This past May, GBCA filled two key leadership positions in the agency: Mary Cudina as Agency Director, Head Start/Early Head Start Programs; and Lynne Algrant as Vice President of Planning, Development, and Communications.
As a result of a search process begun several months ago, Mary Cudina has been selected to provide direction to our wide-spread Head Start program, with branches in Jersey City, Paterson, and Bergen County. With a Bachelor’s from University of Delaware and Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University, she served GBCA Head Start for more than ten years as a Mental Health Specialist, as an Associate Director of Special Services, and as the founding Area Director of Head Start in Jersey City in 2014.
In 2018, Mary accepted the responsibility of leading a newly-formed GBCA Division: Planning, Development, and Communication, building a solid foundation and melding a cohesive unit capable of making excellent, even unique, contributions to the mission of GBCA. She began her new role as Agency-wide Director of Head Start and Early Head Start on July 1, 2020, taking over for interim Head Start Director, Figen Tabakci, who is also the Director of GBCA’s Adult Education Division.
Mary said of her new position: “Head Start was my first home at GBCA. I am happy to return with the knowledge and skills I have gained as Director of the PDC department. I look forward to continuing to develop our Head Start/Early Head Start programs in all the communities we serve.”
Following Mary into the leadership role of the Planning, Development, and Communication Division is Lynne Algrant, who joined GBCA on July 1, 2020 as V.P. of Planning, Development and Communication.
Lynne has served as CEO of Bergen Volunteer Center for the past five years. With a Bachelor’s from Emory College (Phi Beta Kappa), and Master’s from Rutgers, she has had a diverse career, both in public service (Englewood City Council member, 2010 – 2015), and the private sector: as an independent school administrator, as a Foundation executive, and as a consultant in a broad range of subject areas. She is particularly proud of her work in developing and steering Bergen LEADS, a well-regarded civic leadership program of the Bergen Volunteer Center.
Lynne said of joining GBCA: “I am honored to join Greater Bergen and look forward to working with this team to further their mission of eliminating the structural obstacles to economic opportunity for our community.”
GBCA Executive V.P., Dr. Allan De Giulio, says “We are indeed fortunate to be able to announce the appointment of these two outstanding professionals, even while we remain challenged and preoccupied by the persistent pandemic that shows little signs of abating. But end it will, and GBCA will be positioned to address the future with confidence as a result of these two stellar appointments.”
To learn more about Greater Bergen Community Action go to www.greaterbergen.org.