Staff

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joann received her Bachelor of Professional Studies from the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising in New York, where she began her career in the Garment Industry. But her passion for charitable work was always stronger than her interest in the world of fashion. In 1994, having left her position and New York City to raise a family at the Jersey Shore, Joann became ECF’s Eastern Regional Director, a role in which she found the outlet for her desire to help others, building ECF’s impact in region from the ground up during her two decades in the role. In 2015, Joann’s dedication to the organization and its families earned her the title of ECF’s Executive Director. In addition to overseeing the organization’s operations, Joann works with the Board of Trustees on strategic planning, fundraising, managing 24 staff members, and leading ECF on a path of growth. Joann continues to be an active volunteer in the community and loves to spend time with her family and friends.

After a decade of volunteering at ECF with her family, Lauren proudly joined the team in 2022. She brings more than 20 years of experience in business operations, leadership, and training, with a passion for building strong teams, empowering others, and creating meaningful experiences that make a lasting impact.

A Central New Jersey native, Lauren grew up in Carteret and studied Business Management at Kean University. She now calls the Jersey Shore home, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
Outside of work, Lauren enjoys traveling, all things Disney, and spending as much time as possible at the theater. Above all, she treasures making memories with family and friends.

Having witnessed ECF's impact firsthand through years of volunteer service, Lauren is deeply inspired by ECF's mission of hope - to be a beacon of light for New Jersey families, and commitment that no NJ family faces pediatric cancer alone. She is honored to be part of an organization that provides compassionate, personalized support and makes a profound, lasting difference in the lives of the families it serves.

Victoria Shestack Aronoff comes to ECF with over 30 years of experience helping nonprofit organizations raise money to support their missions. Though recently she spent a number of years at home raising her two children, she formerly worked as a Foundation Relations Manager for The Wilderness Society, a national conservation organization in Washington, D.C., and was responsible for grant writing and other development activities at the D.C. Jewish Community Center. Victoria has a B.A. in English from Wesleyan University and was born and raised in New York City. She now lives happily away from the city in Maplewood, NJ.

Gloria is ECF’s Office Manager, providing vital support to headquarters and the four Regional Centers for over a decade. She comes to ECF with rich experience after working for 21-years at Stat-A-Matrix in Edison, where she served in a variety of roles.

Barbara has B.A. in Business Administration and Urban Planning from Montclair State and a Master’s degree in education. Prior to joining ECF in 2007, Barbara spent 20 years as the owner/operator of a meeting planning company where she worked extensively with the pharmaceutical industry for over 20 years. She has also spent time as an elementary school teacher.

Angela is a graduate from The Catholic University of America, having received her degree in May of 2023 majoring in Media and Communications Studies and minoring in Writing and Rhetoric. She has a passion for writing and uses her previous experience authoring everything from articles to blog posts to assist the foundation as their Social Media Manager. Angela is very excited to be part of the ECF team and to continue assisting in their mission of providing necessary and helpful services to the families of children with cancer.

Rose began her career in New York City in the field of customer service. Upon relocation to the Jersey Shore, she pursued a career in the service industry. Always having a strong passion for working with children led Rose to a position at Wall Township Public Schools and also to the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation where she volunteered for 19 years. In July 2015 Rose joined the ECF staff as Eastern Regional Director, bringing with her a multitude of talents which directly benefit the Foundation and ECF families. Rose takes great pride in assisting and supporting the families in the Eastern region.

Inessa brings to ECF strong creativity and organizational skills along with a passion for volunteering. Previously a financial industry professional, Inessa followed her passion for fundraising and event planning, becoming actively involved in community service by leading a variety of successful events for several schools in Bergen County. She has a B.A. from Pace University, is trilingual, and is certified in Reiki and Transpersonal Psychology. A mother of three, she enjoys theater and literature and health/wellness activities including tennis, yoga, skiing, and horseback riding.

With a rich history as a dedicated volunteer for the NJ State Federation for Women’s Clubs and years of experience with nonprofits, including ECF, Linda brings a unique blend of skills in business, information technology, as well as strong organizational and communication expertise.

Paige comes to ECF with years of leadership and business acumen at Starbucks, and continued to volunteer with a number of organizations providing strong fundraising support. After hearing MaryAnn speak at a NJSFWC meeting, Paige felt a connection to ECFs mission, and found her most recent volunteer home as MaryAnn’s right hand in the Southern Regional office. She is inspired by building relationships and driven to open doors for new opportunities. Paige’s energy, enthusiasm and passion is infectious – she is committed to continuing the success and growing the reach of the Southern Region.

For many years, as a volunteer and participant at ECF events, Melanie witnessed firsthand the wonderful ways that ECF has assisted children and families. Prior to her position at ECF, Melanie was an active volunteer for a number of advocacy and assistance groups, and continues to donate her time in numerous local projects. Melanie's hospitality degree, previous employment as a meeting coordinator and years of experience in retail have given her an advantage in assisting with ECF events.

Melanie is grateful to be a part of the ECF team and welcomes you to contact her if you have questions regarding fundraising and sponsorships.

Trish Picone has worked closely with the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for over 20 years, providing accounting services and support for grant proposals. Her public accounting experience has been a valuable asset to ECF. She holds a BS degree from Montclair State University and is a CPA.