Board of Directors

Franciscan Community Development Center

Coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, our skilled team of professionals is the backbone of the F. Their ideas help shape the direction and mission of our organization as it continues to develop. Read on to learn more about some of our incredible Board members.

President:

Jose A Valdes, a dedicated resident of West New York, has proudly served as a Board Member since 2013. With a solid foundation accounting, he excels at managing financial transactions, analyzing budgets, and tackling complex tax issues. As a key contributor to the FCDC IRS VITA tax program, he also brings his IT to the table as a consultant. Holding a Master’s in Applied Computer Sciences from Ciego de Avila University, Jose is proficient in programming, systems and business administration. His impressive skill set encompasses server administration, networking, and digital imaging. An accomplished IT professional, he has made a significant impact by a diverse range of corporate and biomedical IT initiatives, skillfully planning, analyzing and implementing solutions that drive business success.

Vice President:

Lizzett Cuervo, I am Lizzett Cuervo-Losas, M.Ed., an educator, Executive Function (EF) and ADHD specialist, and I serve as the Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Franciscan Community Development Center (FCDC), an organization I have served since 2011. As a first-generation Cuban American, I leverage my background and 15 years of experience as a New Jersey special education teacher to connect with and advocate for community members.

My expertise provides a unique blend of strategic leadership and educational knowledge to the FCDC. Beyond my board role, I founded Chispa, an organization dedicated to empowering neurodivergent individuals and specializing in time management and ADHD support. I also hold a deep passion for serving those facing food insecurity, aligning my professional expertise with a commitment to providing essential resources and dignity to vulnerable populations. While my professional life is dedicated to service, I consider my biggest accomplishment to be my role as a mom to Michael and dog mom to my bulldog, Lola. In my free time, I enjoy reading, thrifting, and working out at the gym.

Treasurer:

Sister Anna Maria Not a member of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, is a woman of profound intellect and transformative compassion. Educated in Rome with an MA in Foreign Literature, Education, and Psychology, she brought 25 years of experience as an educator and youth organizer to the United States in 2000.

Her ministry is defined by a radical "presence"—a commitment to walking alongside the marginalized. Sister’s outreach has always sought out those in the shadows: from providing pastoral care at Holy Name Hospital to walking alongside the incarcerated at the Bergen County Correctional Facility, she has been a steady source of hope. By serving as a sanctuary for mothers in crisis at Several Sources and Good Counsel Homes, she proves that her faith is best expressed through tireless, hands-on accompaniment.

As a co-founder of the Franciscan Community Development Center of Fairview (FCDC) in 2006, she became a vital bridge for our diverse community. Fluent in multiple languages, she ensures that every neighbor feels seen, respected, and heard.

Today, while serving as the Assistant Provincial of her Congregation, she remains the steadfast heartbeat of the FCDC. Outside of her ministry, Sister Anna Maria finds joy in music and sewing—hobbies that reflect her patient, meticulous nature and her ability to stitch together hope in difficult places. A vibrant enthusiast for her adopted home, she has spent over two decades truly loving every inch of New York.

Sister Anna Maria is far more than an administrator; she is a warm, steady light in a world that can often feel distant, serving as a powerful witness to the Franciscan mission of dignity, justice, and peace for all.

Secretary:

Rita Palumbo, Cliffside Park resident. Member of the Board of Directors since 2011. She has a BA and MA degrees from Jersey City State College. She has taught high school English in the Union City school system for 37 years. She was the advisor for Future Educators of America as well as a volunteer for several years, for the President Eisenhower People to People organization.an Upon retirement she became an adjunct professor at NJCU in the Teacher Planning and Preparation Department. Rita is presently a member of the Holy Name Auxillary, Teaneck,NJ

Board of Trustees:

Marcela Farfan

Anna Navatta

William Simms

CEO/Executive Director

Susan M. Colacurcio is a visionary leader whose work bridges the gap between rigorous science, public service, and compassionate advocacy. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Franciscan Community Development Center of Fairview (FCDC), she has transformed a grassroots mission into a regional lifeline, providing essential nutrition and dignity to thousands in Bergen County’s only federally designated food desert.

Susan’s career is defined by a unique blend of academic expertise and "boots-on-the-ground" service. A veteran educator with 43 years in the sciences, she holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Health from Columbia University. Her distinguished research background includes tenures at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. Her legacy of leadership extends to local government, where, as Commissioner of Revenue and Finance for West New York, she maintained the municipality’s prestigious A+ bond rating.

Today, Susan remains a cornerstone of community resilience. As an IRS-authorized Certified Acceptance Agent and Tax Consultant, she facilitates over $1.5 million in annual tax returns for low-income and immigrant households. This advocacy is matched by her leadership as Chairwoman of the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program for Bergen County and as an appointed member of the Cliffside Park Office of Emergency Management. Outside of her professional life, she is an avid chess player, an arts enthusiast, and a dedicated advocate for animal rescue.

A decorated recipient of the Bank of America Local Heroes Award and the International Woman of the Year Award, Susan is a three-time Woman of Achievement. Driven by her unwavering Franciscan faith, she ensures that no senior, veteran, or vulnerable soul is ever forgotten. Susan remains a steady, guiding light—proving that when science, service, and compassion unite, a community does more than just survive; it thrives.