Darrell Edmonds, MS

BOARD CHAIR

Darrell Edmonds began his professional career with S.O.D.A.T. (Services to Overcome Drug Abuse Among Teens) of New Jersey, Inc. shortly after graduating from The University of Delaware with a B.A. in History. At  S.O.D.A.T., Darrell was the Program Manager of the TLC Teen Center where he developed programming for teens including anger management, goal setting, and documentary filmmaking.

In 2003, he returned to the Atlantic City area to work for AtlantiCare Behavioral Health with the Atlantic City Family Centers. At the Family Center he quickly rose to the position of lead case manager and, later, program coordinator for the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program. In 2006, he received a Master of Science in Non-Profit Management from Eastern University. In the same year, Darrell was promoted to Director of the Oakcrest Teen Center. In 2009, he was recognized by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce as one of the Top 40 young professionals under the age of 40 (Top 40 under 40). In 2011, he was named Man of the Year by Phi Delta Kappa Sorority. In the same year, he was named Omega Man of the Year by the Upsilon Alpha chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. In 2013, Darrell was part of the planning committee for the first-ever New Jersey Celebration of Fatherhood event, as well as a partner with President Obama’s Fatherhood Buzz initiative.

In 2013, Darrell founded the non-profit organization Friday Is Tie Day, Inc., so called because it encourages young men to wear ties to school on Fridays. The organization's mission is to build men through male youth mentoring and responsible fatherhood. Friday Is Tie Day is responsible for starting the area’s first chapter of the All Pro Dad dad’s day breakfast, a national program endorsed by Tony Dungy, former coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts, and a well-known author. Over the first year, the group grew from eight teens at one high school to over 50 teens at five high schools. They meet monthly for goal setting, college awareness and leadership development lessons. The group has made college visits to West Chester University, Temple University, Rutgers University and the University of Delaware. The teens have participated in projects for Hope For Liberia and a suit drive for their 2014 MLK Day Community Service Project.

In June 2014, Darrell was awarded the prestigious Starting Bloc Fellowship for social innovation. Starting Bloc brings together entrepreneurs, activists, educators and innovators working to create change. In August 2014, Darrell was selected to attend the International Young Leaders Assembly at the UN with change-makers from around the globe.

Kortney Swanson Davis, Esq. 

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Attorney Kortney Swanson Davis, a scholar, leader and activist, has worked collaboratively over the past several years to promote the well being of children, families and communities.

Kortney received her JD from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School and her BBA with a concentration in finance from Howard University. Her guiding principles include the beliefs that every person has the inherent capacity to learn, and that the learning environment must set the stage for fostering growth and productivity in all students.

She chose a career path in the legal field so that she would have a direct impact on ensuring that all persons are uniquely valued regardless of preparation, background, opportunity, financial viability and cultural differences. When not practicing law, she volunteers her time as a tutor and mentor to children, along with acting as a guardian ad litem.

Kortney currently resides in South Jersey with her husband and daughter. She spends her free time volunteering and traveling.

Janelle Alexander, Ph.D.

SECRETARY

Dr. Janelle Alexander is the Director of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging (DIEB) for the Washington Township Public School District. Within this role, she provides vision and leadership in promoting an inclusive culture that values and supports diversity. Overseeing the implementation of the District’s overall goals and working closely with the District’s senior leadership team, faculty, staff, students and the entire community, she develops and facilitates strategies, decision-making, priority-setting and actions necessary to ensure all students at all levels receive what they need to be successful.

A 2001 graduate of Rowan University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in special education, Dr. Alexander earned her master’s degree in administrative science at Farleigh Dickinson University in 2005 and completed her Ph.D. in education with an emphasis on access, success and equity at Rowan University in 2020. She holds New Jersey certifications in K-12 special education and K-6 elementary education, administrative science certifications in global leadership and human resources and a New Jersey principal certification.

Dr. Alexander spent nine years (2002-2011) as a special education teacher in the Deptford Township School District, before serving as the founder (2010-2011) and principal (2011-2013) at The Kingdom Charter School of Leadership, the first charter elementary school in Gloucester Township. In this capacity, Dr. Alexander developed all aspects of the school’s educational program and curricula, achievement and cultural efforts, human resources hiring procedures and protocols, and schoolwide policies, including behavioral and disciplinary procedures and HIB policies. She successfully secured more than $1 million in grants that helped launch the school’s opening. Dr. Alexander then served as the PK-8 Special Services and Curricula Program Administrator for The Woodlynne School District (2013-2015), where she provided leadership and vision, implementation and evaluation of the curricula and instructional programs.

