CNJG’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering

Content

ABOUT

Event Type:

WORKSHOP

New Jersey Principles for Philanthropy

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 10:00am to 11:30am

The Annual Meeting includes a workshop that will explore the New Jersey Principles for Philanthropy. An overview of the Principles will be presented along with a panel of fellow CNJG members to talk about how they are already using the Principles within their organization. There will be time to discuss how you can leverage the New Jersey Principles for Philanthropy to make changes within your organization.

Panelists

Jasmyne Beckford
Program Manager, Prudential Financial

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Jasmyne Beckford is a program manager in Inclusive Solutions at Prudential, where she has been driving inclusive economic growth in Newark since May 2022. She manages strategic partnerships in education, workforce development, asset building, and HBCU’s within the Inclusive Communities philanthropic portfolio. Previously, she developed workforce programs at William Paterson University and worked with the Newark Workforce Development Board and the Mayor’s Office of Employment and Training. Jasmyne holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Maryland at College Park, a master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University, and serves on the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers Board.

Sharif Braxton
Community Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

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Sharif Braxton joined Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) as a Community Officer in the New Jersey Department in February 2023. His work at RWJF seeks to enhance organizational ways of working with local communities and enhance the Foundation’s understanding of and focus on complex regional challenges in our home state. Sharif has a decade of experience in public health and health systems work within the academic, government and non-profit space. Prior to joining the Foundation, Sharif was a Program Manager at the Camden Coalition on a project which set out to improve connections to community-based mental health services for clients visiting Emergency Departments in Camden and the surrounding area. Previously, Sharif served as Executive Director of Medina Community Clinic, a small local nonprofit headquartered in Trenton, NJ. Medina Community Clinic provides specialty health care services to uninsured and underinsured members of Mercer County, free of charge.

Jeremy Grunin
President, The Grunin Foundation

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For over 10 years, Jeremy has been actively engaged throughout the community as President of the Grunin Foundation, a relational grantmaker focused on providing holistic support through funding, capacity building, and coalition building, to organizations who have a shared vision of an equitable, just, and vibrant Central Jersey Shore. Jeremy is also a Partner of Grunin Holdings, LLC., a New Jersey Partnership specializing in investing in third party commercial ventures. Prior to that, Jeremy was a leader in the private sector for over 15 years, where he led teams of over a thousand employees responsible for over $500 million in revenue.

Sharnita Johnson
VP of Strategy Impact & Communication, Victoria Foundation

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Sharnita C. Johnson is the first Vice President of Strategy, Impact, and Communication at the Victoria Foundation, overseeing program activities and ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s goals on equity and justice. She leads grantmaking, success measures, and communications as the Foundation transitions to community-centered work.
A Detroit native with over 20 years of nonprofit experience, Sharnita has secured millions in funding for community initiatives. She previously served as Arts Program Director at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, where she focused on arts, equity, and creative placemaking. Sharnita also co-chairs the New Jersey Arts and Cultural Recovery Fund and ABFE’s $25 million fundraising campaign to strengthen Black-led infrastructure for social change. ABFE is a national philanthropic serving organization that advocates for responsive and transformative investments in Black communities.
Sharnita has held senior roles at several foundations and is active on multiple boards, including Grantmakers in the Arts. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a bachelor’s from Marygrove College.

Moderator

Catherine Wilson
President & CEO, United Way of Greater Newark

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Prior to becoming the President and CEO, Catherine spent 5 years designing, implementing and evaluating programs as the Program Design and Evaluation Specialist and Senior Director of Community Impact. Prior to joining United Way, Catherine spent eight years in the child welfare field, first working for what was then the Division of Youth and Family Services and the Essex County Court Appointed Special Advocates. There she advocated for children and youth in the child welfare system and designed the first CASA mentoring program for youth aging out of foster care. Catherine holds a B.A. in Communications from Rowan University and a master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. She also holds a certificate in Executive Leadership from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a certificate in Finance from Harvard Business School. Catherine lives in Newark.

LUNCHEON KEYNOTE