Newark Housing Authority
Leadership Team

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Terrell McCoy, Jr., MA, brings a wealth of experience from international media giants such as ESPN, TV One, and the Smithsonian Channel, alongside his work with nonprofits and government sectors. As a proven strategic leader and senior consultant, Terrell excels in managing diverse projects, leading teams, and crafting effective communication plans.

In his role as Director of Communications, Terrell will adopt a hands-on approach, focusing on impactful communication strategies and elevating the Authority's public image through tangible actions, transparency, and results.

Terrell is a proud HBCU graduate of Oakwood University and holds a Master of Arts from Full Sail University. Beyond his professional achievements, Terrell is actively involved in volunteerism and civic engagement. As an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he takes on various leadership roles in local organizations, contributing to the community and mentoring youth in any capacity he can.

Terrell McCoy, Jr. is not just a communication expert; he is a strategic visionary, creative force, and leader committed to making a positive impact in the world of communication and beyond.

Please join us in welcoming Terrell McCoy, Jr. to our team. His expertise and dedication will undoubtedly enhance our communication efforts and public presence.

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Ms. Rodgers serves as the Director of Occupancy, where she is responsible for managing the overall Occupancy function, ensuring that waitlist policies and procedures are transparent and in compliance with HUD and NHA rules and regulations. As a product of public housing herself, she brings a unique and personal perspective to her role.

Ms. Rodgers attended the College of St. Elizabeth, majoring in Communications. With eighteen years of experience as a housing professional, she has worked in Occupancy, Operations, and the Executive Office. She excels in managing multiple projects, providing excellent customer service, and ensuring office operations are effective and efficient. Additionally, she has a strong aptitude for statistical analysis, policy development, and reporting.

Ms. Rodgers is deeply committed to aiding families with affordable housing and, more importantly, assisting them in becoming self-sufficient.

Please join us in recognizing Ms. Rodgers for her dedication and expertise, which continue to drive our mission forward.

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Ray Rokicki, Jr. is an accomplished human resources leader, educator, and facilitator. In his new role, HR Director, Ray brings a deep commitment to organizational excellence, employee development, and strategic HR leadership to one of New Jersey’s most impactful public agencies.

Prior to joining the Newark Housing Authority, Ray served as an HR Advisor for Mitratech, a trusted leader in HR and compliance solutions, where he supported organizations nationwide in strengthening their people operations. Before that, he was the Human Resource Business Partner for HMSHost, overseeing HR functions across the NY/NJ Region, including Newark, LaGuardia, JFK, and Islip Airports, as well as the Jersey Gardens Mall.

Ray’s career spans a diverse range of human resource, sales, and management roles across the Northeast, Mid Atlantic, and California with organizations such as Apple, Five Guys, Flextronics, SpringPoint Senior Living, and SprintNextel.

A series of pivotal experiences in employee development, engagement, and retention ultimately led Ray to focus his career in Human Resources. He has taught SHRM certification prep and continuing education courses for SHRM, since 2014. He has also been an adjunct faculty member at both PACE University and William Paterson University.

Ray is currently completing his Doctorate of Business Administration, with an anticipated dissertation defense in July 2026. He holds an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management, the PHR and SHRM SCP certifications, multiple SHRM specialty credentials, and is a Certified Practitioner of MBTI® Step I™ and Step II™. He earned his BA in History with a minor in African, African American, and Caribbean Studies.

Beyond his professional commitments, Ray has served on several nonprofit boards and remains actively involved in his college fraternity, Alpha Phi Delta, where he currently serves as the National Vice President for Alumni Affairs.

Born and raised in Bayonne, he has lived in Morris County since 2001 with his wife, two daughters, and their rescue dogs, Sully and Dakota.

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Jimmy Le brings over a decade of progressive public-sector procurement experience, specializing in construction, facilities, and service-based acquisitions within highly regulated environments. He has served as a Qualified Purchasing Agent (QPA) for an authority and as an Assistant QPA for a municipality, leading procurement operations in support of capital improvement initiatives and critical operational needs.

Throughout his career, Jimmy has managed publicly advertised procurements, including the development of RFPs and RFQs, issuance of addenda, facilitation of bid openings, and contract administration through project closeout. He possesses extensive experience in architectural, engineering, and construction procurement, as well as change order management, inventory oversight, and ensuring compliance with New Jersey public contracting statutes.

Jimmy has supervised procurement functions across multiple departments within both authorities and municipalities, coordinated evaluation committees, trained staff, and supported complex bidding and contracting processes. He is recognized for his collaborative approach, strong command of compliance requirements, and ability to partner effectively with project managers, facilities teams, and executive leadership to deliver transparent, efficient, and accountable procurement outcomes.

Brian comes to NHA from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) where he specialized in working with troubled public housing authorities. Most recently, he led the team overseeing the recovery of the New York City Housing Authority which is under a Federal Monitorship. While at HUD, Brian also supervised a team within the Departmental Enforcement Center, and he was initially hired as an engineer with the New York Office of Public Housing where he began homing his subject matter expertise in building inspections and the capital fund.

Brian is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy submarine force and began his civil service career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he worked in design engineering and project/contract management. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in electrical engineering and certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Brian holds a Master of Business Administration in Project Management from Florida Tech and a Master of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering from Oregon Tech.

Bio is coming soon. Stay tuned...

Claunella Richardson has recently joined our organization, bringing over two decades of experience in the housing sector within federal and local government agencies.Her comprehensive background includes positions at the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the DC Housing Authority. Most recently, she served as a Recovery Administrator for HUD, overseeing operations at the Irvington Housing Authority in New Jersey. Her expertise encompasses public housing administration, financial analysis, and program management, with a demonstrated record in facilitating complex repositioning projects and ensuring regulatory compliance. During her tenure at HUD, Claunella played a crucial role in evaluating Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) applications. In addition to holding various certifications, including Public Housing Management and Rental Housing Development Finance, she holds a bachelor’s in business administration and is pursuing a master’s in real estate development at Georgetown University. Outside of her professional endeavors, Claunella takes pride in her role as a mother of two and enjoys gardening and attending film festivals.

Dr. Richmond has more than 15 years of experience working with low-income communities, dedicating her career to advancing economic equity and social justice. She develops community-centered solutions informed by the lived experiences of residents and recognizes the complex interplay of race, ethnicity, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other differences in shaping socio-economic mobility.

Her career path began with early professional and teaching experiences, which she undertook while completing her graduate studies, laying the foundation for her commitment to public service and community participation. She went on to serve as an Urban Planner in the City of Crowley, where she strengthened her focus on resident engagement, a theme that also guided her doctoral thesis. Later, with the Housing Authority of the City of Hoboken, she advanced community engagement initiatives and secured grant funding to improve residents’ quality of life.

Dr. Richmond holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California State University, Northridge, a master’s in City & Regional Planning, and a doctorate in Urban Planning & Public Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is fluent in English and French and conversational in Spanish.

Outside of her professional work, Dr. Richmond volunteers with her local church and enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones