Leadership
Executive Team
Dr. Darlene Williams
President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
drwilliams@unionsettlement.org
Dr. Darlene Williams joined Union Settlement in June 2023. She is a visionary executive leader committed to social service and empowering underserved communities. With over two decades of nonprofit leadership, she has focused her career on addressing social injustice, poverty, and promoting equity for vulnerable communities. Dr. Williams has led successful citywide initiatives in New York City that marked positive change, building upward economic mobility and creating job opportunities for youth and adults alike. Her leadership as President and CEO of Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT) has strengthened economic opportunity and sustainable employment for program participants. She also played a pivotal role as the founding Chief Program Officer at Women in Need (WIN), managing critical operations and transforming the lives of homeless families. Additionally, she has served in executive positions in NYC government agencies, implementing successful initiatives and programs, including the creation of the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services. Dr. Williams is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. She actively involved in her community and serves on various committees and advisory boards including her professional sector and at her local church including the NYC Mayor’s Office for Nonprofits.
Derrick Boone, Psy.D.
Chief Compliance &Program Officer for Adult Services (CPO)
dboone@unionsettlement.org
Derrick joined Union Settlement in June 2018. For over two decades he has worked for nonprofit social service programs in direct care, professional consultation, and executive leadership. He has experience working with organizations that focus on mental health, employment, education, school based counseling, seniors, transitional living, trauma informed care, and homelessness. He has Master’s and Doctorate degrees in psychology from Loma Linda University.
Tanisha Jackson
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
tjackson@unionsettlement.org
Oneida Perez
Chief People Officer
operez@unionsettlement.org, 212-828-6045
Brian Leidy
Chief Development & Communications Officer
bleidy@unionsettlement.org
Vacant
Chief Finance Officer (CFO)
Nina Piros
Chief Program Officer for Families, Children, and Youth
npiros@unionsettlement.org
Nina joined Union Settlement in October 2022. For over two decades, Nina has dedicated her career to designing, managing, and implementing high quality early childhood education, parenting, and mental health services for families, children, and youth. She served as the Associate Executive Director for the Early Childhood Division at University Settlement where she managed a comprehensive portfolio of birth-to-five programs. She worked for the NYC Department of Education as a school psychologist serving middle and high school students. In 2018, she joined the Division of Early Childhood Education where she led the planning, design, and implementation of a coordinated approach for curricula, professional development, and oversight of home-based early care and education services. She is excited to bring her knowledge and expertise to Union Settlement to serve families, children and youth in East Harlem.
Tomico Reynolds
Chief Business Administrator
treynolds@unionsettlement.org
Tomico Reynolds is an executive and community leader. She joined Union Settlement as the Chief Business Administrator in August 2023. Prior to her current role, she served as Chief of Staff/Senior Advisor at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, helping enrich the lives of disadvantaged youth in Brooklyn surrounding areas. For four years, she served as Executive Assistant to the Chief Program Officer at Women in Need (WIN) overseeing WIN’s extensive programs portfolio of transitional homeless shelters and supportive housing facilities across New York City as well as their associated programs and operations including corporate security, real property management, and housing management. This includes mental health support, financial literacy, income building services, childcare, recreation, summer camp, and afterschool programs for all WIN clients. Tomico is active in her community, serving as a proud member of the Pontiac, MI branch of Meals-on-Wheels and volunteering through her nonprofit work organization in NYC. She is a member of the NAACP as well as a charter member of The National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington DC. She holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services from North Carolina Central University.
Senior Team
Jocelyn Caceres
Director, Family Enrichment Center (FEC)
jcaceres@unionsettlement.org
Jocelyn joined Union Settlement in August 2022. She is the new director of Manhattan’s first Family Enrichment Center (FEC), Jocelyn is a East Harlem/South Bronx native. A Master’s Leveled Social Worker who has served the last 15 years working with children and families, including a supervisor role in foster care. She has worked with The New York City Department of Homeless Services and a Bronx based FEC. It is no secret that Jocelyn is a strong, fierce, compassionate leader who thrives being a source of support for others. Not only does she see but also understands the value in assisting people in overcoming challenges and advocating for those in need. Jocelyn holds a B.S. in Psychology and a Masters in Social Work. Jocelyn understands the Family Enrichment Center model and her mission is to ensure the needs of the East Harlem community are met. She is a coach who is powerful in guiding the co-design process to create something so impactful that is needed and relevant to East Harlem
Luz Carty
Director, Older Adult Services & Meals on Wheels Program
lcarty@unionsettlement.org
Luz joined Union Settlement in February 2020. With almost a decade of work with NYC seniors, Luz is excited to bring her knowledge and experience back to Union Settlement as Director of Senior Services. After working at Union Settlement from 2012-2017 in various capacities, including Senior Services Coordinator, Senior Center Manager and Assistant Deputy Director, Luz joined the NYC Department for the Aging. From 2017-2020 she worked as a Program Officer, getting a handle on the issues and solutions that go into the business of running large groupings of senior centers. Luz holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from SUNY Albany and a Masters of Social Work from Hunter College.
