Meet the Learning Teams

Camden

Read Camden's roadmap, "An Equitable Water Future: Camden" here.

Danielle Denk
Program Director, Parks for People-Camden, Trust for Public Land

As a registered architect, Danielle has over 20 years of experience in public space design and development. Joining the Trust for Public Land in 2011, as Program Director, Danielle now leads our Parks for People-Camden program to bring multi-benefit green infrastructure improvements to parks, schoolyards and public realm projects. Her work focuses on strong community engagement and has received numerous awards for amplifying community priorities. Danielle has a Bachelor of Architecture from Kent State University and a Master in Landscape Architecture from The University of Pennsylvania.

Justin Dennis
Urban Parks Manager, New Jersey Conservation Foundation

Justin joined the New Jersey Conservation Foundation staff in September 2016, where he serves as an Urban Parks Manager for the Camden region. He oversees the development and maintenance of several NJCF properties in the greater Camden area, and helps facilitate programming and outreach efforts within the communities surrounding these properties. Prior to joining NJCF’s staff, Justin interned in NJCF’s Stewardship program, managed invasive plant species in numerous State and National Parks while working on the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference’s Invasive Strike Force, and was an Enforcement Manager in the New Jersey DEP’s Site Remediation Program. Justin holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sustainability from Drew University. 

Denise Venuti Free
Director of Communications and External Affairs, Eastern Division, American Water

Denise Venuti Free has over 25 years of communications experience. She joined American Water in 2009, and in her current role, she oversees external affairs for New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Maryland, including customer education, media relations, issues management, and community outreach. A graduate of Rutgers University, she is chair of the Communications Committee for the National Association of Water Companies and a member of the New Jersey Utilities Association and Public Relations Society of America. Free is also a fellow in Lead New Jersey’s Class of 2018.

Andrew Kricun
Executive Director and Chief Engineer, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority

Andrew Kricun is the Executive Director and Chief Engineer of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA), operators of an 80 million gallon per day wastewater treatment facility located in Camden, New Jersey. He has over 30 years of experience in wastewater and biosolids management. He graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Andy also holds a professional engineer's license in Civil Engineering and is a board-certified member of the American Association of Environmental Engineers. He serves on the board of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and is the chair of its Utility of the Future and its Community Service committees. He was the 2012 recipient of the Praxis Award in Professional Ethics, and has received three Environmental Quality Awards from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He received a NACWA President's Award in 2016, and the CCMUA received the 2017 NACWA Clean Water Utility of the Future Award under his leadership. He also serves on the New Jersey Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Frank McLaughlin
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Frank McLaughlin has worked in the environmental and geological sciences fields for over 30 years in the public, private, and academic sectors.  Frank has worked the past 15 years in the Office of Brownfield Reuse, overseeing the successful reclamation of numerous brownfields and landfills to create new economic, community and environmental assets such as the Salvation Army Camden’s Kroc Community Center on the former Harrison Avenue Landfill.  He is also NJDEP’s Camden Lead for the Community Collaborative Initiative, a partnership between NJDEP and local stakeholders formed to bring expertise and resources to create innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.  Frank helped create the Camden Collaborative Initiative in 2013, which is a nationally-recognized model of successful public-private partnerships.  He is also a founding member of the Camden SMART Initiative and he co-chairs the Brownfields Revitalization Community of Practice for the Delaware River Urban Waters Federal Partnership.   Frank received his B.S. in Chemistry and Geology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and M.S. degrees from Rutgers University in Geological Sciences and Environmental Sciences, and he is currently an Adjunct Professor in Environmental Sciences and Geology at Ramapo College.

Meishka Mitchell
Vice President of Neighborhood Initiatives, Coopers Ferry Partnership

Meishka L. Mitchell, AICP, PP is Vice President of Neighborhood Initiatives at Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, a nonprofit community and economic development organization in her hometown of Camden, New Jersey.  Meishka played a key role in broadening CFP's mission to address planning and redevelopment efforts in Camden's neighborhoods, overseeing the development of plans and implementation of key neighborhood projects with a high level of community input and participation. With over 13 years of experience in strategic visioning, city planning, and neighborhood development, Meishka has established herself as a leader in the community, equally respected by government officials, community partners, city residents, and her peers. Meishka has a Master of City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners, and maintains a professional planner's license with the State of New Jersey.

Angel Osorio
Chief Executive Officer, District Council Collaborative Board

Angel M. Osorio is a native of Camden, New Jersey, has worked for the last 17 years in both the public and private sectors, in the city in the areas of Restorative Justice, Urban Renewal, and Crime Prevention. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the District Council Collaborative Board that is a grassroots organization, comprised of residents, law enforcement, businesses, faith-based leaders, the school district, and other stakeholders, committed to improving public safety and quality of life. Angel is also an adjunct professor at Rutgers University in their Urban Studies Program, teaching a course on urban decline and best practices for improving cities. Angel also sits on many city and county boards for agencies and organizations that share her passion and mission to improve the conditions of Camden, is trained in Community Policing, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. 

Keanna Ralph
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, DreamChasers International Consulting Group

Keanna Ralph is a native and lifelong resident of Camden, New Jersey who remains involved and committed to a variety of nonprofits and community initiatives within this region. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Rutgers Alumni Association, where she sits on the Diversity Committee in addition to leading efforts on board engagement and facilitation of team building activities. For the past five years, Keanna has also served as a board member for The Victory Group, a nonprofit entity which operates under the auspices of Victory in Christ Christian Center. Keanna graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University where she went on to receive her Master of Public Administration as well as certifications in Human Resource Management and Project Management. In 2004, she was inducted into the most prestigious Honor’s Society in the nation—Phi Betta Kappa. Currently, she is attending Regent University in pursuit of her Doctorate in Strategic Leadership with a concentration in Global Consulting.