Associate Director, Racial/Ethnic Disparities and Social Justice Advocates for Youth

Urooj Arshad provides capacity building services to community based organizations working with youth of color around reproductive and sexual health. Capacity building services include seed grant dissemination, customized onsite trainings, year-long support and technical assistance around work plan implementation, organizational development, and working with diverse youth communities. She has also designed a project to work with Muslim youth which seeks to address the reproductive and sexual health needs of Muslim identified youth. Most recently, Urooj is starting to develop a program around International GLBTQ youth rights which seeks to build the capacity of colleague organizations working with GLBTQ youth in low to middle income countries.

Urooj has had thirteen years of experience organizing within Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) communities of color especially addressing issues of Islamophobia, violence, sexism, transphobia and ageism. She is the co-chair of the Queer Muslim Collective which seeks to address the intersectional impact of Islampohobia, homophobia and transphobia.

Prior to joining Advocates, Urooj worked for the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, an organization that advocates for and with LGBTQ youth in an effort to end discrimination against these youth and to ensure their physical and emotional well-being.

Caressa Cameron
Miss America, 2010

Caressa Cameron was crowned Miss America 2010 and traveled over 250,000 miles during her year of service.  She appeared on numerous television programs, make corporate appearances, and spoke on behalf of the Miss America Organization’s national platform, the Children’s Miracle Network, and her personal platform, Real Talk:  AIDS in America.  A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, she has earned nearly $90,000 in scholarship dollars through her participation in the Miss America Organization.

Caressa believes strongly in her message, Real Talk:  AIDS in America.  She is the Coordinator of Youth Services for the Fighting the AIDS Crisis with Education and Support (FACES) Project and she served on the steering team which brought the Ora-Sure HIV (Oral) Antibody Test to the State of Virginia.  In addition, she organized an effort to persuade public school officials to establish AIDS-targeted sex education in middle schools.  She has spoken to over 10,000 students in more than 40 middle and high schools across Virginia.  For her efforts, she was the recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and she was presented with a Congressional Honor for her community service endeavors in Virginia.  She was also awarded the Whitman Walker Partner for Life award for her efforts to spread awareness of HIV/AIDS.  Community service has always been a part of Caressa’s life and, in high school, she received the Fellowship of Christian Athletes award for integrity, service, teamwork, and excellence.

An accomplished vocalist and talent award winner at Miss America, Caressa was honored to perform during the 2009 Presidential Inauguration festivities and she performed at the historic Apollo Theatre in New York City.  As Miss America, she was honored to sing the “National Anthem” for many professional sporting events across the country.  She enjoys performing many genres of music, including, pop, classical, jazz, country, and gospel.

Caressa is fulfilling her degree requirements at Virginia Commonwealth University in broadcast communications.  She hopes to pursue a Masters degree in mass communications and to become a leading anchor in television news.  At VCU, she was named to the dean’s list and she has received academic honors for her scholastic achievements.

Holly Delany-Cole

Co-Director
Community Resource Exchange (CRE)
Holly Delaney-Cole joined CRE’s staff in 1995 and was Deputy Director for Program between June 2005 and 2010.  CRE’s mission is to make NYC-based nonprofit organizations healthier organizations and more effective in fighting poverty and advancing social justice.   It carries out its mission by delivering one-on-one management assistance to nonprofits in NYC, sponsoring structured leadership development programs for staff and Board leaders and providing nonprofits with a wide variety of useful resources including space to convene, mini-grants, publications and a real-time ‘advice’ phone-line.

Since 1978, Holly has worked with a number of human service organizations in such roles as administrator, program developer, counselor, caseworker and project manager.  Holly was a member of the program staff at the New York Community Trust from 1983 – 1989 where she managed grant programs in the areas of youth employment, youth services, human justice and the elderly and staffed the development of several foundation initiatives.  Later, she developed her own freelance consulting business for human service and foundations in Chicago with emphasis on program evaluation, program planning and development and proposal writing. 

 Just prior to coming to CRE, Holly co-staffed the start-up of the National Funding Collaborative on Violence Prevention, a collaboration of private and public grantmakers which combined their resources to develop prevention initiatives in twelve communities nationwide.  Holly’s consulting draws on thirty years of experience working in and with a wide variety of nonprofits.  Her direct client work at CRE focuses primarily on assisting groups with fundraising strategy, board development, strategic planning and executive leadership development. 

 Presently Holly serves on the Boards of Computers for Youth, a national organization group that strengthens the home learning environment for public school students and their families by providing them with computers, training in their use, ongoing tech help, internet access and web content, and Marenn-Parenn Pou Haiti, an emerging community development nonprofit based in Haiti. 

 Holly is co-author of Working with Teen Parents – A Survey of Promising Approaches, published by the Family Resource Coalition in 1985. She earned a bachelor’s of social work from Adelphi University and a master’s of arts degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago.  In 2008, Holly was certified by Performance Programs to interpret and deliver 360 Feedback about leadership and management practices. 

Tracie M. Gardner

Director of New York State Policy & Coordinator of Women’s Initiative to Stop HIV/AIDS of New York (WISH-NY), Legal Action Center

Tracie M. Gardner joined the Legal Action Center in October of 2000 as Director of New York State Policy. She coordinates the Center’s lobbying, advocacy, grass roots organizing and policy work on budget and legislative issues relating to HIV/AIDS and criminal justice and substance abuse in New York State. She is also the coordinator of an advocacy project at the Center, the Women’s Initiative to Stop HIV/AIDS, NY (WISH-NY).  Ms Gardner started WISH-NY to respond to the escalating rates of HIV infection among women and girls of color. Prior to joining the Legal Action Center, Ms. Gardner has worked in various capacities of national and New York HIV/AIDS policy and advocacy since 1987. 

