35 Under 35 Impulse Magazine 10/18/07
October 18, 2007
Section: Stash
35 Successful, community-minded young professionals making a difference
JASON NARK
Courier-Post
By JASON NARK
Two months ago we started asking for suggestions for nomination for young professionals, ages 21 to 35 who are making a difference in their communities in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. We received an overwhelming response. The following young professionals come from all walks of life, all different types of backgrounds, but they have one thing in common: they are making a difference in their community.
Read on to see how the people you nominated are making your community a better place to live.
JASMIJN RIJCKEN - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Adventurous European globe trotters might fly over Camden as they head west. They don't stop there to start a career. Jasmijn Rijcken, a 27-year-old native of the Netherlands, has traveled across India, Germany, Africa, Australia and many other foreign destinations over the years. The fashionista fought for a student visa, got an MBA from Philadelphia University, and basically worked for Miskeen Originals in Camden for free until they hired her. Now she's Director of Marketing and Public Relations. "It's the hardest country to get a visa," said Rijcken of the U.S. "While you're young here, you have a chance to prove yourself though. I worked my ass off - no sleep, no money,"
Miskeen, a thriving business that employs about 100 people, is arguably the hottest brand in hip hop fashion. Think of a big name in sports, hip hop, or an up-and-coming DJ, and Rijcken likely has a picture of them wearing Miskeen on her office wall. Rijcken's still flying around, mostly to video shoots and shows in Vegas or Miami, but Miskeen still calls Camden home. The company has donated uniforms to athletes in Camden and is fighting to make the historic Sears building its new headquarters.
"About 40 percent of the people who work here are from Camden," said Rijcken. "We gave them a chance." For more information about Miskeen, visit www.miskeenoriginals.com. STACY NALLY-AGUILAR - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO The Lorax, a character in the Dr. Suess book by the same name, complained about deforestation for profit. But he was so busy getting angry, he forgot to plant any trees.
Stacy Nally-Aguilar, a Mary Kay saleswoman from Turnersville, has helped plant 200 while rejuvenating skin and making men and women across South Jersey smell better. The Lorax has nothing on her. Each month, Nally-Aguilar donates half of her profits from a specific item to American Forest, an organization that rebuilds woodlands destroyed by wildfires in the United States.
"Environmental issues speak to me," said the 33-year-old. "I read this article in Time Magazine about how the world is changing. I figured with a customer base of 500 people, I had an ability to make an influence." Nally-Aguilar replaced her incandescent bulbs with energy saving fluorescent ones and is contemplating a hybrid car - and she's got a lofty goal of 500 trees for 2007. For more into visit www.marykay.com/snally or www.americanforests.org.
ANDREW FAUPEL - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Andrew Faupel could probably break your face with his bare foot but he'd much rather lower your cholesterol scores through education. The 34-year-old Collingswood man holds a 2nd-degree black belt in Shotokan karate and also owns his own dojo, Kenkojuku Karate of South Jersey, in Oaklyn. But as the Director of the Wellness Program of Excellence for the Virtua Health System, he's kick-started a program that's making employees healthier, and in turn, saving the company money on insurance. He's helped Virtua workers lose more than 2 tons through a Weight Watchers at work program. "We've put new things in the cafeteria, created fitness challenges, started a 5K race, offered free fruit, and made the entire health system a tobacco-free environment," he said.
Faupel is also trying to gather martial arts academies all over the region to take part in a "kicks for cancer" charity event in South Jersey. SARA O'BRIEN - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO She giggles quite a bit and can break into song at any moment. Sometimes she wears feather boas and pink cowboy boots - together. Sara O'Brien is certainly silly, but the 32-year-old Haddon Township resident is also stuffed with creativity and determined to raise breast cancer awareness. O'Brien's Studio LuLoo, a community arts center of sorts on the White Horse Pike in Haddon Township, is filled with paintings, toys, books, costumes and T-shirts that pay tribute to New Jersey (sort of). The stage at the far end of the studio is open to everyone, from toddlers during the day to singer/songwriters on the cusp in the evenings.
Tyanna O'Brien, Sara's mom, died of breast cancer in 1990 but rather than take part in somber walks or candlelight vigils, Sara and her sisters decided to throw a party. "My mom was a funny, hysterical person. Basically, it was 'Let's party and check our breasts,'" she said. Breastfest is held every May in Athens, Ga., Baltimore and at Studio LuLoo. And to complete her juggling act, O'Brien also teaches yoga and is the ubiquitous focal point of the Sara O'Brien Band. More info: www.breastfest.org; www.saraobrien.com.
