Meet Our Team#bettertogether
Joel serves as Executive Director of Urban Alliance, with more than 24 years of experience in community outreach, social services, and program development.
Jessica leads Urban Alliance's community research, strategic planning and implementation of Urban Alliance initiatives.
Joanne is responsible for all accounting, business management and related administrative functions of Urban Alliance.
Rosa oversees UA’s expanding community engagement efforts, which include engaging volunteers in meaningful service opportunities, coordinating free food distributions and community health events with network partners and community allies, and creating new opportunities for ministry and organizational partner involvement.
Bill provides critical digital communications support for Urban Alliance.
Rosaicela manages activities within Urban Alliance's children and youth initiatives by engaging and coordinating with organizations in the Urban Alliance network and the community.
Joel Cruz holds a master’s degree in theology and Marriage Counseling and has more than 24 years of experience in community outreach, public speaking, social services, and program development. He served as Senior Director for the Institute for the Hispanic Family and Family Strengthening Programs at Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford, and has a strong background in case management, strategic planning, mental health, healthcare, and public policy.
As the Council Minority Leader for the City of Hartford from 2012 to 2015, Joel authored several ordinances and resolutions aimed at improving the city’s quality of life. He also served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1998 to 2006.
For more than two decades, Joel has served as an Associate Pastor at the House of Praise and Worship in West Hartford, CT. He is a board member of Read to Grow, an early literacy organization. Additionally, he is a member of the University of Connecticut Pepper Center Community Advisory Board, where he advocates for addressing disparities among elderly Black and Brown populations.
Joel served as member of the Town of Windsor’s Youth Commission (2018 – 2020) and actively participates as a reviewer for the Council on Accreditation (COA). He is a certified Fatherhood Family Life Coach Master Trainer with the National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL) and has previously served on the State of Connecticut’s Prevention of Child Abuse Advisory Committee. From 2021 to 2023, he was on the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Health Council and has held leadership roles with AFCAMP and Hartford Hospital’s Pastoral Services Advisory Committee. Joel served as Vice-Chair of the Charter Oak Health Center Board of Directors from 2012 to 2024.
Throughout his career, Joel has received numerous honors, including the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, citations from the State of Connecticut and City of Hartford, the Hartford Community Hero Award, the Connecticut Hispanic Veterans Award, and the 100 Men of Color Award.
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Bill provides critical digital communications support for Urban Alliance. He joined the UA team in 2019, bringing 25 years experience working with churches and non-profits in various roles. His skills span the digital communications gamut between web development, social media and digital marketing. Bill attended the University of Connecticut and holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Relations. When he is away from the office, Bill enjoys developing his skills as a cook, leading worship at his church, spending time with his wife and two children, and is almost always in the middle of a good book.
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Rosa oversees UA’s expanding community engagement efforts, which include engaging volunteers in meaningful service opportunities, coordinating free food distributions and community health events with network partners and community allies, and creating new opportunities for ministry and organizational partner involvement. She has worked for more than 20 years in culturally diverse and intergenerational settings, serving the community and coordinating others to serve, including overseeing the children and youth ministries at her church in Hartford and serving as an executive board member at its affiliate community non-profit organization. Rosa is a graduate of Gordon College. When not at Urban Alliance, she enjoys acting, including reciting poems and monologues and being a part of improvisational skits.
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Rosaicela manages activities within Urban Alliance’s children and youth initiatives by engaging and coordinating with organizations in the Urban Alliance network and the community. She also carries out research projects and conducts workshops and trainings for organizations in the Urban Alliance network. Rosaicela has worked in the Hartford community for more than 20 years, with local programs and statewide systems serving families and children, in addition to engaging the faith community through pastoral positions locally and in Hatillo, Puerto Rico. She holds a Bachelor of Human Services from Springfield College. Rosaicela believes in the power of laughter, and has been known to have the entire UA staff in stitches.
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Jessica leads Urban Alliance’s community research, strategic planning and implementation of Urban Alliance initiatives, and develops, delivers and evaluates opportunities for organizations in the UA Network to make a long-term impact in the lives of people in our local community. Jessica holds a doctoral degree from the University of Connecticut’s Human Development and Family Studies program and is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She believes the Church has been positioned to make a tremendous impact in people’s lives and in communities, and wants leaders to feel equipped to offer hope, healing and practical support as they serve. She joined the Urban Alliance team in 2010 and has many years of experience in clinical and direct service settings. She has lived in the Hartford community for nearly 20 years with her husband and sons and co-leads children’s ministry at her church.
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Joanne is responsible for all accounting, business management and related administrative functions of Urban Alliance. She holds a Bachelors of Accounting from Bentley. She has over 25 years of experience in accounting within public, government, manufacturing and non-profit sectors. Joanne serves on the executive board of a community non-profit and in multiple ministries at her church. Joanne, who has been married to her wonderful husband Ken of 30 years, loves when their three grown daughters and extended family can be together for family dinners followed by hours of card games.
