SOMA Living February 2024

COALITION ON RACE Last month, the board of trustees of the Community Coalition on Race welcomed three new members: Elizabeth Baker, Melanie Girton, and Darren Vengroff. They also elected Robert A. Marchman as the new chair, succeeding Kelly Quirk. The volunteer board is racially representative and includes ex officio representatives from South Orange and Maplewood. Its members lead the committees that do the critical work that drives the nonprofit’s mission forward.

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Baker, a director at SEIU Local 32BJ, previously served on the SOMSD Board of Education and has a background in civil rights law and public policy. Girton, an experienced corporate lawyer, specializes in strategic advisory work for organizations and nonprofit board operations. Vengroff, a computer scientist, has expertise in data engineering and volunteered on the Coalition’s demographic research committee. The organization is deeply appreciative of Quirk’s leadership during the COVID pandemic and her contributions to strategic development and fundraising. Marchman, a founding member and returning chair, will prioritize leading and engaging the community to take impactful action on diversity and racial integration.

Nancy Gagnier, Executive Director of the South Orange/ Maplewood Community Coalition on Race, develops pro-integrative strategies to support racial equity and inclusion.

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