SEAN BROWN - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
You'd be hard pressed to find a volunteer or non-profit organization that Sean Brown hasn't worked with in Camden. The 25-year-old might as well have his own chair at council, school board or just about any other meeting that takes place in his hometown. "I don't have stale ideas and stale thoughts," he says. Brown, who was shot last year in South Camden, recently spent nine weeks doing volunteer work in New Orleans. And while he helped rebuild one troubled city, he always had his mind on his own back in New Jersey.
"My life is a little different now," he said. "I came back here with some fresh ideas." Brown's currently consulting local businesses in Camden and enrolling in the urban studies program at Rutgers Camden. He'll probably be mayor someday.
FALYNN MILLIGAN - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Fresh fruit and vegetables might not solve all of Camden's complex issues, but they do taste good. Falynn Milligan, the Farmers Market Coordinator for the Camden Area Health Education Center, says fresh fruit and vegetables might seem readily available for most people, but she claims 95 percent of the corner stores and fast food restaurants in the city don't have them. "There's only one supermarket in town and we really fit a need," said Milligan, 25, standing behind a table of assorted produce in Fairview's Yorkship Square. Milligan graduated from Woodrow Wilson, got a degree in urban studies from Rutgers, and received a master's in administrative science from Farleigh Dickinson. Along with running the farmer's market, Milligan is also involved with AHEC'S Junior Chef's program, which teaches young students how to cook using the fresh veggies and fruit. "I'd really like to expand it and have an indoor market," she said. "We'd love to make the lunches for the Camden school district." For more information about Milligan's work, visit www.camdenahec.org.
MELISSA CASSERA - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
The 2007 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Woman of the Year for Southern New Jersey isn't a beauty contest. But it just happens that Melissa Cassera is a model, successful business owner and a fierce fundraiser for a cause that's close to her heart. "My father died of cancer when I was 16," said Cassera. The 28-year-old won the title by raising thousands of dollars throughout South Jersey. She started Dine-a-Mat, a company that creates placemats and menus with advertising for businesses, in April of this year and is already turning profits. She donates one slot on each placemat for a non-profit group. Cassera's also been modeling and acting since she was 16 and had planned on making a career out of it. "I'll always come back to it," she said. Cassera's not sure if she's allowed to win the "Woman of the Year" title in 2008 but says it won't deter her from continuing to raise funds and awareness. "It's something I'm going to stay involved with for a long time." For more information about Cassera's business and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, visit www.dineamat.com or www.leukemia-lymphoma.org.
STEVE LIBERATI - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
It was about 5 p.m on one of the hottest days of the year and Steve Liberati, a 27-year-old Gloucester Township native, was shouting out motivational quotes and encouragement as a dozen kids squatted iron, hopped around like bullfrogs, and launched medicine balls toward the ceiling of a rec room in a Camden apartment complex. Training kids in Camden is not his job - he's doing it for free every weekday for a few hours. He makes money by day as an exterminator with The Pest Professionals and trains his own body religiously, but Steve's Club is nothing less than a calling for him. So far, he's spent about $3,000 of his own money to buy equipment, make T-shirts and he even got his hands on a used 20-passenger van. "I knew the area from work and I got to know the people," said the University of Delaware grad. "I could probably make $75 an hour training people in Cherry Hill but these kids need it. They don't have much." Steve's Club's will be accepting donations as soon as it's non-profit status is finalized. Since he has limited access to the recreation room at the East State Street apartments, he often drives the kids to local parks for training. Steve knows the kids don't have to be there, sweating and panting through his "Crossfit" training program, but the workouts are simply a way to change their outlooks, he says. "These kids come here 'cause they want to," he said proudly. "Now when new kids show up, the experienced ones start teaching them." For more information, visit www.stevesclub.org.