Ana Oliveira

President & CEO
The New York Women’s Foundation

Ana Oliveira became the President & CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation® in February 2006. She has worked in the health and human services field for over 20 years, developing programs for vulnerable populations throughout NYC. She served as the first woman and Latina Executive Director of Gay Men’s Health Crisis for over seven years, overseeing a complete turn-around of the agency. Before working at GMHC, Oliveira directed innovative community-based programs at Samaritan Village, the Osborne Association, Kings County and at Lincoln Hospitals. Oliveira was a member of the New York City HIV Planning Council and was appointed by Mayor Bloomberg to the New York City Commission on AIDS in 2004. Her awards feature: Mutual Welfare League Certificate, (Osborne Association); Liberty Award, (Lambda Legal & Education Defense Fund); Community Service Award (Empire State Pride Agenda); and Rosie Perez Fuerza Award (Latino Commission on AIDS). She was profiled in Newsweek (2005) as “America’s Best,” a series highlighting ordinary individuals using their extraordinary vision on behalf of others. Oliveira was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and resides in Manhattan. She has an M.A. in Medical Anthropology from the New School for Social Research and is a Licensed Acupuncturist.
Tracy Reese
President
T.R. Designs, Inc.

With an innate desire to create beautiful things, Detroit native Tracy Reese headed for Manhattan in 1982 to attend Parsons School of Design where she received an accelerated degree in 1984. Upon graduation, Reese apprenticed under designer Martine Sitbon while working for the small contemporary firm, Arlequin.  Reese worked at some of the industry’s top fashion houses, including Perry Ellis where she was the design director for Women’s Portfolio.

In 2007 Reese was inducted as a board member of the CFDA; and over the past decade, the Tracy Reese name has become synonymous with frothy dresses and print driven heirloom fare that women across the globe can’t get enough of. Reese’s eye for detail and extensive knowledge of color, fabric and form continue to be evident each season as she consistently reveals timeless, wearable looks that evoke sophistication and elegance. Reese’s approach is deliberate, combining modern craftsmanship with vintage flair, creating a look that is clearly her own. Bright colors, unique prints and intricate patterns define her three collections Tracy Reese, plenty and frock!.  A consistent fashion favorite amongst industry insiders, celebrities and fashionistas alike, Reese crafts finely detailed looks that make a statement and are easy to wear.

Teresita R. Rodriguez
CEO
APICHA
The mission of APICHA is to improve the health of our community and to increase access to comprehensive primary care, preventative health services, mental health and supportive services. We are committed to excellence and to providing culturally competent services that enhance the quality of life. APICHA advocates for and provides a welcoming environment for underserved and vulnerable people, especially A&PIs, the LGBT community and individuals living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Teresita R. Rodriguez is a long-time advocate of addressing the needs of Asian and Pacific Islanders, especially those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.  Under her leadership, APICHA  developed a one-stop HIV service model to remove barriers to care faced by medically underserved and marginalized people, particularly Asians and Pacific islanders (A&PI), other people of color and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT).  APICHA expanded its primary care services I 2009 to HIV negative patients and added mental health in 2010.

Ms. Rodriguez is recognized nationally and locally for HIV/AIDS leadership and has been appointed to a number of key positions.  She is the Board Secretary of the National Minority AIDS Council NMAC) and a member of the board of directors of the New York AIDS Coalition, an alliance of community-based service providers and their supporters that advocates for increased funding and fair policies for people living with HIV/AIDS in New York State.  She was a member of the Social Services Workgroup of the HIV New York City Planning Council and helped identify the needs and gaps in the HIV system of care for A&PIs. The HIV New York City Planning Council develops a comprehensive plan to provide HIV services for New York City. She was also a member of the New York State Prevention Planning Group (NYSPPG).  The NYSPPG is a community planning group designed to foster partnerships between communities and the New York State Department of Health through a collaborative process. Its primary responsibilities are to utilize HIV prevention-related needs assessments to determine HIV prevention priorities and develop an HIV prevention plan for the state. At the NYSPPG, she was co-chair of the finance committee and was a member of the executive committee.  She also served as co-chair of the Racial and Ethnic committee. 

For her leadership in AIDS work and her selfless service to A&PI communities, Ms. Rodriguez has received numerous awards and citations.  On World AIDS Day in December 1999, she was honored by C. Virginia Fields, the Manhattan Borough President for her and her organization’s devotion to advancing education on HIV/AIDS.  She was also a recipient of an award in June 1998 from the Public Advocate for New York City, Honorable Mark Green, on the occasion of the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  The Ma-Yi Theatre Company acknowledged her humanitarian endeavors at APICHA and organizing work in the Filipino-American community since the 1970s with a Community Service Award in June 2000.  On May 19, 2006,  she was bestowed the Service and Leadership Award by the NYS Department of Health Affirmative Action Advisory Committee in recognition and appreciation of her compassionate concern and pioneer spirit in the provision of effective dedication and culturally competent services to the A&PI community. The St. Scholastica College selected her as one of the 100 Outstanding Scholastican Alumnae on December 3, 2006.  Most recently, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the New York City Comptroller William Thompson at an Asian Pacific Heritage event on May 5, 2009.