Board Member Biographies 4

National Educational Network, Inc. (NENI)
www.neni.us

2008 NENI Board Members

Dana Y. Wilson, President/Treasurer, Webmaster and Co-Founder of NENI is an award-winning grant-writer of state and county grants for numerous schools, non-profits, and educational organizations including the Mercer County Educational Technology Training Center (ETTC). With $2 million grant dollars to her credit, she sees the creation of NENI as an opportunity to close the achievement gap continuing to exist between “regular” students and those deemed “at-risk”. Wilson is the creator / webmaster of NENI's sister websites www.grantadvocate.com and www.juneteenthnj.com. Wilson is currently pursuing graduate public administration coursework at the Bloustein School at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. She also currently serves as an independent consultant to several non-profits, schools, faith-based organizations and for-profit companies.

Wilson serves as the state secretary & webmaster of the NJ Chapter of the American Association of Grant Professionals.
Wilson also serves on the executive board of the Metuchen-Edison Area Branch of the NAACP and is the former Vice-President of the Garden State Association of Black Journalists (GSABJ).
Wilson also has extensive journalism experience, previously working for four major media chains, including the Newark Star Ledger (Newhouse newspaper), Lansing State Journal (Gannett), The Boca Raton News (former Knight Ridder), and Dow Jones in Princeton, NJ.
She also served as marketing coordinator for the National Pension Insurance Network in Woodbridge, New Jersey.

Taneshia Laird, Board Member is the executive director of the Trenton Downtown Authority. She is the former director of the Division of Economic Development and the Division of Housing Production in Trenton, NJ. Taneshia has been credited for spearheading major economic development for the city by cultivating over a quarter billion dollars in real estate development. She also has extensive experience in the field of public relations. She holds a degree in marketing management from Baruch College in New York City and has completed coursework towards her master's degree in media studies at the New School.

Her board memberships include EEAT, Inc. (a not-for-profit dedicated to eliminating child obesity) and the Trenton Downtown Association. She is also a trustee with the Mill Hill Performing Arts Trust in Trenton. (Also see Trenton Times news article 10.31.06)

Roland Laird, Board Member, has been vice president of technology at Swiss American Securities Inc. (SASI) since 2002. He was previously a vice president at Streetline Inc. and of SASI as well. Roland has over 20 years professional experience in technology having held positions with New Era of Networks, Comverse/Amarex Technology and Dow Jones. He is an accomplished writer and has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences and panel discussions. Roland is a 1982 graduate of Brown University and an active member of the Inman Page Black Alumni Council.

In 2005 he co-founded the Ethel Tremaine Robinson Foundation Inc., on whose board he serves. This 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation's major purpose is to promote African-American philanthropy amongst graduates of Brown University. In the summer of 2006, the Ethel Tremaine Robinson Foundation will be paying for two students from Trenton's public schools to attend a summer enrichment program at Brown University. In addition to his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Brown, Roland holds a master's degree in computer science from New York Institute of Technology.

Michael Rose, Board Member, is President and co-founder of MRI/The Brunswick Group. He is a 1992 graduate of Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications. Michael has over 15 years of experience in the executive search industry and joined MRI of Bernardsville in 1992 as an Account Executive. His career achievements included receiving the Top 10 Account Executive of the year award for three years in a row.

His firm is committed to preparing youths for the challenges of competing in the global marketplace. Since 2000 MRI/The Brunswick Group has partnered with New Jersey area Colleges, High Schools and Youth programs to participate in internship and mentoring programs. Rose is also a member of the New Brunswick branch of the NAACP.

Reverend Steven A. Wilson, Sr., Executive Director and Board Member, is an adjunct humanities and liberal arts professor at Gibbs College in Livingston, NJ; Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ; and Hudson County Community College in Jersey City, NJ. He also serves as youth pastor at Saint Matthew Baptist Church in Roselle, NJ. He received his Masters of Divinity from Drew University and his Bachelors degree from Kean University.

He is actively involved in the community including membership in the Metuchen-Edison Area Branch of the NAACP and a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Inc. He has extensive experience as a mentor / counselor of at-risk children across that state and believes not only that all children can learn, but that all children must learn.

Crystal Anderson, Board Member

Crystal E. Anderson is a licensed registered pharmacist for fifteen years and has worked in hospital pharmacy at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey for thirteen years and has worked in retail pharmacy at Mini Mall Pharmacy, Paterson, New Jersey. Presently, she is an instructor at Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools teaching the Medical Terminology course for pharmacy technician, pre-nursing, and unit coordinator adult students.

Crystal was on the board of trustees for a faith-based, non-profit organization for thirteen years and has instructed Christian ethics and morals to pre-teen and teenage students. She presently serves on the Piscataway Health Commission to the Mayor and is an active member of the National Council of Negro Women, a community organization which focuses on minority women’s issues. She is also associated with the National Association of University Women, an organization which raises scholarship funds for high school graduates. Crystal’s professional affiliates include the American Pharmaceutical Association and the National Pharmaceutical Association where she is an active member.

HOW TO HELP NENI:

If you are interested in serving on the board, please contact President Dana Wilson at dwilson@neni.us. We are also looking for volunteers and donors.