SAE AN - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
When Sae An was a boy, he found himself watching Julia Child quite a bit. He also vividly remembers the first thing he ever cooked when he was a toddler living in Korea - it was an egg. "I just developed a passion for cooking at a really young age," said the 26-year-old Philly resident. As Executive Chef at Cork in Haddon Township, Sae An has made daring combinations, from European to Mexican to French, and changes his menus to reflect the seasons. He's won numerous awards during stints at other restaurants, but is hoping to take Cork and it's customers to a new level of understanding food. "I want to help people realize that dining isn't just about eating. You have to take in everything - the lighting, the noise, the smells," he said while seated in the trendy Haddon Avenue eatery. "I want people saying åOh my god' when they walk out of this place. I want them making reservations far in advance."
Fo JIBRIL SMITHERMAN - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Jibril Smitherman is more comfortable being called a barber than hair stylist. There's plenty of stylists who work at Startin 5 Hair Design in Pennsauken, but he comes from a long line of barbers, men who could cut a fade while waxing eloquently about the latest topic of conversation. Smitherman, 31, is a former standout athlete at Pennsauken High School, and he holds his hometown close to his heart. It's the reason why, when he chose to expand his Marlton Pike barbershop into an all-inclusive spot for men, women and children, he didn't seek a tonier town. "I've been cutting hair in Pennsauken since 1995 and I've lived here for 30 years," he says. "I could have have found a building anywhere but I wanted to do it in Pennsauken - I know the community. A lot of people take their vision and move it to a more affluent area. I want to stay in this community and get my support from them." Smitherman said he's found that barbershops, at least his and others he worked at, are a little more than a place to get your haircut. "It's one of the only places where you find all walks of life - everyone needs a haircut," he said. "It's a community gathering place." Check out Startin 5 at 3501 D Marlton Pike in Pennsauken.
LASHAUN PERMAUL and LACHAI DIXON - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 28 (both, they are twins)
Hometown: Lawnside
Why they're on the list: These twin sisters attended Gordon Phillips beauty school and together, opened up R & B Spa in Pennsauken in March of 2006. They've recently started a membership program which has tripled the clientele. 'Because we're a small, we treat everyone like family,' Permaul said.
More info: www.randbspa.com
Rizza Miro - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 29
Hometown: Cherry Hill
Why she's on the list: As supervisor of services at Jody Schechtman's Communication Station in Marlton, Miro sees firsthand the rising numbers of children diagnosed with some form of autism. Miro moved, somewhat unwillingly, to the United States with her family from the Philippines when she was 13 and earned a master's degree in speech language and pathology from George Washington University in 2003. She deals specifically with children who are having trouble eating.
More info: www.communicationstation.ws
Larry Schmidt - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 26
Hometown: Cherry Hill
Why he's on the list: Schmidt, owner of Sand & Sun Productions in Pennsauken, is currently working with some of the area's most sought-out bands, including Smiles Project and McRad, the brainchild of Philly skating legend Chuck Treece. But along with recording and producing records in Jersey and Las Vegas, Schmidt's also helped organize benefits for local skate parks.
More info: www.myspace.com/sandandsunstudios; myspace.com/SandandSunProductions
Julie Robenhymer - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 26
Hometown: Moorestown
Why she's on the list: A former Miss New Jersey, Julie Robenhymer realized a lifelong dream of owning a dress shop. She took over at Mullica Hill Bridal in 2004 and her business has increased so much in three years, that she's expanding the store and renaming it The Dress Shop at Mullica Hill. And if the market for beautiful dresses ever wanes, Julie's got a degree in journalism from UMass. The only dress that's not for sale at her shop, is the shimmering teal dress she wore at the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas.
More info: http://thedressshoponline.com
Tony Rahil - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 25
Hometown: Voorhees
Why he's on the list: A graduate of Brown University, Rahil started a career in debt collection but decided he could help people get out of the red on his own. In 2005, he started the Student Loan Relief Organization to help students and recent grads navigate the murky waters of repaying loans and getting out of debt. He also volunteers as a wrestling coach at Eastern Regional HIgh School.
More info: www.slro.net
Robert A. Emmons Jr. - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 32
Hometown: Barrington
Why he's on the list: Emmons, the associate director of the Honors College at Rutgers Camden, is also an avid filmmaker and pop culture aficionado. His most recent film, Goodwill, is a documentary that chronicles the life and death of Emilio Carranza, whose plane crashed into the pines of Wharton State Forest during a solo flight from Mexico City to New York City in 1928.
