Executive Team

Gina HernandezGina Hernandez | CEO and Executive Director

Gina Hernandez, MA, LPC, CCTP, ACS was appointed by the Board to the position of Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey and the Child Wellness Institute in April 2021 and promoted to CEO and Executive Director in 2024. Gina has extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, clinical services and program evaluation.

Gina joined the staff of PCA-NJ in 2005 and worked in a variety of roles throughout the agency. As Senior Vice President for 7 years, she was responsible for development, oversight and evaluation of all prevention programs, now serving more than 68,000 families.  She has been published for her research as a co-principal investigator in several publications including the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior and Prevention Science for her work on addressing maternal depression and substance use disorders. In 2018, Gina was recognized as “A Woman of Achievement” by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs for her dedication, commitment and extraordinary work on behalf of children and families in New Jersey.

Also under Gina’s leadership, the Child Wellness Institute (ChildWIN®) was created in 2019 to  assist and support even more children and families. It was designed to offer healing centered and resilience building skills to professionals, children and families in New Jersey and beyond.  To date, ChildWIN® has partnered with dozens of schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is working to expand its services.

Prior to PCA-NJ, Gina worked at the Edison Job Corps Academy and Alternatives, Inc in Somerset County and continues to volunteer at several nonprofits throughout the state. She started her career in television and radio broadcasting at WMGM-TV in South Jersey.

Gina has a BA in Communications, an MA in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is also a Certified Infant Massage Instructor, holds a Certificate in Play Therapy and earned a Post Masters Certificate in Trauma: Clinical Foundations. She is a co-developer of the Trauma Transformation Initiative and co-author of the Healing Hearts and Building Resilience curriculum.

 

Veronica FordVeronica Ford | Vice President

Dr. Ford has a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and a PhD in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior from Capella University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) who enjoys working part-time as an Intensive In-Community Therapist and Adjunct Professor.

Dr. Ford’s education and work experience have afforded her the opportunity to work with individuals and families from various sectors across the human services field. However, she believes working with individuals and families affected by the cycle of child abuse and neglect, substance use disorders and other forms of trauma have been the most rewarding in her sixteen years of practice. She enjoys research and has published journal articles entitled, “Measuring Patient Satisfaction in New Mothers with Substance Use Disorders: A Correlative Investigation”, and “Financial Aspects & Accessibility and Convenience: New Mothers with Substance Use Disorders Satisfaction with Health Care Affordability and Accessibility”. Dr. Ford is also the co-author of “Mental Illness and Crime: A Misconceived Relationship”, which is featured in the Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Science and chapter contribution in the textbook, “Primary Theories of Crime and Victimization”, third edition. Dr. Ford has lectured and presented her work at various conferences.

She is committed to serving individuals and families and uses her research as a platform to educate, promote and expand services to those in need.  Her most recent position was the Senior Program Director of Youth and Family Services at the Center for Family Services, where she oversaw several programs including the Atlantic Parents as Teachers home visitation program and the Egg Harbor Township School Based Youth Services Program.

Pamela StalcupPamela Stalcup | Director of Development and Communications

Pamela Stalcup joined PCA-NJ as Director of Development and Communications in 2014. She enjoys planning agency events including the annual gala, Big Pinwheel Garden and other community-based events.  She also is responsible for grant writing, social media, website development, and producing the annual report.

Pamela is a past Board Member of BookSmiles, a past President of the Rotary Club of New Brunswick, and a past President of The Kiwanis Club of The Haddons.  She volunteers as the Camden County Volunteer Coordinator of The Pajama Program, New Jersey Chapter and is a member of the Rotary Club of Haddonfield and Kiwanis Club of The Haddons.

Previously, she served as Executive Director at Healing the Children New Jersey, New Eyes for the Needy, and The Arc of Hunterdon Foundation; and Director of Special Events at The Institute for Community Living in New York. Prior to her nonprofit career, Pamela worked in public relations and special events at Isolar Enterprises, Columbia Tri-Star Film Distributors and Playboy Enterprises. Pamela completed the 2011-13 Rutgers University Institute for Ethical Leadership Nonprofit Executive Fellows Program at Rutgers Business School-Newark, sponsored by the Prudential Foundation. Pamela resides in Cherry Hill with her family. She is proud to promote happy, healthy and safe childhoods for all children.

 

James EodiceJames Eodice | Director of Human Resources

James Eodice joined PCA-NJ as Director of Human Resources and Operations in 2022. He has more than 20 years of comprehensive human resources and business management experience in the nonprofit and private sectors.

