Our People

Rashan Prailow is a finance consultant, speaker, community servant, and founder of consulting agency THINK Group. Formerly, Rashan served in the White House during the Obama Administration within the Office of Management & Budget and the Presidential Personnel Office. Through his community service efforts, Rashan has collaborated with the New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission, and New Jersey Courts to name a few. Rashan holds an associate degree from Camden County College, bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master of finance degree from Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business

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LinkedIn

Kelvin is responsible for collaborative development projects involving crime prevention, healthy housing, and local advocacy/empowerment. Specially, he works on Healthy Homes and Communities, the Community Reinvestment Act, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, and numerous other projects that increase the capacity of the Network. Prior to working with the Network, Kelvin was a recent graduate of Rutgers-Camden with a BA in History, and has since become one of the leading figures on matters of CPTED, through the creation and presentation of educational workshops, seminars, and field exercises involving the subject.

Sheila Caldwell, BSN, RN, CSN-NJ, FNASN is a school nurse, who works in the Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District and recently completed a two-year Fellowship with the National Education Association in their first Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Fellowship and was the first person and school nurse selected. She worked in the Education Support Professionals Quality Department working on projects and on committees concerning the improvement of health, safety, and the well-being of students and educators. 

Sheila is well respected in the school nursing specialty. In June 2022, she was inducted into the National Academy of School Nursing Fellowship, received “Black Excellence” honor from the Monmouth County Diversity Alliance, Inc., and “Top Nurse” for Community Practice by Al Día News Nurse Advisory Board. 

Sheila has been in the nursing profession for many years. She has been the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Community Monitor of their two major discussion communities since 2012. She is proud to be a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow, Mentor, and Past Outreach Coordinator. Sheila has served on the National Institute of Health’s Network of the National Library of Medicine – Middle Atlantic Region’s Special Advisory Group. 

Sheila is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) – Membership Delegate to ANA, NASN, New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSSNA), Monmouth County School Nurses Association (MCSNA) – Executive Board Tech/Website Chair, New Jersey Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics (NJAAP), Tau Chi Chapter, Inc. of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. and other professional and organizational committees.

Sheila has received numerous accolades and awards including being an ANA “VaxStar” for her efforts of providing the public, educators and healthcare professions about the coronavirus and vaccination effort. She has twice received the NASN “Recognition Award” for Outstanding Contributions and Distinguished Service and the first and only recipient of the NJAAP “School Health Advocate Award” for all of her voluntary work. The Black community also benefits from Sheila’s voluntary efforts, and she is held in high esteem with the NJ MLK Jr. Commission, New Jersey Black Women Physicians Association, and other organizations for her continued community service.

Sheila has provided presentations at the national, state, regional, county and local levels concerning school health and other important health topics.

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LinkedIn

Rachel Dawn Davis is a dedicated sustainability strategist and community architect, currently serving as the Public Policy & Justice Organizer for the spiritual ecology nonprofit Waterspirit. With a background in consulting across various industries, she champions energy efficiency and reverence for the Earth through proactive policymaking. Rachel played a pivotal role in establishing the Global Warming Solutions Coalition, leading to the passage of New Jersey’s Global Warming Response Act in 2006. Committed to environmental advocacy, she guided efforts to halt hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin and works persistently to divest from harmful industries while advocating for a NJ Green Amendment. Rachel Dawn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Rutgers University and a Master of Science from The New School for Public Engagement.

Amy oversees all of New Jersey programs for Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund. She also serves on the Board of the NJ Work Environment Council, EarthShare New Jersey, Chairs the Coalition for Healthy Ports, as well as an appointee to the NJDEP Clean Water Council. From 1994-2002, served in various roles as National Coordinator for the Public Health Institute’s (PHI) Jobs and Environment Training Consortium, National Just Transition Alliance Curriculum Writing Team and Training Logistics Coordinator. Before joining Clean Water Action in mid-1992, Ms. Goldsmith directed Clean Water Action/Fund’s New England programs for seven years – leading a variety of public campaigns around water, superfund and Boston Harbor cleanups, and solid waste. From 1989-1992, Amy served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Nuclear Referendum Committee, focused on radioactive waste issues. In 2004, she received an Environmental Achievement Award from NJ Governor McGreevey. She has a B.S. in Land Use Planning from the University of Minnesota, and served for three years as a research scientist with the University of Minnesota’s Entomology Department. Amy lives in Red Bank with her husband, 2 children, 3 cats, 4 fish and a turtle. She loves to garden and take walks in her favorite nature area.