More info: www.robertemmons.com
Frank J. Aiello - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 29
Hometown: East Greenwich Townsnhip
Why he's on the list: In 2006, Aiello landed a seat on the East Greenwich Township committee, and isn't ruling out a future in politics. 'I just wanted to bring some young ideas to this township,' said Aiello, who works as an executive support specialist for a credit card company. Aiello has spent his entire life in East Greenwich and says bringing tax ratables through smart development is one of his biggest concerns.
Jeska Ponzo - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 25
Hometown: Gloucester County
Why she's on the list: Jeska Ponzo is proud to call 'musician' as her occupation. Shes the leader singer, guitarist, and marketing guru for the rock band Showin' Tell. Along with playing gigs up and down the east coast, Ponzo and her bandmates also volunteer their time for WXPN's Musicians on Call program, which brings musicians into hospitals to dole out the 'healing power of music.'
More info: www.xpn.org; www.showintellband.com
JP Lessard - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 31
Hometown: San Antonio, Florida. Currently lives in Marlton.
Why he's on the list: Lessard made his way up to New Jersey after graduating from the University of Florida and found an entry-level position as an IT consultant with Miles Technology in Moorestown in 2001. He didn't stay entry-level for long. Lessard's currently the Vice President of Business Software Solutions at Miles and recently helped create a checkout system for Google.
More info: www.milestechnologies.com
Peter Markowitz - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 25
Hometown: Voorhees
Why he's on the list: Markowitz took a simple concept and made it a little more pleasant. His Posh Car Wash and Oil Lube on the White Horse Pike in Stratford is exactly that posh. There's flat-screen televisions, couches, an enormous wall of air fresheners and upgrades galore. It's one of six he and his brothers own in the Northeast.
More info: Posh is located at 400 S. White Horse Pike in Stratford.
Dr. Melissa Josselson - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 28
Hometown: Cherry Hill
Why she's on the list: Josselson graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, pre-med with a bachelor of science in psychology in 2001. Bypassing the traditional route, Josselson chose to study naturopathic medicine at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine Arizona and graduated in 2006. Now she's bringing her holistic approach to South Jersey, recently opening an office on Haddonfield-Berlin Road.
More info: Melissa Josselson can be reached at the CARE center of South Jersey at 1947 Haddonfield-Berlin Road in Cherry Hill or via e-mail at drjosselson@gmail.com.
Jennifer Baker-Leonard - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 34
Hometown: Haddonfield. Grew up in Cherry Hill.
Why she's on the list: Jen Baker-Leonard spends her days in a huge playground with her kids. It's called Little Sport, an 'education through sports' facility in Maple Shade and it's chock full of interesting, colorful things for babies, toddlers and bigger kids to do. Baker-Leonard, a former field hockey standout at Boston College with a master's degree in sport, opened Little Sport in 2004 after years of planning and fund-raising.
More info: www.littlesport.net in Road in Cherry Hill or via e-mail at drjosselson@gmail.com.
Victoria Lutz - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 25
Hometown: Mount Laurel
Why she's on the list: While attending Burlington County College, Victoria Lutz worked at a nearby bagel shop. She learned so much about the business, she decided to purchase it when the owners wanted to sell. Renamed Victoria's Bagel Bistro, the Mount Laurel shop is busy as ever. 'At 24, I owned my own house and business and was starting a family."
More info: www.victoriasbagelbistro.com
Anthony Mongeluzo - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 27
Hometown: Marlton
Why he's on the list: Anthony Mongeluzo was the friend who was good with computers. So he fixed a few every now and then. Eventually, he started a little business out of his bedroom with $150. The Pro Computer was born in 2002 and was named of the Top 5 Fastest Growing Companies in South Jersey by The Philadelphia Business Journal last year.
More info: www.theprocomputerservice.com
Jay Shoemaker - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 23
Hometown: Somerdale
Why he's on the list: Shoemaker, a graduate of Rowan University, designed and fabricated a portable DJ system for special occasions. It's not just an iPod with speakers, either. Shoemaker's system comes with lights, a full touch screen, large speakers. Plus, there's 30,000 songs at your disposal. And if you're still looking for someone to announce the bride or guide a group of 13-year-olds through the Hokey Pokey, Shoemaker's been deejaying since 1998.
More info: www.shoemakerentertainment.com
Alex Feliciano - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 31
Hometown: Feliciano, born in Puerto Rico and raised in Camden, was drawn to the arts at a young age but he studied drafting, computer graphics and almost every other art form before opening up airbrush shops in Wildwood. Tattoos never really interested him and were forbidden in his household but when he happened to pick up an industry magazine, everything changed. After working his way through smaller shops, Feliciano opened 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn in 2005 and it's become one of the most sought out tattoo studios in South Jersey.
