2026 Community Coalition on Race Leadership Bios
Executive Director, Nancy Gagnier: Nancy develops pro-integrative strategies that help to build a community that is supportive of racial equity and inclusion. She brings professional and academic writing, non-profit development, public relations, strategic planning, community leadership positions, community organizing, teaching, and service on nonprofit boards to her role. In her time as Executive Director, she has designed anti-racism trainings; led a team of researchers in reporting on demographics over two decades to inform areas of challenge and success in integration; and developed strong partnerships within the community and beyond. Nancy can reached at [email protected] 

Executive Board

Anita Gundanna, Board Chair Anita joined the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families as Co-Executive Director in 2017. She has worked throughout her career to prevent and address violence against women and children, and to promote healthy families, primarily in minority and immigrant communities of New York City. Prior to her return to the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), Anita worked as a consultant with several small and growing community-based non-profit organizations mostly serving Asian American and immigrant communities. Anita holds a PhD from the Columbia University School of Social Work. She conducts research on organizations, social movements, and coalition-building. She teaches program evaluation and advocacy to students in the master’s degree program in the schools of social work and public affairs. Anita has lived with her family in South Orange for 9 years. She joined the Community Coalition on Race board of trustees in 2021 and has served as chair for the last year. 

Vice Chairs

Elizabeth Baker has lived in Maplewood with her husband and two daughters for over two decades, and she was an elected member of the South Orange Maplewood School District Board of Education from 2015 through 2020.  As the SOMSD BOE President from 2016 through 2018, Elizabeth led the school district through major initiatives to ensure integration, educational equity, and academic success for all students, including the STEM curriculum realignment, the adoption of numerous civil rights and anti-discrimination policies, the launch of the district-wide elementary school integration plan, and the approval of more than $160 million in bonding for the expansion and revitalization of district schools.  Elizabeth is a labor lawyer and serves as the N.Y. Metro Bargaining Director for S.E.I.U. Local 32BJ where she oversees negotiations on behalf of more than 90,000 service workers; she is also a Trustee and Deputy Trustee on 10 pension, health, and welfare funds.  Elizabeth graduated from N.Y.U. School of Law, where she was awarded a Hays Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Fellowship, and she brings to the Coalition experience in not-for-profit governance, fair housing, and voter protection. She joined the Coalition Board in 2024, is a member of the Coalition’s Schools Committee, and served as Secretary for the EC for the last year. 

Norman Francis has been a public school administrator for the past 22 years. He served as an athletic director, middle school principal, high school assistant principal, district curriculum supervisor for Physical Education and Health, and currently as a high school principal. In all of the positions noted, a significant component of the charge was creating, implementing, and evaluating strategic plans. From major facilities referendums to the expansion of curriculum offerings, to state-mandated annual school improvement plans, he collaborated with colleagues to ensure that strategic plans were created and managed using best practices. Norman has served on the Union County High School Principals Association as Executive Board Secretary and on the Tuxedo Park Neighborhood Association as Executive Board Co-Vice-president. He and his wife and 3 children have been residents of South Orange for nineteen years. 

Terry Martin has lived in South Orange since 2001 when he moved here from Belle Meade, NJ to shorten his commute to New York City. He joined the Community Coalition in 2023 and is currently a member of the Marketing and Nominating Committees. In addition to his work with the Coalition, for the past three years Terry served as a committee member and/or Chair of the American College of Toxicology DEI Subcommittee. Terry is the Executive Director of Toxicology at Intra-Cellular Therapies where he assures that drug candidates are safe prior to conducting clinical trials. Terry is also involved with many community service projects as a member of the South Orange Elks Lodge and the Chi Sigma graduate chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. Most importantly, he has been married to his wife for 31 years and has two incredible daughters and three grandchildren. 

Moya Titus is a Financial Reporting and Accounting Professional currently working for AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. She has an MBA and brings solid accounting knowledge and strong financial planning and analysis skills to her role. She has a proven ability to develop and lead teams that make significant financial and operational contributions to the organization. Moya works effectively in a team environment where she prioritizes Training and Mentoring, Operational Improvement, and Relationship and Team Building. Moya joined the Coalition Board in 2020 to make an impact in shaping our community for the future where her three sons can continue to live in a community where they feel safe and a sense of belonging. She lives in Maplewood with her husband and three sons, where they are active in the neighborhood. Moya Serves as chair of the Residential Committee. She has served on the Greater Essex County Chapter of Jack and Jill of Ameria Incorporated, Mahaicony American Association Inc., SOMS HSA, Children's Learning Tree PTO and held roles of Treasurer, VP Administration, and President.