life. Forget Me Knot Flowers gives couples getting married a unique and lovely option of donating their florals so that they can be restyled and repurposed into small bedside bouquets. This allows them to spread love and light to those needing an emotional boost—a very special act of kindness.
Started in 2016, Davis and her husband Tommy created small bouquets with their daughter’s once-used wedding flowers and took them to residents of a nursing home for those to enjoy. Upon receiving small bouquets of flowers, the faces of the residents lit up and conversations were started about receiving flowers throughout their lives, the gardens they enjoyed and how these beautiful flowers made them feel.
Today, Davis and her 80-plus volunteers have given a second life to beautiful florals from thousands of weddings. High school students, athletic teams, scouts, book and garden clubs are also part of the giving back in volunteering to create lovely bedside bouquets to improve the mental and emotional well-being of those lonely, ill or in difficult situations.
RENEE ZALLIE
Zallie founded the Zallie Community Foundation in 2022 to address the growing problems of food and nutrition insecurity in the South Jersey area and the need for nutrition education. With her background in public health and nutrition, Zallie is passionate about fostering health and well-being, and being a vital community partner in hunger relief. The foundation has provided financial grants to local organizations such as Cathedral Kitchen, Christian Caring Center, Urban Promise, the Ronald McDonald House Southern New Jersey, the Knights of Columbus and more.
Recently, the foundation awarded $200,000 in grants to local nonprofits as part of a special grant opportunity to celebrate Zallie Family Markets’ 50th Anniversary. Those grants will fund initiatives that will improve the lives of thousands.
As part of her community outreach, Zallie serves as secretary for the Medford Education Foundation and has developed community-based health education programs for schools and local senior centers. Every month, Zallie and her team operate a mobile food pantry in Shamong with the Food Bank of South Jersey. They host volunteer efforts to bring comfort to cancer patients, sandwiches to the homeless and personal care items to women in domestic violence safe homes.
For the past nine years, Zallie has led the Stamp Out Hunger 5K which raised $250,000 for hunger; a golf tournament is planned for the spring to add to the foundation’s fundraising efforts.
“The problem of hunger in this country is unacceptable and I want to do what I can to be part of the solution,” she says.
CARIN BERKOWITZ
As executive director of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH), Berkowitz is dedicated to supporting New Jersey organizations that use history, literacy and other cultural disciplines to strengthen democracy, provide for an informed citizenry and amplify the voices that have traditionally been underrepresented in our country’s dominant narratives.
Under her leadership, NJCH has disbursed millions of dollars in grants to support a wide range of projects, from community history archives and permanent museum exhibits to films that document the Garden State’s rich cultural heritage on public television.
Berkowitz is a passionate advocate for the humanities and sees them as key to building a more just and equitable society.
She helped guide the humanities sector through the COVID-19 crisis, overseeing the statewide allocation of federal emergency grants and program support. She has also placed an increased focus on diversifying the humanities at all levels, working to strengthen the pipeline of humanities leaders from diverse backgrounds and bringing humanities programming to underrepresented sectors and areas of the state.
In addition to her work with NJCH, Dr. Berkowitz served as an elected member of the Nominating Committee of the 11,000-member American Historical Association (AHA), and co-chaired for the AHA 2023 annual meeting in Philadelphia. She has also been on the elected governing Council of the History of Science Society and is a current member of the board of trustees of ArtPride.
KELLY MASTER
Master is a motivational speaker and author who captivates the audience with her unmatched passion, unrivaled joy and bold, fearless stories igniting faith. She is a powerhouse who inspires listeners to lift their vision higher and discover their passion, purpose and potential. Master has authored two books, SHINE-Uplifting Words for Girls in Stilettos and Fierce & Free - Ignite Your Potential.
Master is also the founder and executive director of For Dignity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping exploited, addicted and incarcerated women rise from cycles of defeat. Through transformational workshops, resources and mentorship, she empowers women in nationwide prisons, jails, strip clubs and recovery homes with a message of hope and freedom.
Master has been recognized in global and national media for her advocacy work against human trafficking and child exploitation. The City Council of Camden and The South Jersey Psychological Association have both honored Master and her nonprofit with prestigious awards for her tireless efforts and initiatives to save victims of human trafficking and to educate the community.
ANGELINA CARIONE
As a Stage IV breast cancer patient and advocate, Carione believes the best medicine is to live life and to be grateful for every day.
Even before her diagnosis, Carione was an advocate for others. She served as a proud public school teacher for 11 years, advocating for student and teacher rights as vice president of the Buena Regional Education Association. Now she works for the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) as its external partnership coordinator, where she looks to partner with organizations who support students and educators.
In 2022, Carione organized her neighbors and worked to curb speeding in her neighborhood. She spent time collaborating with township officials to advocate for, and eventually install, a speed hump for safety. Currently, Carione sits on the Moorestown Economic Development Advisory Council (EDAC) working to bring new businesses and events to Moorestown—always with the idea of putting the community first.
After first being diagnosed with stage III breast cancer in 2018 and then re-diagnosed stage IV in 2021, Carione turned her advocacy focus to helping fund breast cancer organizations that help patients and their families. She helped one foundation receive a $100,000 grant and most recently connected with Spring Williams and Inspiring Life Together to raise awareness and funds to help moms like herself affected by this awful disease.
Carione loves connecting people, bringing them together for a common cause, advocating for those who need help and raising breast cancer awareness. She believes supporting one another is the best way to lift each other up.
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Published and copyrighted in South Jersey Magazine, Volume 20, Issue 7 (October 2023)
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