Heather Barberi is the Executive Director of the Grunin Foundation. With a background in fundraising, marketing, strategic development, and management, Heather uses her experience to lead innovative projects and partnerships that bring meaningful, transformative change to the community.

For over 20 years, Heather has served both the for profit and non-profit industries. She has always had a passion for making a difference, and began her career fundraising for a national non-profit organization. Heather then made the transition into the for-profit arena, working in both the technology and financial services industries. As Vice President of Field Marketing at TD Bank, Heather spent nearly seven years managing local marketing initiatives in the NJ, PA, DE, and Washington, D.C. areas. She engaged and negotiated with non-profits and business organizations on sponsorships, events, tradeshows, advertising, and marketing promotions. Most recently, Heather was the Executive Director of the Ocean County College Foundation, where she was tasked to execute the strategic fundraising plan and overall operations of the organization.

Heather is a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Ocean County, NJ.

Heather’s community involvement includes:

• Board Member of Ocean County YMCA;
• Board Member of ArtPride New Jersey;
• Board Member of Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania;
• Board Member of Ocean Partnership for Children, Inc.;
• Board Member of MODC; and
• Grants Committee Member of the New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund.

• Board Member, Institute of Music for Children
• Lifetime Member, Girl Scouts
• Advisory Group, Doing Good Better: Deepening Philanthropic and Nonprofit Partnerships in NJ
• Former Curran Every Voice Fellow, Impact 100 Essex
• Former Board Member, GlassRoots
• Former Service Unit Co-Manager, Newark Girl Scouts

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Kelly Fliller, an MBA graduate of Georgian Court University, has over fifteen years of experience in marketing and communications, serving both the for profit and non-profit sectors. She led the marketing strategy and initiatives for a professional services firm and managed the redesign of several corporate websites. Kelly helps the Foundation with its marketing strategy including public relations, social media and digital marketing.

Board Directorships and committees include:

• Communications Committee Member of the New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund;
• Commission Alternate for Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission; and,
• Honorary Commander Emeritus, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

Jaclyn Rodemann is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She has developed recruitment strategies and initiatives for colleges and universities both locally and abroad. Jaclyn has joined the Grunin Foundation to utilize her previous non-profit experience and passion for helping the community to manage the Foundation’s day-to-day operations. She is a life-long resident of Toms River where she is raising her two children, Morgan and Matthew, along with her husband, Paul.

Don is a nationally renowned leader who brings passion, warmth, and a sense of humor to his work in our sector. After navigating early work experiences as a special educator, and in the corporate and government worlds, Don found his niche in nonprofit and philanthropic leadership.

Don has successfully led four nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the CEO of the Support Center/Partnership in Philanthropy in New York City, and as a Board member of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) in Washington, DC.  He currently is a senior advisor and coach to a few select nonprofit CEOs and foundation leaders and serves on the membership committee at Exponent Philanthropy in Washington, DC.  Don has also worked as an affiliated consultant with BoardSource, the national organization supporting nonprofit and philanthropic governance.

In his role as Executive in Residence at the Grunin Foundation, Don supports Central Jersey Shore nonprofit organizations in the areas of leadership and team building, succession planning and executive transition, and organizational assessment and capacity.  For more information on Don’s experience and background, visit his profile on LinkedIn.

Tomas Alvarez III is an award-winning social entrepreneur and transformative leader with a bold vision for reimagining philanthropy and advancing racial justice. For over two decades, he has worked alongside communities to drive systems change, dismantle barriers to funding, mobilize resources for innovation, and amplify the voices of BIPOC change leaders.

His work has been recognized by The New York Times, NPR, CNN, Forbes, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. He has been honored as an Ashoka Fellow, NBC Latino Top 20 Innovator, and CNN Hero. With expertise in narrative change, strategic convening, and designing large-scale initiatives, Tomas has successfully guided organizations through transformational growth, brand evolution, and new models of shared leadership—ensuring sustainability and deeper community engagement.

Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Social Change and Innovation at the University of Southern California, Tomas is committed to reshaping philanthropy to be more inclusive, responsive, and equity-centered. His mission is to ensure that proximate leaders have the resources, trust, and infrastructure to drive solutions that address root causes and create lasting systemic change.

Laurie Goganzer is a purpose-driven leader with over 30 years of experience in the global YMCA movement, bringing life-changing programs to people in New Jersey, New York, and California. She is President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County, one of largest YMCAs in New Jersey, strengthening more than 42,000 people in three counties, and highly regarded for its extensive counseling and social services. She leads a team of nearly 1,200 employees and 650 volunteers and oversees an operating budget of $25 million. Laurie works collaboratively with a 54-member Board of Directors and nearly 100 strategic community partners to build and sustain a strong, diverse Y. Laurie also currently serves as the CEO of the Ocean County YMCA as part of a management agreement since July of 2022.

