Brother to Brother Mentoring Program
Men on a Mission
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OUR BOARD
Our Board
The board acts as a trustee of the organization's assets and ensures that the nonprofit is well managed and remains fiscally sound. In doing so, the board must exercise proper oversight of the organization's operations and maintain the legal and ethical accountability of its staff and volunteers. Board members oversee the management of an organization: a) strengthen the program, B) strategic planning, translating the mission into action, c) legal and fiduciary responsibilities, i.e., plan for fundraising, set budget, review and monitor finances, d) hiring chief executive, and e) are the public face of the organization in outreach, advocacy, and visibility.
Are you interested in becoming a member of our board?
We are looking for people who are: 1) committed to our mission, 2) strategic thinkers, 3) independent-minded, 4) transparent, acting with integrity, 5) able to find/sustain resources, 6) focused on results, and 7) committed to expanding the organization's circle of friends.
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If you see yourself in any of these roles, please feel free to reach out to our Board Vice President, James Gaither, at jwgaitherjr@gmail.com.
Lonnie Brandon
​Lonnie Brandon, a second-generation Montclair native, was educated in the Township public school system. At Montclair High School, he was active in student government and athletics. During his senior year he was named Captain of the football team. After high school, he matriculated at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York, where he earned his B.A. degree in History with a concentration in African American studies. He played football for four years at Wagner and was a founder of “Black Concern,” a student activist organization of which he served as president for two years.
He began his career with the Township of Montclair as an Activities Director in the Department of Parks and Recreation in December, 1973. In 1980, he was promoted to Superintendent of Parks Services and for the next 12 years he oversaw the daily maintenance of the 175-acre park system as well as the development and implementation of capital improvements. In 1990, in addition to his duties as Parks Superintendent, Lonnie assumed responsibility for the maintenance of Montclair’s urban forest, which consisted of over 30,000 shade trees.
In 1992, Lonnie was promoted to Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, becoming the first African-American department head in the Township of Montclair. Under his leadership, Montclair PRCA developed one of the most comprehensive leisure service programs in the State of New Jersey. In addition to traditional recreation programs, the department introduced innovative initiatives such as: the African American Heritage Parade & Festival; First Night Montclair; Monday Night Jazz; the Rites of Passage program; the Jam and Jr. Jam dances for high school and middle school students; Terry’s Serendipity Café; expanded senior citizen programming, including social and fitness activities; and the ArtsWorks summer theater program for High School and College students.
Lonnie has served his community through participation on various boards including: the New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association, where he is a founding member of the Ethnic Minority Society; the Board of Trustees of the Montclair Child Development Center, Inc.; the Essex County Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame; the Urban Center for Public/Private Partnerships; the Jersey Knights AAU basketball program; the Board of Trustees of First Night Montclair; the Montclair Art Museum African American Cultural Committee; Montclair Brother to Brother Program and the Montclair African American Heritage Foundation.
In 2010, Brother to Brother, a youth mentoring organization, honored Lonnie as the first recipient of the Alonzo “Lonnie” Brandon Community Service Award, a prize which is to be presented annually to a deserving recipient for outstanding community service to the Township of Montclair.
Lonnie is married to Jacqueline R. Preston Brandon. They are the proud parents of Yolanda, Alonzo, III and Kendra Brandon; Forrest, Jewel and Wade Preston and the doting grandparents of Alonzo Kellen Brandon and Colin and Xavier Preston.
Gloria Brown
Gloria A. Brown joined Strategic Mentoring Inc. in 2013 as the Parent Committee Chair. Her responsibilities include acting as the liaison between the Brother to Brother Teen Mentoring program and the parents of the mentees, coordinating all volunteer efforts for Brother to Brother’s special events and disseminating all email correspondence to parents. Gloria also acts as an alternate to the Co Tenant Coordination Committee which oversees the activities at 11 Pine Street. Prior to joining the Strategic Mentoring Inc. Board of Directors, Gloria was the sole proprietor of Divine Inspirations Bookstore, a spiritual and inspirational bookstore, in Nutley, NJ for seven years before closing in 2012. She spent 25+ years in various supervisory and middle management positions at Western Electric, AT&T, and lastly Alcatel/Lucent Technologies before retiring. At the end of her career she was the Diversity Manager and Employee Advocate for an International business unit. Most recently she was elected as Treasurer to the Black Organization of Students Alumni Association at Rutgers University-Newark Campus. Currently, she is the Logistics Manager for GP Chemicals, Inc. and is the bookkeeper for JR Lewis Corp, her brother's trucking firm. Gloria has a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Montclair State University. She has a daughter, Nikita, and a grandson, D'Andre.
Jaymar Bugg
Jaymar Bugg is a physical science teacher of ten years at Montclair High School, instructing Chemistry, Physical Science, and Geophysical Science. He has been nominated and recognized as a winner of the Weston Award for Teaching Excellence. In addition to teaching and mentoring, he tutors students in chemistry and mathematics. Prior to teaching, he enjoyed a brief career as an environmental engineer.
