Our Team

Mr. Beard holds a B.A. in English from Bowdoin College and an MPA from the City College of New York. Prior to joining NJ LEEP, he has acquired extensive program management experience at various education nonprofits, specifically working with underserved communities. Mr. Beard is passionate about educational equity and creating sustainable programmatic infrastructure to support students’ educational and professional goals.

Email: pbeard@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-868-1197

Ms. Dismukes graduated from Kean University where she earned her B.A in English. After graduation she decided she wanted to do work that would give back to her community, and serve students and families from Newark. She started her work in school operations for a public/charter school which solidified her passion for equity in education. After working in a school environment for 5 years, she discovered NJ LEEP and an opportunity to make an impact for students and families in a different way. She is excited to be a part of the amazing opportunities NJ LEEP offers to its students and to continue her work in Newark.

Email: bdismukes@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-951-0920

Ms. Dopazo holds a BA in Psychology from New Jersey City University and has close to 20 years experience working in the Social Services, Educational, and Criminal Justice field. She has served a wide range of different age groups throughout her career to provide multiple services that varied from case management, educational, crisis management, career development, and post secondary education. She has had experience working with youth and families in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. As a first generation college student herself, she is excited to join NJ LEEP to help our youth reach their goals for success.

Email: adopazo@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 862-390-1199

Mr. Feinstein has been involved with NJ LEEP from its inception and became Executive Director in 2014. He holds a B.A. from The University of Maryland at College Park and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he was a Chancellor Scholar and a member of the Legislative Journal. He is also a graduate of the Rutgers Business School Institute for Ethical Leadership, Nonprofit Executive and Emerging Leader, and Executive Fellows Certificate Programs. He has also completed coursework in non-profit management at Harvard Business School.

Email: mfeinstein@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-494-6541

Ms. Geraghty served as a Jesuit Volunteer Corps member with NJ LEEP in 2012 and we are thrilled to have welcomed her back to NJ LEEP! She has a B.A. in Psychology from The College of the Holy Cross and an M.Ed. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Email: mgeraghty@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-508-2488

Ms. Howard-Noveck holds a B.A. in economics from Princeton University. Prior to joining NJ LEEP, she spent a decade at an economics research lab at Harvard University, where she managed the lab’s portfolio of education projects, partnering with urban school districts across the country. Before that, Ms. Howard-Noveck began her career teaching high school math in Newark. She is passionate about educational equity and is thrilled to be back in NJ and have the opportunity to support the amazing people and programming at NJ LEEP.

Email: mhowardnoveck@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-715-7615

Ms. Jenkins holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health from Southern New Hampshire University. Her passion for closing the achievement gap, ending the school-to-prison pipeline, and empowering youth through education is fueled by over 4 years of experience driving operational excellence in non-profit organizations. She is excited to intertwine her skills and passion for education to make a difference at NJ LEEP.

Email: ljenkins@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-951-5099

Ms. Marte holds a B.A. in History with a minor in Russian Studies from Bryn Mawr College and a M.A.T from Relay Graduate School of Education. Ms. Marte went into the education sector to serve her hometown of Newark, NJ and has done so for the last 7 years. She has served in various roles while working in education, including a grade level liaison, a curriculum writer, and a department chair. Her primary role was as a Spanish teacher in various schools in Newark, including KIPP and Uncommon Schools. Ms. Marte believes in the transformative power of a great education, with the understanding that you learn inside and outside of the classroom.

Email: kmarte@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 862-240-3258

Ms. Oluwadare is a first-generation immigrant and first-generation college student who grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her passion for college access comes from being an Upward Bound and Educational Opportunity Fund Program alumna. Prior to joining NJ LEEP, Ms. Oluwadare served as the Founding Associate Dean for Student Support and Inclusive Communities for the Honors College of Rutgers-New Brunswick.

Email:ioluwadare@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-856-5830

Ms. Park holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Law, Justice, and Society from Drew University. Within the discipline of Political Science, she has researched topics from the political participation of second-generation immigrants to the democratization of South Korea using both quantitative and qualitative data. As a first-generation college graduate, she is excited to contribute to NJ LEEP through a data lens and help the team work towards equitable access to education and other resources.