A high point of Laurie’s career was directing a merger of The Community YMCA and YMCA of Western Monmouth County to establish a formidable countywide Y in 2019. Unifying the two Ys bolstered the nonprofit’s ability to support critical community needs during and after the coronavirus pandemic. The Y’s efforts were recognized and honored by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, Monmouth-Ocean Development Council, Visiting Nurse Association, HABcore, and the New Jersey Chapter Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Additionally, the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County was named a recipient of the 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplaces USA award and a New Jersey Top Workplace by New Jersey Advance Media four years in a row, 2022 through 2025, reflecting Laurie’s commitment to fostering a thriving and inclusive work environment.

Laurie’s career achievements have been celebrated by YMCA of the USA, which awarded her the Women of Excellence award in 2022; and by the Red Bank business community, which presented her the Shining Star Award in 2021 and Women of Influence Award in 2019.

With a passion to make a difference, Laurie serves on the Board of Trustees for the NJ Center for Non-Profits, the Grunin Foundation, NJ YMCA State Alliance, and NJ YMCA Young Professionals Network; Board of Directors for Monmouth County Workforce Development; Advisory Boards for Hackensack Meridian Health (Southern Region), Brookdale Community College and the Visiting Nurse Association; Advisory Council for Monmouth ACTS; and was appointed to the Monmouth County Economic Recovery Council in 2020. She also serves as Steering Committee Chair of the Mid Majors Network for Y CEOs in the United States and Canada and is a member of the YMCA of the USA National Board of Directors and the National Committee on Membership Standards for YUSA.

Laurie began her Y career in 1992 as a Program Director for the Tarrytown YMCA in Tarrytown, New York and went on to become Associate Executive Director for the Rye YMCA, also in New York. In 2003, Laurie relocated to California where she spent 15 years leading branch operations for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles and YMCA of San Diego County. In Los Angeles, she was Senior Vice President overseeing operations of three branches, including the Anderson Munger Family YMCA, opened in 2014 following a $23 million capital campaign under her leadership. She also served as Group Vice President, Executive Director and Operations Executive for the Los Angeles Association. In San Diego, she served as Regional Vice President for the South Region and led four branches with an operating budget of nearly $20 million.

Laurie earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education from The Kings College in New York, and her Non-Profit/Public Organizational Management Business Certificate from the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business. She is a proud alumnus of LeadNJ, and a sought-after inspirational speaker and presenter on nonprofit leadership.

Born and raised on the Jersey Shore, Laurie loves spending time outdoors, whether it’s relaxing at the beach, hiking with her dogs, camping with family, or catching waves on her surfboard. She also cherishes watching her son play hockey and enjoys the rewarding feeling of giving back to her community.

Emma Grunin is currently a junior at New York University majoring in Neural Sciences on the pre-med track. She is planning to attend medical school after one gap year following graduation. In addition to her studies, Emma is a member of the NYU track and field team and the Student-Athlete Leadership Academy. She plans to pursue an internship in the medical field this summer.

Jay graduated from Brooklyn College (with honors) in 1964, and from NYU School of Law in 1967, where he was an Editor of the Law Review and where he met his future wife and business partner. After a brief exposure to academia –as Research Assistant to an NYU Law professor teaching a seminar on legislative history–, as well as a brief stint in Big Law in New York, followed by a one year Appellate Division clerkship in New Jersey, Jay and Linda landed in a then small town on the Central Jersey Shore called Toms River.

After a few years, Jay and Linda decided to open up their own small law firm. In the 1970s, as Ocean County became one of the fastest growing counties in the entire United States, Jay and Linda’s law practice flourished. At the same time, they expanded their business interests to include real estate and other investments.

In the 1990s, the Grunins dissolved their law practice to concentrate full time on their two greatest passions, business investments and philanthropy. In 2013, their philanthropic endeavors were formalized with the creation of the Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation (now the Grunin Foundation).

Unfortunately, Linda passed away in April 2018, but her influential and inspiring legacy lives on.

Jay, among his other civic involvements, is currently Advisory Board Chair of the NYU Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship and Vice Chair of the Monmouth Medical Center Foundation Board.

For nearly 15 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.

Jeremy’s Foundation, Advisory and Board Directorships include:

• Board Chair of Count Basie Center for the Arts;
• Immediate Past Board Chair and Current Board Member of New Jersey Center for Nonprofits;
• Immediate Past Board Chair and Current Executive Board Member of Fulfill;
• Executive Board Member of YMCA of Greater Monmouth County;
• Trustee of Community Medical Center;
• Board Member of Council of New Jersey Grantmakers;
• Member of New Jersey State Council on the Arts;
• Advisory Board Member of State of the Arts;
• Board Member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County; 
• Board Member of Gathering Ground;
• Board Member of Monmouth University;
• Board Member of Monmouth Museum;
• Advisory Board of Parker Family Health Center;
• Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal and Northern New Jersey;
• Advisory Board Member of Toms River Regional Schools Business, Information Technology and Construction Academies;
• Co-Chair of the NJ Arts and Culture Renewal Fund Steering Committee;
• Advisory Board Member of the Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship at NYU School of Law; and
• Appointed Member to Ocean County Tourism and Business Development Advisory Council.