Jaymar Bugg
Jaymar Bugg is a physical science teacher of ten years at Montclair High School, instructing Chemistry, Physical Science, and Geophysical Science. He has been nominated and recognized as a winner of the Weston Award for Teaching Excellence. In addition to teaching and mentoring, he tutors students in chemistry and mathematics. Prior to teaching, he enjoyed a brief career as an environmental engineer.
Jaymar Bugg
Jaymar Bugg is a physical science teacher of ten years at Montclair High School, instructing Chemistry, Physical Science, and Geophysical Science. He has been nominated and recognized as a winner of the Weston Award for Teaching Excellence. In addition to teaching and mentoring, he tutors students in chemistry and mathematics. Prior to teaching, he enjoyed a brief career as an environmental engineer.
James Gaither
James Gaither’s professional career has encompassed over 35 years of Package Engineering and Global Procurement work experience. It has included corporate, staff and plant support positions in both the Cosmetics, Institutional Products & Personal Care industries. He has “best practice” experiences within Global Supply Chain, Technology & Business Development units. James currently works for Conair Corporation in Stamford, Ct. as a Package Development Engineer / Purchasing Manager within their Liquids Division. Mr. Gaither received his B.S. in Package Engineering from Michigan State University.
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He is a member of the following professional organizations: Institute of Supply Management, Institute of Packaging Professionals, Cosmetic Industry Association and New Jersey Packaging Executives Club where he served on the advisory board. Mr. Gaither also serves on the Board of Directors at Nutley Abundant Life Worship Center and continues his interest in supporting the mentoring of young men through involvement with the N.A.L.W.C. Youth Ministry and Brother to Brother. Mr. Gaither has been involved with Brother to Brother since 2011.
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Mr. Gaither has been married to Susan Bryant-Gaither for 34 years and has 3 children, Anika(28), JB(25) & Chelsea(22). His personal motto, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?" Martin Luther King
Al Cook
Al Cook is a teacher, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who has been a Brother to Brother mentor going for eight years. Al’s purpose was and still is to instill in our young men a sense of pride and achievement in their lives. To help them not only become responsible, productive, worthy citizens, but leaders in their communities and towns. Al is a graduate of Bloomfield College where he received a B. A. degree in Social Developmental Psychology and a Master’s degree in Administrative Sciences from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Al is a retired General Motors employee and is presently working at Montclair High School as a part time teacher.
Al Cook
Al Cook is a teacher, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who has been a Brother to Brother mentor going for eight years. Al’s purpose was and still is to instill in our young men a sense of pride and achievement in their lives. To help them not only become responsible, productive, worthy citizens, but leaders in their communities and towns. Al is a graduate of Bloomfield College where he received a B. A. degree in Social Developmental Psychology and a Master’s degree in Administrative Sciences from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Al is a retired General Motors employee and is presently working at Montclair High School as a part time teacher.
Cynthia Page
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Cynthia Paige, MD, MBA is a Family Physician at Summit Medical Group in New Jersey. With over 20 years of academic experience at New Jersey Medical School and completion of a Faculty Development Fellowship at the UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MBA at the University of Tennessee, Dr Paige utilizes evidence-based approaches for clinical process improvement, clinical interventions and staff development.
Dr Paige has expertise in Lean Six Sigma interventions that improve service quality, clinical productivity, and quality metrics. She has demonstrated skill and success in population health coordination as Medical Director of a faculty practice, owner of a Family Medicine private practice, and clinical director within a physician-owned medical group of over 600 physicians.
Dr Paige is highly skilled in methods that grow organizations, improve patient/client satisfaction, reduce costs, and maximize the efforts of staff. She is a sought-after lecture in re-designing medical care and is adept at curriculum development for health care executives and employees.
Dr. Paige worked in academic medicine at Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School (formerly UMDNJ). Her roles included faculty practice Medical Director for Family Medicine, and course director for several courses. She then founded Cypress Health Institute of New Jersey in 2010, an integrative primary care practice in West Orange, New Jersey. In 2014, she joined Summit Medical group, a physician owned multi-specialty group with over 600 providers. Dr. Paige is a Family Medicine specialist and practitioner of acupuncture. She incorporates alternative therapies in her medical practice to better serve the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of her patients.
Since 2011, Dr. Paige has served in the role of president of the New Jersey Medical Association, the state chapter of the National Medical Association which addresses the unique interests of African-American physicians and patients. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Lafayette College, the National Medical Association, and the South End Gardens Senior Living Facility in Montclair, New Jersey.
Dr. Paige is the author of publications on stroke rehabilitation, and AIDS orphans, alternative medicine, and health maintenance. She has been featured on the Black Experience television program, The Tavis Smiley radio show, and has received awards from the Newark City Council, the YMCA, the National Council of Negro Women, the Student National Medical Association, and the American Association of Medical Colleges for her commitment to educational excellence and community service.
