Board & Staff
Board of Trustees
Wilhelmina Bryant
Board President
Brendan Nihill
Vice President
Lubaina Ahmad
Michelle Foster
Lauren Bernhofer
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Jessica Guzman
Mario Vargas
Rebecca Escobar
Past President
Ashley Kaplan
Secretary
Barbara Glazewski
Treasurer
Elizabeth Barrood
Advisory Board
Christine Bucca
Elizabeth Garlatti
Alec Stoll
John Keller
Kaitlin Menza
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Raymond E. Warren
Kathy Romano
Stephanie Rodgers
Lisa Smith-McFall
Dottie Jennings
Staff
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Rev. Susan Kramer-Mills
Executive Director
Susan Kramer-Mills, Executive Director, has been working with our organization since its inception. As the co-pastor of the First Reformed Church, New Brunswick, Rev. Susan chaired the committee, which began to investigate “how to use the buildings of the church” with greater missional purpose. After several years of discussion and investigations, the Town Clock CDC was founded. Rev. Susan was instrumental in the process, as well as leading the construction changes, interviewing the residents, and setting up the programming. Dina’s Dwellings was completed in April 2016.
Rev. Susan has had an unusual history. After graduating from seminary, she worked as a registrar and campus chaplain for Naumburg Seminary, located in the former eastern Germany. She also served several years in various yoked congregations in that region. In 1998, she received a call as Associate Pastor to Trinity Presbyterian Church in East Brunswick, New Jersey. She served in that position until 2000, when she and her husband accepted a call as co-pastors to First Reformed Church in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
In April 2004, Rev. Susan began working part-time as the Executive Minister to the Classis of New Brunswick, which requires her to visit RCA churches in the region, helping them with issues and visioning. She continues in this position still to this day. Rev. Susan has served civically as a Girl Scout leader and serves on various non-profit boards in New Brunswick.
Kelly Harper-Edwards
Case Manager
Kelly Harper-Edwards is the new case manager at Town Clock CDC, where her main goal is to teach the residents the strength in gaining control and becoming independent. Victims of domestic violence are often so controlled by their abuser that they lose a sense of identity. As a case manager, Kelly’s major focus is assisting survivors with identifying who they are on they are own terms and then giving them resources to rebuild their lives by taking their control back.
Kelly has worked in the field of social services for 7 years and is a recent graduate of Kean University where she majored in Psychology with a concentration in Family Studies. She has experience working with children and families, mental health and homeless population, individuals with substance abuse disorders, and victims of domestic violence. In her spare time, Kelly loves spending time with her family and working on her business.
Favorite Quote: “Revenge is surviving, getting out, and being a better person than you were and breaking the cycle.” - Kristy Green, a survivor at the M3ND Project.
Mariella Klinger-Seamon
Operations Manager
Mariella Klinger-Seamon is an artist, singer, dancer, feminist, professional actor, director, choreographer, bookworm, and survivor. Mariella first got involved with Town Clock CDC in 2018 when she directed a benefit production of The Vagina Monologues, donating all the proceeds to Town Clock. Since then, she has been committed to bringing awareness to this organization. On top of her work with Town Clock CDC, she is currently working toward degrees in Graphic Art and Interior Design, and also serves as the Operations Manager for First Reformed Church of New Brunswick. In her (limited!) downtime, you can find her working on new musicals with her playwright/composer husband, or savagely consuming books to fulfill her reading goals for the year.
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Dr. Debra Ruisard
Clinical Therapist
Debra Ruisard holds a BA in Recreation Administration (University of Alberta), an Ed. M. (Temple University), and an MSW and DSW (Rutgers University). She is the Consultant for Trauma Informed Care at The Center for Great Expectations, a nonprofit agency in Somerset, NJ, where she has held previous positions of Program Manager, Clinical Director and Chief Clinical Officer. Prior to this she was a Primary Therapist at Hunterdon Behavioral Health and at the Princeton House Women’s Trauma Program. Debbie has extensive clinical experience in simultaneously treating trauma and addiction issues primarily with women involved in the child welfare system and has facilitated workshops and trainings at local, state and national conferences. She is dually licensed as an LCSW and LCADC and is a part-time lecturer at the Rutgers University School of Social Work. Debra is also in private practice, specializing in the treatment of adults who have experienced traumatic life events, including childhood abuse and domestic violence. She is trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Child-Parent Psychotherapy.
Jeffrey Key
Bookkeeper
Jeff Key is a nonprofit fan and supporter of community based organizations working to improve the lives of local residents. After 12 years of working with students at various educational nonprofit organizations, he now focuses his work on organizational and financial support for nonprofits to help them grow and thrive to serve more people. He was first introduced to Town Clock CDC through his work with coLAB Arts, and is thrilled to be able to support both organizations serving residents in the area where he grew up. Outside of his nonprofit work, you can find him hiking on local trails, cooking, or catching up on the latest movies.