5 New Members Join Metro YMCA Board of Directors

By: Mollie Shauger | Friday, August 25, 2023 | Leadership

Top, from left: Stephen Mellett Sr., Reyna Burger, Branden Jones. Bottom, from left: Staci Grant, Jean Stennett

LIVINGSTON, NJ -The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges recently welcomed five new members to its Board of Directors, to help set policy and strategic direction as the organization works to carry out its mission of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. 

“These five professionals bring invaluable leadership experience and diverse skill sets to the Board. Their own experience with the Y and commitment to our cause will be instrumental to our Association as we focus on new Strategic Priorities and address critical social issues impacting our communities,” said Richard K. Gorab, President and CEO of the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges.

Reyna Burger is President of Suburban Consulting Engineers, Inc. (SCE), headquartered in Flanders, where she is responsible for the planning, direction, and coordination of the day-to-day operations. With over 18 years of Business Management experience, Burger has held many roles in her career including Marketing, Operations, Business Development, and Vice President. Outside of SCE, she has served as the Mt. Arlington Planning Board Secretary and as the Treasurer of her local PTA. She lives in Roxbury with her husband Jon and two children, Nash and Reese.

“I am looking forward to this opportunity of joining the Board and working to support our communities with this dedicated and enthusiastic group of individuals,” she said.

Branden F. Jones, Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer at BlackRock Aladdin, spearheads the development and execution of the business’ global marketing strategy. Over the last two decades, he’s honed a diverse skill set encompassing marketing, brand management, revenue generation, and business leadership at established, emerging, and start-up companies including but not limited to Nasdaq, Thomson Reuters, and Caminus Corporation. Beyond his professional achievements, he was a founding member of the Black Employee Network at both Nasdaq and Reuters, demonstrating his commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. He and his wife Talia live in South Orange with children Hunter and Jett, and he got to know the Y personally through child care and enrichment for his family.

“Since moving to New Jersey in 2018, the YMCA has helped our family with child development, care and athletics. It’s been a game changer,” he said.

Stephen Mellett, Sr. is Co-Founder and President of Vericon Construction Company in Mountainside, providing leadership on the future of the company and overall executive oversight. Throughout his 38-year career, Mellett has held numerous roles in both residential and commercial construction, including union carpenter, estimator, project manager, and vice president. Since 2015, he has played an integral part in forming and overseeing the Vericon Foundation, which has raised more than $300,000 for community charities.  He and his wife Keri have five children and live in Point Pleasant. He’s worked with various Ys over the past two decades. 

“With five children of my own and their countless friends, I have a great understanding of seeing the potential in kids and a passion for helping them see it too. I look forward to supporting this mission with the Metro YMCA,” he said.

Jean T. Stennett is Vice President, Oncology Services at Holy Name Medical Center, where she ensures leadership and vision as well as strategic and operational direction of the oncology service line. Prior to Holy Name, she was a key leader in developing the program for Memorial Sloan Kettering Center’s first off-site ambulatory and short stay surgery center, including design and construction of the new facility. She serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of START Treatment and Recovery Centers, as well as Chair of the Finance Committee of the Board, and is an active member of the Passaic Valley Rotary Club. She and her husband have three children and live in Cliffside Park. 

"My family and I have a lifelong connection to the Y and I am excited and honored by the opportunity to make a difference within an organization that has contributed so significantly to my life,” she said. 

Staci R. Grant Testa is Vice President, Benefits for Henry O. Baker Insurance Group in Dover and has over 25 years of experience as an Employee Benefits Consultant. Understanding the personal impact benefits can have on people has continued to fuel her passion for the industry and her contribution on legislative efforts through the NJ Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals, where she holds a state and local board position. She has made community involvement and volunteering a priority and lives in Livingston with her two children. Growing up in Florida, she has many great memories from attending programs at the Y and later in life with her own kids. 

“I am so excited and honored to be part of an organization that provides so much to the people and communities they serve through healthy living, both body and mind. It aligns with my beliefs and values both personally and professionally, and I can't wait to jump in,” she said

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ABOUT THE Y

Established in 1885, the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges invests in its diverse communities to promote wellness, safety and quality of life for children, adults and seniors. Its seven branches in East Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, New Milford, Hardyston, Stillwater and Wayne are committed to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility through an array of programs. Some 35,000 people belong to the Metro Y, which awards more than $2 million annually in direct and indirect financial assistance.