Our Board

Jedd Ehrmann is a documentary and television editor who has lived in Jersey City for almost 20 years. A parent of two, he first heard of this amazing summer day camp called “Camp Liberty'' from another parent. That summer, he was introduced to the many ways in which Camp Liberty is more than just a summer camp. Jedd’s daughter came home full of light and excitement every afternoon and was visibly growing socially and emotionally.

 

After having watched both of his children enjoy Camp Liberty and make developmental gains every summer, Jedd began to learn more about the Educational Arts Team’s mission and their in-school literacy programs. He decided to get involved in the organization. Jedd first became a Board member and then the Treasurer because he believes strongly in the work that EAT is doing in the community. The devotion that the Educational Arts Team brings to the social-emotional learning and literacy of every child inspires Jedd and he is committed to supporting the organization in any way he can.

 

In the future, Jedd has high hopes for the Educational Arts Team. Now more than ever, children need programs like the many literacy and anti-bullying workshops offered by the Educational Arts Team. His hope is that every child in Jersey City will have access to these programs in school, after school, and over the summer.

As a proud Jersey City resident, Micheline first learned about the Educational Arts Team when her two children became campers at Camp Liberty. Subsequently, as both a parent and a publicly elected Trustee to the Jersey City Board of Education she learned more about the broader offerings of the Educational Arts Team, the impact that they had in schools and the community.  In 2018, Micheline was pleased to join the Educational Arts Team Board, aligning her passion for the arts, education, performance development, equity and inclusion with their mission and vision. 

 

Micheline is currently a Chief People Officer at DDB North America where she brings a record of success and expertise in business transformation, talent development, employee relations, talent acquisition, and supporting merger & acquisition activities. 

 

As a strategic, versatile, and business-focused global human resources leader Micheline has leveraged a wealth of experience of 20+ years to develop and deliver on operational HR strategies for organizations undergoing rapid growth and change. She is an influencer, thought leader, and change agent who applies expertise to complex business issues to develop innovative solutions. Micheline’s focus areas include strategic planning, change management, organizational needs assessments, and talent acquisition.

 

Prior to joining JP Morgan Chase, Micheline worked as Senior Management Consultant with Ernst & Young’s People Advisory Services, focusing on the human capital aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In addition to her HR and M&A work, Micheline spent more than 15 years focused as a HR Business Partner with companies like Experian and eBay. 

 

In the next five years Micheline looks to be a part of the governance of Educational Arts Team’s Board of Trustees, which will guide the Educational Arts Team through the ever changing needs of the educational landscape to support the programs which engage young people through meaningful learning experiences and innovative programs that foster the development of positive social interactions.

Shawn is an accountant, writer and entrepreneur specializing in the film and television industry. He joined the Educational Arts Team board in 2021 after many years as a Camp Liberty parent. Shawn was inspired by the organization’s dedication to children and the community and wanted to further its mission.

 

Shawn brings many years of budgeting and finance experience to the team. One of his strengths is his ability to demystify complex reports and data. His hope is to help the board continue to identify and implement financial best practices. 

Dr. Nico Victorino, a Jersey City native, started with the Educational Arts Team in 2005 as a Camp Liberty counselor while in training to be a teacher. Over the next couple of years, he held multiple positions with the Team outside of Camp Liberty, which include data analyst/intern and puppeteer. Nico attributes much of his past and current successes in his field with what he learned from his time at the Team. He believes wholeheartedly in the mission and work of the Educational Arts Team. 

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Since his time with the Team and Camp Liberty, Nico has held many positions in schools in Jersey City and New York City. Such roles include: classroom teacher, special education coordinator, assistant principal, middle school director, and currently serves his school community as a principal. He believes in the transformational power of education and strives to make a difference in the lives of all young people he encounters. Nico has earned degrees from St. Peter’s University, Teachers College, Columbia University, Baruch College, and most recently completed his doctorate from New York University. When not supporting his school or the Team, Nico is a marathoner and an aspiring children’s book author. He lives in New York with his husband, toddler, and cat.

As a lifelong Jersey City resident, dedicated parent, experienced educator, and child advocate, Jessenia Araujo brings a wealth of knowledge and commitment to the table. Having had the privilege of being one of the initial campers at Camp Liberty, subsequently raising three children who also benefited from the camp, and actively participating as a teacher partner in the classroom, she has gained valuable experience in educating young minds. 

 

Jessenia is currently an eighth-grade English Language Arts teacher at Mahatma Gandhi School, P.S. 23, with a remarkable 26-year tenure in education. Throughout her career, her dedication to children has remained her foremost priority. As a member of the board, Jessenia aspires to contribute her time, energy, and support to all facets of the organization, ensuring the betterment of our community and the lives of the children we serve. 

 

Beyond her professional career, Jessenia loves cooking, reading, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise. Her passion for music, stemming from years of dance school, has evolved into an appreciation for activities such as boxing and Zumba classes. She is genuinely excited about the prospect of serving on the board and is committed to utilizing her skills and experiences for the betterment of our community and the organization as a whole.

Tricia, a 20-year resident of Jersey City’s Bergen Lafayette neighborhood, has been “licking her chops” over Camp Liberty ever since she gave birth to her first child. Always hearing amazing things about the camp from her neighbors, she had wondered “‘how soon can I send them there?”  