Dr. Alexander was recruited into higher education with a return to her alma mater in 2015, first as an adjunct faculty member of the Rowan University College of Education (2015) and then as the Assistant Director of Equity, Access and Strategic Enrollment Management (2016-2021). In this capacity, she was tasked with measuring and tracking the results and impact of Rowan’s equity and access initiatives for prospective and incoming students. She served as the primary liaison for strategic enrollment management to enhance the University’s diversity and formulated and implemented strategies to identify and recruit minoritized students, students who identify as LGBTQA, first-generation college students and students from vulnerable socio-economic households.

John Mulhorn, MEd

John Mulhorn grew up surrounded by educators. This inspiring environment led him to pursue a career in teaching of his own for over 25 years. He has served as a special education teacher, coach, vice principal and principal for the Salem City Board of Education since 1997. John earned a dual degree in Business Administration and Finance from the University of South Carolina. After college, John joined his father in the operation of their family business. Within a couple of years, he initially decided to pursue a career in the business side of education—he qualified for his license as a School Business Administrator.

After receiving his teaching certificate, he began teaching and working with high school students for the Salem County Special Services School District. Continuing his education, John earned his Master’s Degree in Leadership from Wilmington University and went from the classroom to administration. John is a professional member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA), and The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

John has been a resident of Salem County for most of his life. He bought his first home with his wife, Tatiana, in Salem City, where he raised his family before moving to Elsinboro. John’s eldest two children are proud graduates of Salem High School, and his younger two children will be future proud graduates.

Michael R. Gorman, Ed.D.

Dr. Michael R. Gorman has devoted his career to the field of education and has held a variety of leadership roles in many New Jersey schools. Mike is currently the eighth president of Salem Community College. At Salem Community College, he has worked to improve and expand programs and partnerships. He’s known as “the face of the College” in the greater community, spreading the message that SCC is an affordable, quality and empowering educational opportunity. 

Before his current role, Mike served as superintendent of the Pemberton Township Schools in Burlington County, New Jersey, for eight years. His legacy entails boosting enrollment through unique school programs with local military communities. He also opened the Pemberton Early Childhood Center in 2011, now serving more than 600 students. In 2014, he was honored as the Superintendent of the Year for Burlington County and Central New Jersey.

Mike was also superintendent of Glassboro Public Schools (2002-2007) and deputy superintendent of schools at Salem County Vocational Technical Schools (2000-2002). While at SCVTS, he fostered an alignment with Salem Community College through the College Acceleration Program, facilitating several students obtaining an associate degree in tandem with their high school diplomas. Mike started his administrative career as an assistant principal for four years at Woodstown High School and the principal of Pennsville Memorial High School for 15 years. 

Mike supports several initiatives in Salem County, including the Business Education Committee and the Economic Development Council. He serves on the boards of the Salem County Vocational-Technical Schools’ Educational Foundation, Stand Up for Salem, Salem Medical Center and the Salem County Chamber of Commerce. He was the chair of the Chamber’s board until December 2019. He is also president of the Rotary Club of Penns Grove.  

Mike was honored with the 2017 Salem County Vo-tech Educational Foundation Leadership Award. The $25,000 raised that evening created a scholarship in his name. The first Michael R. Gorman Scholarship was presented in June 2017 at the Vo-Tech’s honors ceremony. 

He holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Widener University, a Master of Education degree from Temple University, a bachelor’s degree from Widener, and an associate degree from Burlington County College. 

Melissa Litwin, MBA 

Melissa Litwin is the Early Childhood Program Director at The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, where she works in partnership with trustees to manage a portfolio of grants in support of positive outcomes for children. The overarching funding goal is for children to read at grade level by the time they finish third grade. Literacy is both a necessity for school success and a benchmark of wellbeing, thus grant projects include everything from healthy pregnancy to quality childcare access to family support. Grants are made in Bergen and Passaic Counties and focus on areas of concentrated poverty, including Paterson. The Foundation’s long-held interests are in strengthening community, enhancing education, and supporting health research. 

Melissa has worked as a Senior Consultant at The Whelan Group in New York City, where she provided strategic, business and fundraising expertise to nonprofits in the arts, education and human services. She has experience in museum management and operations in settings ranging from Pacific Science Center in Seattle to Artists Space in Manhattan. 

Melissa received her undergraduate education from the University of Washington, where she graduated cum laude with an honors B.A. in English and a B.S. in Psychology. She holds a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.