Email: jpark@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-715-4782

Ms. Rahman is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey, where she received a B.A. in English. She is also a graduate of NJ LEEP’s Class of 2012. During her summer breaks from college, she interned at NJ LEEP in different capacities in order to learn more about non-profits. She is now NJ LEEP’s full-time Operations and Program Manager, and she is thankful for the opportunity to work at and give back to an amazing program that has helped her with her social and professional development.

Email: rrahman@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-715-7492

Ms. Romero graduated from Amherst College in 2019 with a B.A. in Latinx and Latin American Studies and Psychology with honors. As a Colombian immigrant, she is passionate about the intersections between ethnicity, mental health, and social inequities. After graduation, she relocated from Florida to New Jersey to work as a Care Manager supporting youth in Hudson County experiencing mental health crises. Ms. Romero is excited to join NJ LEEP to grow the community and support students in achieving their goals.

Email: sromero@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-856-9950

Mr. Seijas holds a B.S. in Biology from Seton Hall University. Upon graduation he enrolled at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where he served as Co-Director of the Urban Health Initiative Clinic at Cooper University Hospital and developed programming that helped to address the unmet healthcare needs of the local community. He went on to pursue his interest in community programming at the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America where he served as Regional Education and Support Manager for the Greater New York area. A lifelong resident of Newark, he is committed to building bridges in the community and dedicated to providing the students and families of NJ LEEP with the tools and resources they need to thrive and succeed.

Email: sseijas@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-699-6579

Ms. Sherpa holds a B.A. in International Studies and Global Environmental Change with a minor in Food Studies from Middlebury College. Similar to NJ LEEP, Ms. Sherpa is an alum of a college access program. As a first gen graduate herself, she is excited to support other first-generation students with their academic and professional goals, especially their transition from high school to college. She is looking forward to be part of the NJ LEEP team and the growing community of all the incredible professionals and to-be professionals within the organization!

Email: tsherpa@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-634-0645

Ms. Tomljanovich holds a B.A. in Economics from Connecticut College and a MPP with a concentration in community development from SUNY Albany, Rockefeller College, as well as a certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University. She brings with her vast experience in the nonprofit sector including work in development, strategic planning, programming and communications, arts, environmental preservation, community/economic development, civic engagement and higher education. She most recently spent 9 years at Princeton AlumniCorps where she completed her tenure there as Executive Director. Ms. Tomljanovich is delighted to join the team at NJ LEEP and excited to support the programs that help students learn, grow and reach their full potential.

Email: ctomljanovich@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 862-390-1283

Mr. Torres earned a B.A. in Political Science and Gender Studies from Drew University, graduating with specialized honors as a first-generation student. His academic focus included race neutrality in the law, the prison-industrial complex, and racial capitalism, culminating in a thesis on Latina reproductive injustice and the impact of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. As an NJ LEEP alumnus from the class of 2020, he is thrilled to return and continue serving his community.

Email: etorres@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-856-2901

Ms. Travers holds a B.A. from Oberlin College, where she majored in History, minored in Politics and Law & Society, competed in varsity athletics, and was on The Oberlin Review’s editorial board. She has experience working in the field of educational test assessments, and she also holds a J.D. from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, where she was a Dorothy Day Pro Bono Award Recipient and a member of the Clinic for Asylum, Refugee, and Emigrant Services (“CARES”). Ms. Travers is looking forward to helping students reach their potential and fulfill their educational aspirations.

Email: atravers@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-274-5488

Ms. Vargas holds a B.A. in political science and was an education studies scholar at Yale University. She is passionate about educational equity and working with students to find and define their own passions and goals. Ms. Vargas has worked closely with students in New York and Connecticut across a variety of different grade levels for many years. She is excited to be joining the NJ LEEP team and continue supporting students in achieving their academic and professional goals.

Email: mvargas@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-943-5501

Ms. Wright holds a BA in Human Services from George Washington University and an MA in Counseling from Montclair State University. She has over 10 years experience working with elementary and middle school students in both formal and informal education contexts, most recently as a school counselor. Ms. Wright loves working with middle school students and is excited to see the Middle School Program grow!

Email: ewright@njleep.org

Cell Phone: 973-985-2083