FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gillian Linden
703.402.6507
gillian@rosengrouppr.com
BROOKLYN, NY (September 23, 2024)—The Brooklyn campus of Jeremiah Program (JP)—a national nonprofit with one of the most successful strategies for helping single mothers and their children overcome the barriers that sustain generational poverty—is proud to announce the appointment of Tiana Stowers Pearson as the new Executive Director. A passionate advocate for women and children, Pearson brings a unique blend of personal and professional experience to her role, making her an inspiring leader for the Brooklyn campus.
As a single mother of five, Pearson has lived the challenges that many women in JP face. Her early experiences as a single teenage mother navigating the social services system ignited her passion for law and policy reform, particularly in addressing the obstacles faced by communities of color.
Pearson’s career has been dedicated to empowering marginalized communities. Most recently, as a Special Assistant to the District Attorney at the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office, Pearson played a pivotal role in reshaping Staten Island’s criminal justice system. She spearheaded the establishment of the county’s first pre-arraignment diversion program and coordinated the development of the Diversion and Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) unit. Her work focused on creating initiatives that addressed Staten Island’s most vulnerable populations, particularly in community health and criminal justice. In her roles at Community Health Action of Staten Island, she oversaw a department portfolio of federal, state and local funded programs serving vulnerable populations including domestic violence survivors, substance users, and individuals with mental health disorders.
“Tiana’s professional journey exemplifies a deep commitment to social justice,” said Chastity Lord, President and CEO of Jeremiah Program. “Her passion for advocacy and creating systemic change aligns perfectly with JP’s mission. We are thrilled to have her leadership at our Brooklyn campus, where she will undoubtedly inspire and uplift countless women and families.”
Her leadership will draw on her extensive experience, including her time as the Senior Director of the Manhattan Child Advocacy Center at Safe Horizon, where she led the opening and buildout of a comprehensive multidisciplinary center to serve child abuse victims. Her previous roles in organizations such as The Black Institute and New York Communities for Change have equipped her with the tools to lead large-scale initiatives, always with a focus on racial justice and economic equality.
Pearson holds a B.A. in Political Science from Washington State University and a J.D. from the University of Idaho, where she was awarded a prestigious fellowship with Harvard Legal Aid, providing pro-bono legal services to low-income women and children. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Community-Based Leadership at the City University of New York-College of Staten Island.
“I am truly honored to join JP and take on this important role at our Brooklyn campus,” said Pearson. “As a mother who has faced many of the same challenges our participants experience, I know firsthand the incredible power of community, resources, and support in transforming lives. At JP, we are not just helping women pursue their dreams—we are breaking generational cycles and building legacies of strength, resilience, and opportunity for both mothers and their children.”
In her role as Executive Director, Pearson’s immediate goals include raising the campus’s profile, expanding and enhancing programming so that more women and children can benefit, and increasing its reach in the community. “A lot of incredible work is being done, but not enough people know about it,” she said. She aims to strengthen partnerships and join coalitions focused on housing, childcare, and health—including health and wellness, and community health—to address critical service gaps. Through her efforts, she hopes to amplify the voices of families in need.
The campus launched in Brownsville in 2017 and moved to its current location at 83 Third Avenue in 2023, where 243 lives were impacted.
About Jeremiah Program: Jeremiah Program (JP) is a national organization whose mission is to disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children, two generations at a time. By investing simultaneously in a mother’s vision for her personal and professional goals and the education of her children, she simultaneously reauthors her family’s outcome as well her community’s — proof points matter. In 2023, JP actively served over 2,000 moms and children across nine cities in Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN; Las Vegas, NV; Minneapolis, MN; Rochester, MN; and St. Paul, MN.