Lynette Sheard is the Director of the NJ Mental Health Players of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey, a community education program combining art and advocacy. Lynette is also a talented singer and performer in her own right.

Phyllis Beals, LCSW now retired, serves on many boards, including the Somerset County Mental Health Board, Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse and the Franklin Interfaith Council. She also leads the Franklin Township Stigma Free-Zone.

Laverne Williams is the Director of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey’s PEWS (Promoting Emotional Wellness & Spirituality) Program, serving NJ faith-based community mental health organizations for more than 22 years. She was honored by the NJ Governor’s Council with an Award for Fighting Stigma.

Byonce Tyus directs the AACT-NOW (African American Community Together NOW) Initiative at the New Jersey chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, serving African-American families affected by mental illness. AACT-NOW’s goals are to dispel misconceptions surrounding mental illness and to fight stigma.

June DePonte Sernak, EdD, is the Statewide Diversity Leadership Officer for the Center for Family Services, providing cultural competency leadership for Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services-funded agencies throughout New Jersey. She also serves as an Honorary Commander Emeritus for the Joint Base-McGuire-Dix Lakehurst; Board Chair, Alice Paul Institute; member of the Distinguished Alumni Board for Strayer University, where she was named the 2024 Alumni of the Year; and an Adjunct Professor for Wilmington University, teaching Ethics and Social Responsibility.

Robert Kley is Vice President and Chief Operation Officer of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey and a long-time supporter of the Stigma-Free Zone Initiative in New Jersey. He previously served as Chairman of the Board for Monarch Housing Associates and he received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science/History from Rutgers University.

Damon McDade is the Associate Director for Culture Connections at Family Connections. He works to eliminate disparities in the mental health status of people of diverse racial, ethnic and cultural groups.

Prior to joining Family Connections, Damon worked with Eva’s Village, Amgen, Baxter International, the Chicago Bears and the National Basketball Association. Outside of work, Damon is a servant leader active with the Girl Scouts Northern New Jersey, March of Dimes, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Boys & Girls Club, NAACP and his church. Damon graduated from Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Development.

Victor Ukwu is Medical Director, Occupational Health and Wellness at St. Joseph’s Hospital and a community leader and founder/director of The ManKave, a mental health outreach program, fighting stigma and bringing men of color to needed treatment.

Reverend Richard Paterson is a pastor skilled in counseling, helping congregants with immigration and substance abuse issues. He was a public-school teacher and served at Catholic Community Services. He also co-founded the Inter-Religious Fellowship of Hudson County.

The Most Reverend Dr. Elliot Cruz (Hudson County) is a board-certified Clinical Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor at Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center, North Bergen. He has created spirituality groups for patients with mental Illness and chemical addiction in both psychiatric and detox units.

Jennifer Hughes, LCSW, is the Chief of Staff at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of NJ (NAMI NJ). She has been with NAMI NJ since 2019 and has worked in the social work field for nine years. Jennifer completed her Master of Science degree in Social Work at Columbia University in 2015. Prior to NAMI NJ, Jennifer worked as a Mental Health Clinician and Program Manager at the School Based Youth Services Program in New Brunswick, NJ. In this role, she provided individual and group therapy to youth in grades K through 12. Also, from 2020 to 2023, during the peak of COVID and social isolation, Jennifer provided telehealth counseling services to children, couples and adults in a private practice setting.

Jennifer is passionate about providing education and support to all individuals and families across the lifespan who are affected by mental illness. She develops, implements and expands programs based on the needs of everyone in the community. She oversees NAMI NJ’s affiliate development, volunteer and intern programs, and plans statewide educational and fundraising events for the organization. She also collaborates with community partners across New Jersey to increase awareness of mental illness.

Jennifer is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children, ages 4 and 2, who wake her up at the crack of dawn and keep her energized. Jennifer loves spending time with her family and friends, playing board games, going to the beach, and traveling when she can.

Reverend Sarah Anthony is the Senior Pastor of Grace Gospel Church in Paterson, New Jersey. She serves on many boards, including the Passaic County Habitat for Humanity and the Servants Heart Advisory Board, and she serves as Chairwoman for the William H. Butler Help Center Board. She started her career by serving for more than 15 years in outreach at the By His Grace Outreach Ministry, which serves the unhoused population in New Jersey.

Shauna Moses is the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies’ (NJAMHAA’s) Vice President of Public Affairs and Member Services. She also uses her writing skills to support the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma, and she serves on the Board of Trustees of Attitudes In Reverse^®, which provides mental health and suicide prevention education. Shauna earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey).

Cynthia Chazen is the Coordinator of Community Outreach and Partnerships for the New Jersey Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma. She represents the Council at community and other events in order to help end the stigma of mental illness. Cynthia created The Stigma Free Zone News of NJ; wrote the mental health blog for six years as a volunteer; and grew its reach to more than 12,000 New Jersey mental health and addiction professionals. She received the Heroes Award from T. Ouida Children's Foundation and the Leadership in Advocacy Award from the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies for this work, and was honored by the Council in 2023 with a Stigma-Free Ambassador Award.