Montclair-Based Foundation Appoints 4 New Trustee Members

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A Montclair-based foundation that invests in nonprofits fighting for “racial and economic equality” recently welcomed four new members to its board of trustees.

Schumann Fund for New Jersey – which operates throughout Essex County – has appointed Marla Higginbotham, Carlos Lejnieks, Joseph Matara and Rhonda Robinson to the board.

They’ll be helping to guide the future of a foundation that has invested more than $86 million in nonprofit organizations since 1988 – which primarily serve low-income children and families of color in New Jersey.

“Our new trustees bring deep nonprofit, business, and community expertise that will amplify Schumann Fund’s impact in the communities we serve,” board chair Martha Day said.

The trustees will begin their terms of service in January 2024.

The foundation provided the following background information about each trustee.

Marla Higginbotham is an outstanding leader, lawyer, and active advocate in New Jersey’s nonprofit sector. She has over 25 years of professional experience encompassing corporate engagement, educational excellence, high value donor recruitment, and advocacy for youth in the legal system. Expertise and passion have led Marla to increasing levels of success and executive leadership positions in the nonprofit community. Marla currently serves as Executive Director for CASA’s oldest and most visible program in New Jersey, CASA of Essex County. Under her leadership, CASA has heightened corporate engagement and support while increasing the number of children within the county’s foster care system who benefit from CASA’s advocacy. Marla previously served as a Trustee of The Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA).

Carlos Lejnieks is Chief Executive Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson and Union counties and past chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Jersey. Carlos has helped strengthen and expand the agency in his 15-year tenure. Under his leadership, BBBS received numerous awards, including a formal recognition by President Barack Obama. Carlos harnessed his grassroots experience to advise on state and federal policy related to youth and family support, including service on the New Jersey Governor’s Council to advocate for families most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Carlos also served on Governor Chris Christie, Governor Phil Murphy, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s transition teams.

Joseph Matara is the Chief Operating Officer at Unbound Philanthropy. He oversees all aspects of the organization’s finance and operations, human resources, information technology, and grants management. Joseph joined Unbound in May 2023. Most recently, Joseph served as Chief Financial Officer at the Victoria Foundation, a place-based foundation in Newark, N.J. He was previously the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer at New Community Corporation in Newark, where he worked for 15 years. Joseph is originally from Kenya. He is the founder of the GRACE Project, a not-for-profit organization that provides opportunities for families in rural Kenya through education, healthcare, and vocational training.

Rhonda Robinson is the Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management at Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey. She designs relevant strategies to assess, report, and mitigate risks across the organization. Rhonda has been in the health insurance industry for over 25 years holding numerous leadership positions at Horizon and other health plans in risk, vendor, program, and process management. Born, raised, and still a resident of Montclair, Rhonda is active in the community, including the Montclair public schools, and has volunteered with Sister to Sister, a mentoring program for preteen/teen girls in Montclair.

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