Joshua Grunin is a graduate of Rutgers Business School and recently completed his MBA at Seton Hall University. He has previously interned for financial firms Newport Capital Group and UBS, while also obtaining his SIE certifications, learning the sophistications of the financial industry. Joshua has the desire to become a philanthropist and take part in the non-profit world.

He has been a member of several organizations at Rutgers including Rutgers Riot Squad, Rutgers Unified Sports and Rutgers University Programming Association.

Rebecca Grunin is currently a senior at Monmouth University majoring in health sciences, on her way to graduate school to become a speech language pathologist. She has a passion for helping people communicate to the best of their ability. Rebecca has worked in research focusing on video games in stuttering therapy and has 70+ hours of clinical observation experience with a licensed speech therapist. She hopes to attend graduate school at Monmouth University beginning this summer. 

Ed Johnson is the managing Founder & President of Ed JohnsonAP International Consulting. He is a proud and involved resident of the communities of Asbury Park, Monmouth County and State of New Jersey.  Mr. Johnson served his home community as Mayor, Councilman and Chairman of the Urban Enterprise Zone from 1998 – 2013.

Currently, Mr. Johnson is the Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Community Relations at Brookdale Community College. He served as the Senior Executive Officer of Community Engagement 2020 – 2021. Mr. Johnson is an Adjunct Faculty in Political Science teaching at Rutgers University, Monmouth University and Brookdale Community College. As a Political Scientist, Mr. Johnson specializes in American Government, Urban Studies and Community Building.

Ed Johnson facilitates Continuing Education Seminars and Civic Programs that focus on Government & Society, Stakeholder Relations and Civic Engagement. He is a regular featured speaker, webinar and conference facilitator from Local-2-Global conferences, events and venues.

Ed Johnson is an Honorary member of The Global Parliament of Mayors attending the 2016 Inaugural Session at The Hague, Netherlands (awarded an NJCCC – Kresge Foundation Grant) and the 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2021 Annual Summits in Norway, England, South Africa & Sicily. As an Honorary Member, Ed Johnson services and an Ambassador to the Youth Mayors Program at UWC Maastricht and as an Advisor on special issues and projects.

Mr. Johnson is a proud graduate of New Jersey Public Schools and Eastern New Mexico University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Liberal Arts and a Master of Arts Degree in Social and Political Sciences. Mr. Johnson’s alma mater inducted him into the ENMU Alumni Hall of Fame as an Outstanding Alumni for his professional achievements in public and community service.

Adriana Medina-Gomez is a recognized leader and accomplished community engagement professional based in Red Bank, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience in community development, advocacy, and outreach, she currently serves as the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Borough of Red Bank, where she leads communication efforts, develops innovative strategies for civic engagement, and fosters inclusivity. In this pioneering role, Adriana also organizes impactful cultural events, including Juneteenth, Pride in the Park, and the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, bringing the community together through meaningful and diverse programming.

Previously, Adriana was the inaugural Director of Community Engagement at the Count Basie Center for the Arts, where she worked to make the arts more accessible to under-resourced communities. She prioritized initiatives that centered on the needs and voices of the BIPOC communities, playing a key role in creating culturally authentic events and building meaningful partnerships that strengthened ties. Notably, Adriana was an active member of the DEI Taskforce and contributed to the development of the inaugural New Jersey Hispanic Film Festival, a significant initiative celebrating Hispanic culture, empowering regional storytellers, and promoting diversity through the arts.

Her professional journey also includes nearly six years with the American Friends Service Committee, where she provided free legal assistance to low-income families, particularly victims of domestic violence and child abuse. Adriana supported immigrant communities by leading Know Your Rights presentations and conducting training sessions to empower service providers and institutions. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-created the nation’s first free virtual legal clinic for DACA holders, ensuring critical support for vulnerable populations. Additionally, Adriana played a pivotal role in directly distributing hundreds of thousands of dollars in emergency funds to families in need, offering relief to those most impacted by the crisis.

Her extensive experience across private business, non-profits, and government has equipped her with a versatile skill set, emphasizing intergenerational empowerment, fostering unity, and driving collective impact. Her efforts to advance resource accessibility and language justice reflect her belief in the transformative power of grassroots community building through authentic and organic engagement.

Beyond her professional roles, Adriana is deeply dedicated to DEIA-focused initiatives, ensuring underrepresented voices are heard and elevated in decision-making processes. She serves on multiple advisory councils and strategic planning committees, where she leverages her expertise in community engagement to advance cultural initiatives, foster community building, and promote resource equity.

Outside of her professional endeavors she enjoys being a soccer mom, spending quality time with her family, and sharing laughs with friends.