More info: www.12ozstudios.com
Isis Petrie - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 28
Hometown: Cherry Hill
Why she's on the list: Petrie, who has an MBA in accounting from Temple, always had a flair for planning events and now tackles the task of pleasing brides and their parents nearly every weekend. She started Pure n Simple productions in 2002 and it eventually became Posh Events. She said she averages about 15 distinct weddings a year, mostly in the tri-state area. "That's my max," she said. Along with patience and creativity, Petrie's biggest tool is the large, plastic tool box she brings to every wedding. It's got more thingies than Mary Poppins bag and each item could play a critical role in a wedding aspirin, scissors, gum and her most valuable item, velcro tape.
More info: www.posheventsllc.com
James Marino - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 29
Hometown: Collingswood
Why he's on the list: He's a 'local boy who made good.' Marino always wanted to own a restaurant but never imagined himself in the kitchen firing up burners and preparing dishes. But a restaurant owner, he learned, pretty much has to do everything. He renovated the building that houses his Bistro di Marino and is opening up a 'Bistro to go' right next door to the restaurant on Haddon Avenue.
More info: www.bistrodimarino.com
Dave Welsh - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 30
Hometown: Mullica Hill, originally from Haddon Township
Why he's on the list: Welsh turned took his passion for running and experience in the shoe industry and turned into a South Jersey running shoe franchise. Since purchasing the Haddonfield Running Company a few years ago, the Lehigh grad and competitive runner has opened stores in Mullica Hill and Moorestown. All three specialize in running shoes and gear and manned by people who know what they're doing, he said. Welsh, who worked for IBM and New Balance, is also actively involved in planning the annual Ben Franklin Bridge Run for the Larc School in Bellmawr.
More info: www.runningco.com
Saul Cordova - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 28
Hometown: Stratford, originally from Mexico
Why he's on the list: Together with his large family, Cordova helped open and expand La Esperanza from a 20-seat bungalow on Gibbsboro Road in Lindenwold into a full-fledged restaurant with a large dining area, full bar with stocked with about 100 varieties of tequila, and years of glowing reviews. Plus, Saul is purported to make the best margaritas around. 'My family wasn't born here, but we're a good example of the American dream accomplished.'
More info: www.mexicanhope.com
Steve Poponi - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 31
Hometown: Audubon with stints elsewhere in South Jersey
Why he's on the list: Steve Poponi can't get in trouble if he occasionally strums some chords or plays Ms. Pacman at work. He's his own boss and it would be weird if he called himself into his office. Poponi, frontman for the abstractly-titled rock band Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start, is co-owner/engineer at Gradwell House Recording, a cavernous yet quiet studio in Haddon Heights. 'I'm pretty sure I'm going to be doing this for a long time,' he said, sitting in front of the glowing technology he uses to record and master albums.
More info: www.gradwellhouse.com
Megann Czekalski - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 32
Hometown: Haddon Township
Why she's on the list: Czekalski is director and co-owner of Interactive Kids, a Marlton-based business that helps children who have trouble learning, managing behavior, or trouble making and keeping friends. Nearly half of the children she works with have some form of autism. Interactive Kids works in schools, at homes and in their office. The company also consults with parents and school districts who want to better the lives of children with forms of autism. 'It's very challenging but rewarding,' she said.
More info: www.interactivekidsllc.com
Gwen Faulkner - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 28
Hometown: South Jersey
Why she's on the list: A good financial adviser is priceless, but that's not the only reason Gwen Faulkner is making a name for herself in South Jersey. She's also the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners' Southern Region President and a member of the Young Girls Network, a networking group for female professionals. She gives presentations about planning for tuition cost to parents at local schools.
More info: www.faulkner-financial.com
Angel Alamo - CLICK FOR GALLERY - CLICK FOR AUDIO
Age: 29
Hometown: Camden
Why he's on the list: Alamo's immersed himself in his beloved hometown of Camden by serving as a commissioner on the Camden Park Authority and a board member of Camden Renaissance. He's also president/CEO of Alamo Records. He's also planning to run for city council during the next election. 'I'm determined to bring Camden back to what it used to be,' he said.
More info: www.alamo-records.com