Meet the Board
Theresa Leak Deaver
FOUNDER/PRESIDENTTheresa Leak Deaver is a former Sr. Administrative Assistant to a Vice Presidentat Johnson & Johnson. She is an author, life coach and motivational speaker where her message is geared around hope.
Theresa has a certification in Domestic Violence Awareness Trainingand she has a passion to reduce and/or prevent Domestic Violence, Teen Dating Violence and Bullying through Education and Awareness.
Steven E. Deaver
Board MemberSteven Excel holds a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in History Education; he has earned both a M.A. in Behavioral Science specializing in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and M. Ed, Education Administration.
Professionally, he is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of New Jersey and adjunct professor at Essex County College & Certified Professional Life Coach. He is also the author of the Just Worship series.
Kimo Thomas-Dennis
Board MemberKimo Thomas-Dennis is a highly accomplished strategic business transformation leader, and community advocate with more than 15 years of experience building and leading complex programs and organizational change within Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 healthcare companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Novo Nordisk. She currently serves as a Senior Program Manager at Johnson & Johnson. Kimo holds degrees from Rutgers University and Keller Graduate School of Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and PROSCI Change Management Practitioner. She is a member of the BCIT/BCSSSD Board of Education. She currently serves on the Burlington County Women's Advisory Council, is a Board Member of Women, Words, and Wisdom. Kimo is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Troy Long
Board MemberTroy Long is a 22-year educator, Director of Career and Technical Education, and the current President of CTEANJ. Throughout his career, he has served as a teacher, supervisor, vice principal, program developer, and CTE director, collaborating with the New Jersey Department of Education, workforce development agencies, higher education institutions, and industry partners to design innovative career pathways that align education with workforce needs. He is the author of The CTE Experience: The Hook Urban Education Needs, which explores how Career and Technical Education bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world application through authentic, hands-on experiences. As the founder of the LEAD Education Summit, Troy is dedicated to advancing educational equity, expanding access to high-quality and non-traditional career pathways, and building partnerships that equip students with the skills, credentials, and experiences needed to thrive in college, careers, and life.
Steven Mintz
Board MemberJournalist Steven Mintz has written articles on a wide variety of business topics, including investment, corporate finance, banking and marketing, in addition to stories about children’s museums, broadwaytheater and popular culture. He has written or collaborated with other authors on multiple books including Five Eminent Contrarians; Beyond Wall Street, The art of investing; and Megathreats,Ten dangerous trends that imperil our future. He is the founder of highschoolNGOconnect.org, a nonprofit that introduces high school students to leaders of global humanitarian organizations.
Nathan Barton
Board MemberNathan Barton is a dedicated community leader who helps mission-driven organizations make a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and families. Drawing on his operations management experience, he brings a distinctive blend of thoughtful insight, team-oriented collaboration, and a strong commitment to service that adds clear value to every organization he serves. This Fordham graduate is especially passionate about serving families affected by domestic violence. His work is guided by a sincere belief that every person deserves safety, dignity, independence, and hope, and he brings that conviction to his service in a purposeful and impactful way. He supports this mission by helping organizations serve families with compassion and steadiness. Nathan enjoys spending time in the garden and staying involved in efforts that help his community flourish.