 

After the first summer her children were campers, she was hooked! It was then that Tricia learned more about the Educational Arts Team’s other in-school literacy interventions and teacher training programs and the positive impact theEducational Arts Team had on the Jersey City community. 

 

With a background in Financial Services, Tricia is a Senior Loan Officer with Cardinal Financial. She originates residential mortgages by day and is a self-proclaimed “homeschool teacher” the other part of the day. 

 

As a four-time triathlete Tricia has a passion for staying fit and giving her children a good foundation for taking care of their health. She believes that if a person doesn’t have their health, they have nothing. At least that’s what her Dad used to say!

 

Tricia is an active member of the PTA board at Frank Conwell Public School #3. She is heavily involved in both the school community, as well as the neighborhood she lives in. 

She believes that it takes a whole community to raise children and is always trying to be a positive influence in all kids' lives. Tricia is also a member of several parent groups and even started her own, called the “Momtourage” in the Bergen Lafayette area.  Tricia loves everything that JC has to offer and considers herself a “lifer”. She often reminds her 2 children, ages 10 and 8, how lucky they are to live in such a diverse city. 

 

As a newly elected board member, she is excited to help the Educational Arts Team continue to grow and to support the vision and mission that they have. She brings an enthusiastic and fun attitude to the organization, for which she credits her kids.  She believes that the programs offered by the Educational Arts Team help bridge the gaps among Jersey City’s diverse communities and feels fortunate to have joined the Board at this time.

Suzanne Mack is a current board member who previously served on the Educational Arts Team's Board in the early 2000s. She is a nationally recognized urban planner with specialties in redevelopment. Suzanne has lived in Jersey City her whole life and has been engaged in many community activities. She was the longest-serving elected member on Jersey City’s Board of Education. Her interests on the Jersey City Board of Education were special needs students, facilities, early childhood, after school, and enrichment programs.

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Suzanne learned of Camp Liberty while at the Jersey City Board of Education. Educational Arts Team/Camp Liberty approached the Jersey City Board with exciting programs to enrich students' literacy.  She became interested in this unique place called Camp Liberty and saw firsthand the benefit of exposing diverse groups of children to art and theater. The social and emotional enrichment in these children's lives was all taking place in Hudson County's hidden gem, Camp Liberty. She joined the Board briefly during this time and coordinated several community partnerships that allowed more children to attend Camp Liberty. She remained an advisor to the EAT Board and coordinated on city, county, and state issues.   A parent of a grown son,  Dr. Kerry Magro Ed.d, an Autism advocate, Suzanne travels the world with him and helps parents maximize the potential that is in each child. In Hudson County, Educational Arts Team/Camp Liberty's programs maximize this potential in each child.

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Suzanne brings institutional knowledge gained working with the Team as a nonprofit for over twenty years. In the past, she helped advocate for space in Liberty State Park, theaters for the camp’s pool, expansion of swim services, and build-out of additional indoor space at the camp recently.

 

 As a member of the development committee, she hopes to become more involved with the Strategic Planning necessary for a non-profit organization to continue to thrive.

Educational Arts Team has been a beacon in Hudson County for over forty years. Suzanne believes it will remain a model into the future with a dedicated board, members who believe in the organization, and excellent leadership and staff to fulfill its mission in the schools and the community. In a rapidly changing world, it will be prepared to offer all children a path forward.

Scott works in data management sales, advising financial institutions on how to centralize and take control over their critical data assets.  He joined the Educational Arts Team board in 2016 after years of being a Camp parent. He has served on the development committee and took on the role of Board Secretary in early 2021.

 

Like many Jersey City parents, Scott and his wife Vivian learned of Camp Liberty even before their daughter Maya was old enough to attend the camp. The summer Maya turned six, she “reluctantly” went to her first day of camp saying, “What if I don’t like it ….?” Needless to say, after pick-up on the drive home, she could not stop talking about all the fun she had had and how she could not wait to go back. Camp Liberty has been a magical place for Jersey City’s and Hudson County’s kids and it was EAT’s commitment to Jersey City’s diverse youth and community that drew Scott to join the board.

 

Scott believes that the Educational Arts Team can play an important role in helping Jersey City youth of all cultural, ethnic-racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds grow up to be positive and productive residents of Hudson County and beyond. He enjoys working with the board and its members to help further the Team’s mission.  

Sidney Uderani is an Operations Management professional with experience that spans the nonprofit, higher education, international development and technology sectors. With a focus on back office infrastructure, Sidney has helped companies and organizations build processes and leverage systems for greater data efficiency and accuracy at scale.

 

Sidney first learned about Camp Liberty from families whose children would go off for the day to this amazing oasis in the city and come home tired and elated from a day of fun outdoors. When her own two children were old enough to attend, they too enjoyed the space and freedom camp offers. Learning more about the organization's year-round mission to promote literacy and learning through the arts, Sidney began working with the organization as a consultant to support strategic and succession planning. She joined the board in 2024.

 

Sidney feels a strong sense of hope and purpose as it relates to the future of Educational Arts Team and Camp Liberty. She is excited to support the organization as it deepens its roots in Jersey City, and takes its well-deserved place among the important youth-serving organizations in the city.