Hilda V. Cortés
Director, Adult Education Program
hcortes@unionsettlement.org
Hilda joined Union Settlement in May 2018 after most recently serving as the Program Coordinator of Adult Literacy Education at Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services in Brooklyn, and previously held educational and job development positions at the Hudson County Schools of Technology. Ms. Cortés holds a Bachelor degree in Spanish from SUNY-Buffalo, and a Master’s Degree in Education from the College of Mount St. Vincent.
Michelle Cruz
Director, Economic Development & Government Affairs
mcruz@unionsettlement.org
Luanna Miranda
Director, Family Childcare Network & Childcare Connection (C4)
lmiranda@unionsettlement.org
Luanna, an East Harlem native, joined Union Settlement on August of 2014 as a Family Worker in one of Union Settlement’s Head Start programs. Her passion for helping families reach their goals led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work at Fordham University and she is now the Director of Union Settlement’s Family Childcare Network (FCCN). In her current role, she helps individuals establish their own small businesses as Childcare Providers in the Manhattan area and ensures that families secure childcare in order to pursue employment and further their education. Previous to this, Luanna was a parent at one of our childcare centers and is now fully dedicated to giving others in the community the same opportunities that were extended to her through our Union Settlement programs.
Denise Ramos
Director, Early Childhood Education (ECE)
dramos@unionsettlement.org
Denise joined Union Settlement in June 2020. She comes with over 25 years of early childhood experience in both for profit and nonprofit organizations. She started her career as a teacher in a Head Start program and worked her way up to an Education Director. Most currently she served as the Family Child Care Network Director for Union Settlement. Denise holds a dual Masters Degree in Early childhood and Special Education from Touro College and holds her professional certification from birth to grade 2.
Monica Rene
Director, NYC Benefits Program
mrene@unionsettlement.org
Monica joined Union Settlement back in 2019 as a Case Manager Supervisor with Youth Services. She also served as the HUB Regional Director prior to her leadership role with the recently launched NYC Benefits Program. Raised in Brooklyn and the Bronx, Monica is passionate about helping youth and families across NYC. She has over 20 years of experience serving NYC communities through nonprofit organizations, most recently at the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Lehman College as well as Case Management and Family Development credentials from Hostos Community College and Cornell University respectively.
Shawn Smith
Director, East Harlem Community Partnership
ssmith@unionsettlement.org
Shawn Smith is the current Director of the East Harlem Community Partnership and is known as a progressive thinker. He maintains a flair for multi-tasking and fostering positive relations with and between community stakeholders. A BMCC and City College Alum, his love of learning and background in education, advocacy, and as a published musician, has afforded him a plethora of opportunities in relationship building. His approach to service and empowerment is multi-generational in scope and practice and enhances his ability as “a connector”. Shawn has served on Commuity Board 11, the SCAN-HARBOR Parent Advisory Board, the Villa Hermosa Tenant Union (Vice President), as BCNY’s Youth Director (East Harlem), a High School Music Teacher and last but not least (and actually first), a Parent Volunteer with several institutions throughout the New York City area. Shawn is married with 3 kids (2 currently attending Howard University). His love of family and his passion and conviction for doing this work are the catalyst for his manta, “get involved”, and he lives this out in real time.
Dr. Stacie Woodland, DSW, LCSW-R
Director, Mental Health Services
swoodland@unionsettlement.org
Stacie joined Union Settlement in December 2017 as a Clinical Supervisor in the Mental Health Clinic. She took on the position of Director of Mental Health Services in December of 2018. Stacie comes to Union Settlement with almost two decades of experience working in areas around mental health, homelessness, HIV and adolescent issues. She has expertise in trauma informed care. As an adjunct professor of psychology at Touro College since 2004, she created the curriculum and has taught advanced seminars on both Trauma and Eating Disorders. An avid animal lover, Stacie volunteers at a local animal shelter. She is also a Certified Grief Counselor and one of the few Certified Counselors in NYC for Pet Loss Grief Counseling (PGRS-C, Pet Loss and Grief Recovery Specialist).
Sean Roker
Director, Communicaitons & Community Engagement
sroker@unionsettlement.org