At PCA-NJ, James is a partner to the executive and leadership team and an advocate for all staff. He is responsible for developing and leading strategies and programs designed to attract, develop and retain talent, while providing the tools and resources needed to help staff move PCA-NJ’s mission forward. James has expertise in employee relations, talent management, compensation and benefits, organizational development, business operations, legal compliance and risk management. He holds an MBA/MHRA and is a SHRM Certified Professional.

 

Herminio QuiñonesJohn Quinn | Director of Finance

John Quinn joined Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey in 2024 as Director of Finance. He is responsible for the accounting and financial operations, budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting, and coordinating all accounting and financial policies and procedures.

Previously, John served as Senior Vice President of Harry N. Abrams Publishing, overseeing all financial operations including budget planning and analysis, financial reporting, accounting and treasury along with the legal and IT groups. His experience with nonprofits has been the finance contact for various local organizations and Treasurer for the Maurice R. Robinson Fund.

John earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Syracuse University.

Kim HaighKim Haigh | Director of Grow NJ Kids

Kim Haigh joined PCA-NJ in 2015 and was appointed to Director of GROW NJ Kids TA centers for the Central and Northeast NJ in 2022. Kim has over 25 years of experience in the field of Early Childhood Education and Administration.

She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Psychology from Kean University and her Master’s Degree in Child and Family Studies from Montclair University. Kim also completed a fellowship for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health with the Center for Autism and early Childhood Mental Health at Montclair University.

Kim has worn every Early Childhood hat. As her career has grown, so has her passion for continuous quality improvement. She is dedicated to making a difference for our youngest children while she supports our team and their childcare provider partners on their journey to give their very best to the children across New Jersey.

Kim HaighCarrie Speiser | Director of Community Engagement 

Carrie Speiser, MPA was promoted to Director of Community Engagement in 2024. She has been a violence prevention advocate for over 20 years educating about the prevention of dating abuse, sexual violence, human trafficking, and child abuse.

She re-joined the PCA-NJ staff in 2023 as Community Education Coordinator and previously worked at the agency from 2013-2021 as the Coordinator. She provided training and technical assistance to support a variety of programs including preventing commercial sexual exploitation of children, building and supporting the Connections Matter NJ Facilitator network, and as the Parent Linking Program Coordinator to support expecting and parenting teens.

Upon the formation of the Child Wellness Institute, Carrie helped author the Trauma Transformation Initiative and has been an avid trainer, providing Peaceful Practices and Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. She is also a certified facilitator for Connections Matter, My Life My Choice, Botvin Life Skills Curriculum, Positive Discipline, and other curricula.

Additionally, Carrie is Director and Founder of BTrue2U, a movement to empower teens to be true to who they are, to love themselves and others, and to live healthy and well. She has a passion for educating youth and teens on wellness, violence prevention, and social emotional learning.

Carrie holds a Master’s in Public Administration for Nonprofit Management from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Services from the University of Hartford. She is a passionate advocate for youth and families and an empowerment enthusiast for mental wellness, social emotional learning, and violence prevention.

 

Eva Szmutko | Director of Home Visiting 

Eva Szmutko joined PCA-NJ in 2012 and was appointed Director of Home Visiting in 2022. She is a Parents as Teachers (PAT) National Trainer, a certified ASQ/ASQ:SE Trainer, and a member of the International Council of PAT Leaders. She previously worked with out-of-school time programs and oversaw AmeriCorps members in the City of Trenton.

Eva believes that all families deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential, and that programs continuously learn from each other and families on how best to support families. Eva is an alumna of AmeriCorps VISTA, NYU, and Rutgers University, where she obtained a Master’s in Public Administration.

 

 

Jillian Faulks | Director, Essex Pregnancy & Parenting Connection and Early Childhood Systems

Jillian Faulks is committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. She holds a B.A. in African-American Studies and Photojournalism from Temple University prior to serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana.

Jillian’s experience in Botswana led her to further her studies with an M.S. in Nonprofit Management with a concentration in Organizational Development from the New School. During her first pregnancy and breastfeeding experience, Jillian realized the importance of wellness beyond the physical, leading her to become certified in Kemetic Yoga and volunteering as a Chocolate Milk Café Facilitator.

Jillian is passionate about offering spaces for families to live their most fulfilling and joy-filled lives from birth onward. All her work is done through the lens of healing from trauma and finding strength within. Jillian has expanded her practice with training as a Holistic Health Coach, Prenatal Yoga, and lactation support. As a current Clinical Mental Health student at Montclair State University, Jillian is looking forward to contributing to mental health programing that will address health disparities, particularly related to maternal and child health. Her mission is to learn, grow, and share various ways to heal.