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Natalie L. Pitts
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Natalie L. Pitts – Joined the Board of Brother to Brother in 2012 and serves as its treasurer. Natalie has been employed with Samuel Klein and Company CPAs Newark, NJ upon her 1989 graduation from Rutgers University with a BS degree in Accounting. She is a NJ certified public accountant and her professional experience includes management and supervision of audits, reviews and compilations and tax preparation, planning and research. Natalie’s concentration is in all phases of operations, accounting and reporting for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Natalie is the proud mother of three young adults Jimmy, Cathy and Maya Pitts each who graduated from Montclair High School and went on to college. She is also the proud grandmother to Blake Pitts.
Hakim Sims
Hakim Sims is a retired Director of Police for the Orange Police Department and ascended to the rank of Captain with perseverance and honor. Hired as a police officer in January of 1990, Director Sims will tell you law enforcement’s methods and practices may have changed over the years, however numerous attributes including professionalism and honor remain etched in his spirit. Throughout Director Sims’ career he has been fortunate to have been an integral part of the learning process and cultivation of new police officers as well as fortifying skills of veteran police officers.
During his time with the Orange Police Department Director Sims has extended his care and concern for the City of Orange Township by serving as Vice President and President of the Orange Kinsmen/Kinswomen. This organization was established in 1974 by African-American police officers to address challenges and bridge gaps between the community and the police department. Today, Hakim continues to be a conduit for teaching and understanding in the community.
During his career Director Sims has held key positions with the Orange Police Department and with outside agencies. In the early part of his career he spent two years assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducting local as well as national and international drug cases and received an award for his service. He will tell you one of his proudest moments came as the Orange Police Department’s representative at the Essex County College Public Safety Academy. There he served as the Senior Training Advisor certified through the State of New Jersey Police Training Commission allowing him to oversee and guide the instruction of men and women pursuing a career in law enforcement. Director Sims has supervised and served as Commander in every division in the police department. His final uniformed command included the Patrol Division comprising almost two thirds of the police department and commander of the police departments Special Response Team (SRT). SRT is the department’s high risk tactical unit which specializes in hostage rescue, protection details, and high risk search and arrest warrants.
After graduating from Orange High School, Director Sims began his collegiate studies at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. After years of giving full attention to his family and career, he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with Fairleigh Dickinson University and is now pursuing a Master of Administrative Studies. Director Sims is a proud graduate of law enforcement’s most prestigious executive training school, The Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (FBINA) in Quantico, Virginia established in 1930. Director Sims is the second officer in the history of the Orange Police Department to attend and graduate this academy. He has also received certification and training through New Jersey Human Resource Development Institute in Supervisory and Public Management. He has also received certifications in Large Scale Incident Management and Incident Command System through the administrative levels. Director Sims is also a Stress Management Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Physical Fitness Instructor, Law Enforcement Hand to Hand Combat Instructor, and a self-defense instructor certified through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Air Marshall Service.
Director Sims is frequently involved in mentoring young men of all ages, preparing them for successes as well as challenges they may face in life. He is also a proud member of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Director Sims and his wife Angelina have been together over 25 years and have two wonderful adult daughters.
Roger S. Terry
Roger S. Terry, Sr. is a third-generation, lifelong Montclair resident. He excelled in athletics at Montclair High School, graduating in 1968 with varsity letters in football, baseball and track. He also played bass in the high school orchestra. After graduation, he attended Montclair State College, where he studied Criminal Justice.
In March 1973, Roger was appointed to the Montclair Police Department where he worked as a law enforcement officer for 35 years. He rose from Patrolman through the ranks to Deputy Chief, with oversight of over 110 sworn personnel and responsibility for the Investigative Division; including narcotics, forensics, and the Identification, Detective, and Juvenile Bureaus. He was also charged with Command oversight of the Office of Professional Standards and served as Departmental liaison for Police and Community Relations.
Upon his retirement in June 2008, Roger was elected to the Montclair Township Council in July 2008, serving as Deputy Mayor and Councilor-At-Large. As Deputy Mayor, Roger served on several governance and council committees with a focus on budgeting, shared services, emergency management and community youth programs.
Among his many accolades, Roger was named “Police Officer of the Year” by the NJ State American Legion. He also received Community Service Awards from the American Red Cross and the National Council of Negro Women.
Roger has been married to his high school sweetheart, Roslyn Brandon Terry for 46 years. He is a father, a grandfather and a mentor to many. He serves as a Deacon at the Union Baptist Church of Bloomfield. Putting God first in his life has taught him to be humble, focused and spiritually connected, remembering that life is a God-given precious gift.
Gary S. Villaneuva
Gary S. Villanueva – Joined the Board of Brother to Brother in 2015 and serves as its President. Gary is a criminal defense attorney practicing in New York City. He is a 1982 graduate of the University of Virginia Law School. He served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s office for six years upon graduation from law school. Since leaving the District Attorney’s office Gary has been engaged in criminal defense work in both New York State and Federal Court. He is a member of the Kings County Independent Review Committee which is reviewing over 100 questionable convictions in Kings over the last thirty years. Gary is the father of three adult children, two of whom attended Montclair public schools. Gary’s youngest son participated in the Brother to Brother program as a mentee and is thriving, in part because of his positive experience in Brother to Brother.