Community Leader Rob Clark Appointed President of Board of Trustees

Robert Clark was appointed president of Victoria Foundation's Board of Trustees during the board's annual meeting in June. The assignment follows the term completion of former president Frank Alvarez, Ph.D., who served in the role for 10 years.

"It's a true honor to serve as board president of Victoria Foundation," said Clark. "Nonprofits across Newark are doing vital work every day to support and uplift our communities. I look forward to building on the Foundation's legacy by deepening partnerships with local residents and organizations, and by supporting efforts that expand opportunity, strengthen neighborhoods, and empower young people to thrive. I'm excited about what we'll accomplish together."

Clark, founder and executive director of Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN), made history as the first YouthBuild graduate to establish a YouthBuild program in a major city. He launched YouthBuild Newark (later renamed NOYN) in 2002 so that youth ages 16 to 24 would have the opportunity to earn a high school equivalency diploma while gaining on-the-job training for in-demand careers. What started as a small direct service program evolved into a multitiered education network designed to re-engage opportunity youth while drastically changing systems that inhibit their success.

Under Clark's leadership, NOYN developed initiatives such as The Newark EMS Corps to prepare young people for careers in emergency medical services and LEAD Charter School, the first alternative public charter high school specifically designed to serve young people in Newark ages 16 to 21 who are not participating in school or the workforce. Additionally, in response to President Barak Obama's call to action after the tragic, racially motivated death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2014, Clark became a founding member of My Brother's Keeper Newark (MBKN ). In 2019, MBKN, an organization that collaborates with nonprofits across Newark with the goal of developing a safe and supportive community for boys and young men of color, was integrated into NOYN to lead the organization's policy and systems change work.

Clark has served on the Foundation's board since 2020. In addition to his new role as president , he also serves on the trustees' Executive, Economic Justice, and Governance and Personnel committees. He will play a pivotal role in supporting the organization's framework to strengthen community power, foster economic justice, promote youth self-determination, and respond to pressing needs through the Thriving Neighborhoods Initiative, a place-focused approach designed to support community power and long-term well-being in three Newark neighborhoods: Fairmount, Lower Broadway, and Upper Clinton Hill.

"Rob Clark has been a leading advocate and system builder when it comes to promoting youth self-determination in Newark, one of the Foundation's focus areas, for more than 30 years and I am honored to have him in this position," said Craig Drinkard, executive officer at Victoria Foundation. "He will bring valuable insight and perspective to the board in his new role as president. I am sure we will accomplish many wonderful things during his term."

Clark obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services from the University of Massachusetts and a Certification in Executive Leadership from Rutgers University's Institute for Ethical Leadership. He is a member of the Newark Workforce Development Board and serves as the co-chair of the Newark Trust for Education.