Yvette Jordan is a high school History teacher in Newark Public Schools and an Activist for environmental and social justice.  She is a sought after public speaker on the effects of environmental justice on urban centers and has a keen interest in educating her community on the importance of advocating for safe water.

Jordan was born and raised in New York City and worked in New York City government for over 20 years.  She served as a Policy Analyst for the Dinkins Administration; her area of expertise was youth services.  Following the fall of apartheid, Yvette went to South Africa to serve as a Consultant to NGOs (non-governmental organizations) on governance for two (2) years.  Following her sojourn to the ‘motherland’, Jordan realized she enjoyed imparting information and training constituencies.  She applied to Newark Public Schools and became a History teacher in 2005.  Since that time, Yvette has enjoyed teaching high school students African American and US History as well as Social Justice.

Her activism in Newark began as a founding member of Newark Education Workers Caucus (NEW Caucus), a group of educators committed to fighting for social justice issues within education for all educators, students and their families.   Since the lead water crisis in Newark, she has been a fierce advocate for environmental justice.  

Jordan and her husband, Frank, are homeowners in Newark, NJ.

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Shanikwa Lemon was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey where she still resides. She attended Paterson Public Schools and graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey earning a BA in Psychology in 2010. She dedicates her life to inspiring others to have a continued love for learning.

Shanikwa found a love and career in Early Childhood Education where she worked as a preschool teacher and administrator for over 10 years. While being an Early Childhood Educator, Shanikwa simultaneously used her teaching skills to tutor for additional income. In 2018, she started Beyond the Books Tutoring & Childcare, INC. Beyond the Books was created for teachers and caregivers to work outside the traditional educational experience.

In 2022, Shanikwa joined the Paterson Alliance as their Program Manager. The Paterson Alliance is a coalition of over 100 members who convene to improve the lives of Paterson residents. Paterson Alliance brings nonprofit and community partners together to increase collaboration between members, to be inclusive and build a culture where everyone feels respected and valued. Some of Shanikwa’s priorities include registering more children in preschool, ensuring that children have medical insurance, and providing information and access to reduce lead poisoning.

Elyse has over 25 years of experience in developing and managing environmental health projects in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In 1999, she created Isles’ Environmental Health Initiative with funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The program has since grown to address a broad range of policy and practice challenges in the areas of lead poisoning, asthma, pest management, healthy schools, open space needs, exercise, and nutrition. Elyse has presented extensively on lead, health issues, and the need to work across sectors to achieve healthier homes and better services for those already affected by lead. Prior to joining Isles, Ms. Pivnick was a project manager for a civil engineering firm in Austin, TX, where she also served as a member of the Austin Environmental Commission. Additionally, she was the founding executive director of a community development organization in Philadelphia and later became the project coordinator for Philadelphia’s Office of Housing and Community Development, overseeing projects that included housing rehabilitation, infrastructure reconstruction, community planning, and organizing. Elyse is board chair of the National Center for Healthy Housing. She has a master’s degree in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Diane manages program staff responsible for New Jersey Future’s Mainstreaming Green Infrastructure program, stormwater utilities, lead in drinking water policy, and general water policy. Diane plays a leadership role in policy development and advocacy, provides technical assistance, and works to advance program goals. She has over 20 years of experience in water and sustainability issues. In addition to her work as a consultant for organizations and agencies focused on water resources and sustainable development, Diane also served as a program officer at the William Penn Foundation. She holds a B.A. in anthropology and geology from Vanderbilt University, as well as a Master of Regional Planning with a concentration in land use and environmental planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Email Diane or reach her by phone at 609-393-0008 ext. 110.

Shevone Torres is a 41-year-old mother of two and grandmother of two. Torres has been involved in social justice and equity work for more than 20 years. She was born in South Jersey and lived most of her life there. After being directly impacted by lead, Torres decided to use her negative experience as an opportunity to educate and advocate for others in similar situations.

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