Christine Hutchinson is a veteran teacher in Newburgh, NY.  

In 2004, she started Girls to Ladies, a character development, life-skills, community service program for teen girls. Since 2006, she’s been involved in food justice and sovereignty work. Currently, she is invested in the leadership and development of the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust, Downing Park Urban Farm, Global Village, along with gardening and stewardship projects, food security, equity, and distribution efforts, and engaging with leaders in the urban agricultural movements.

Ayeshah Lockwood is a retired 30 year MTA Supervisor and mother of 5 who is societally conscious and enjoys sharing her time by engaging in community activities. She volunteers at the SafeHouse Museum in Greensboro AL, and the Harlem Comes to Cotton Farm in Notasulga AL. In her capacity as civil servant in the transportation industry, Ayeshah developed acumen in competencies that support both the industry of transportation and the community at large.  Her continued dedication to both is embodiment of her  appreciation for  those who've mentored her, and her engagement in developing the appropriate plan of succession to keep our community moving forward.  Our Core is one of the vehicles capable of carrying our youth in that forward direction.   

Matthew Flowers Jr. has his MS in Rehabilitation Counseling and BS in Psychology. He currently serves as an Academic Advisor at Excelsior College and is a Board member Troy City School District.  Matthew has worked with children for over 20 years, and believes that the mission of Our Core aligns with his values of education and giving students an opportunity to thrive.

Julie A Felton is a Newburgh native with over 20 years of teaching experience in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany with a Bachelor of Arts inAfrican American History, Master of Science inTeaching Social Studies, and Master of Arts inTeaching Reading, Julie is passionate about Our Core's mission and empowering Newburgh's youth.

Serita Adjin is a nurse and health insurance case manager at Health First. She is a decade-long supporter of the Girls to Ladies program whose involvement with Our Core is motivated by her desire to be a part of an organization with the ability to make an immediate and long-term difference in the lives of young people. 

Jason L. Tomlinson is the Confidential Assistant to the President of Rockland Community College who seeks to build and maintain purposeful relationships with students, holding their success at the core of his focus. He currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Spring Valley Collaborative, and is an active member of the Rockland County Reentry Taskforce, REACH Council Healthcare Network, Rockland Clergy for Social Justice and the Haverstraw Collaborative. Jason joined Our Core to change the lives of families in a tangible way by providing Newburgh's youth with the chance to learn and engage in urban farming while serving their community and creating economic opportunities for themselves and others. 

Sharon Jarvis was educated at public and private universities in New York, most recently completing her MBA in support of her primary career in the health insurance industry.  Always driven to maintain a connection to those she can help, Sharon serves as an advocate for adults with mental illness in maintaining their homes in the community, and she is instrumental in defining the direction of Our Core's programming to best benefit the youth it serves. 

Susan Martini is a foreign language teacher in the Newburgh schools who has been at the helm of Girls to Ladies since 2006. She has developed the fledgling group into one with a  track record of internal and community connections for the young ladies who become part of 'the circle.' She leads career development, personal growth and community service initiatives, always mindful of every opportunity to take a back seat - as advisor, and nurture the ownership and leadership within Girls to Ladies.