The organization’s leadership team has strong roots in the community. The Executive Committee is led by seven women who are passionate about their Puerto Rican cultural roots, have a long-standing commitment of service in the community, are majority homeowners with a personal stake in the city’s revitalization, and are professionally invested in the improvement of socio-cultural issues impacting residents in the City of Trenton. Somos . . .
Rosabel Nazario, President
Rosabel, affectionately known as Rose, has dedicated over 25 years to the social services field, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to community, justice, and faith. Her passion for uplifting others shines through both her professional work and volunteer efforts.
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Rose moved to Trenton, New Jersey, as a toddler. A saying that deeply resonates with her is “A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda”—“God helps those who rise early.” For Rose, this proverb symbolizes the importance of preparation, purpose, and discipline. It’s a guiding mantra in her role as President of the Trenton Puerto Rican Community & Friends, where she works to ensure the organization remains a vital force in the city's cultural and civic life.
Rose carries forward a powerful legacy. She is the proud granddaughter of the late Angel Miguel Torres, also known as Miguelito—the 1978 Puerto Rican Parade Grand Marshal and founder of El Último Hit Record Shop, a cherished community institution. Rose honors his memory and mission with the phrase, “Seguimos aquí, el legado continúa.” She is committed to continuing his legacy of service and is passionate about passing it on to future generations.
Beyond her community work, Rose is a woman of many talents and interests. She once competed in a bodybuilding competition, enjoys baking, and treasures time spent with family and friends. Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Science from Trenton State College and a Master of Public Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Kassandra Sanchez, 1st Vice President
Kassandra Sánchez was born in Trenton, New Jersey. Although she was not born in Puerto Rico, the island was brought to her household. Her father was born in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, while her mother was born and raised in Trenton, with family roots in Santa Isabel. From a young age, Kassandra was connected to her culture through the melodies of her grandfather playing el cuatro, frequent trips to Puerto Rico, Christmas parrandas, dancing salsa and merengue, eating arroz con gandules, pasteles y pernil, and attending the annual parade in Trenton.
Kassandra’s true involvement with Trenton’s Puerto Rican community began during her college years at The College of New Jersey, where she worked alongside Samuel Kanig to interview key members of the community in efforts to document the history of Puerto Ricans in Trenton. Kassandra was honored by Trenton Puerto Rican Community & Friends Organization as their first Madrina in 2023.
Aside from her work within the community, Kassandra has always had a heart for education. She excelled academically, graduating as Valedictorian from Trenton Catholic Academy. She later pursued her passion for teaching and is now an Elementary School Teacher. Her dedication to her students and excellence in education earned her Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year.
When outside of the classroom, Kassandra can be found performing and working on her craft as she enjoys singing, acting, and dancing. She is also a parishioner at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Kassandra is honored to serve as TPRCFO’s Vice President and is excited to embrace and celebrate our cultura with the community and work towards keeping it alive. She hopes to be a voice that reminds all that “seguimos aquí” — we are still here.
Brenda Ortiz, 2nd Vice President
Brenda Ortiz joins the Trenton Puerto Rican Community and Friends Organization as the 2nd Vice President. She was raised in Trenton, NJ to Puerto Rican parents Gladys (Cayey, PR) and Gilberto Ortiz (Bayamon, PR) who instilled in her the love of family, God, and the importance of being bilingual.
Brenda first became involved in the Trenton Puerto Rican Community at the tender age of 5. Her fondest memory is traveling with her mother, who was the first Trenton Puerto Rican parade pageant coordinator, to Puerto Rico in 1979 with all the pageant participants.
She works at Hamilton Dental Associates as a Front Desk Supervisor Administrator and her work experience allows her to empower others. It is a fundamental quality of leadership, and it starts with trust, motivation, and open communication. Brenda believes in building strong relationships, showing respect, and collaborating on solutions. A quote that resonates with Brenda is, "No hay mal que por bien no venga.”
Keeping her Puerto Rican culture alive is so important and she wants to be able to leave the legacy that her parents taught her. Brenda is the mother of 3 incredible sons and her hobbies include dancing, singing, acting, and performing. Her love language is acts of service, which is why she is perfect for this role. Brenda’s dream is to become the “Tonita” of Trenton, NJ by opening up a social club to bring people together in a celebration of pride, while reminiscing about our beloved Puerto Rican traditions, which includes her favor music genre musica Jibara.
Betzaida Santiago, Executive Secretary
Betzida Santiago better known as Betzy serves on the organization’s board as the executive secretary. She was born in Yauco, PR and to Puerto Rican parents of Taino descent
Betzy grew up in the city of Trenton in the Chambersburg neighborhood. She completed secondary school in Penuelas, PR. As an adult, she relocated to Trenton, NJ. Betzy has worked in the medical field for over 13 years in different administrative roles, specializing in medical billing and coding. As a passionate advocate for Puerto Rican Heritage, she works to revive and celebrate the rich culture and history of Puerto Rico both from the island and within the city of Trenton.
Proudly Boricua, Betzy carried the rhythm of the island in her heart and the joy of a plena in her soul. High spirited and full of energy, she brings the warmth, strength and vibrancy of Puerto Rican culture into everything she does.
Shante Santos, 1st Treasurer
Shante Santos is a proud Puerto Rican originally from North Jersey. She relocated to Trenton and has been residing in the city for 17 years. Her parents are from the beautiful Puerto Rico towns of Arecibo and Ponce. Shante has many accomplishments in her career. She has 11 years in the pharmaceutical industry and furthered her education to suit her lifestyle at each moment. She is a certified electrical technician and is presently in real estate school. She also is an entrepreneur who manages and runs a couple of businesses. She is the proprietor of The Party Spot, an event space here in the city of Trenton. She is presently the Treasurer of the organization.
Family is an integral part of her life, she is a dedicated wife and mother of 5 children. She is passionate about giving back to her community and make people happy. Giving back is something she has always done, even through her own adversity. She gives credit to God for the gift of being able and willing to help people in this life and will continue to do so.
Krystal DeLeon, Trustee
Krystal affectionately called Kris or Mimi was the former President of the Trenton Puerto Rican Community & Friends Organization. Her leadership skills were honed during her tenure as Secretary of the Trenton Puerto Rican Parade Association. Kris was born here in the U.S. with parents from La Isla born in Isabela and Ciales. Although she was born in the U.S., she spoke her parents’ mother tongue, Español only, and was placed in ESL classes until the 3rd grade. Un dicho Kris holds dearly is “mejor sola que mal acompañada”. Kris shares, “I like this saying because it took me many years and heartbreak to learn that solitude can be a blessing at times because sometimes those around you do not have your best intentions at heart”.
Krystal has been a lifelong resident of Mercer County. Professionally, Kris wears two hats. She currently serves as a Small Business Outreach Analyst. Most of her time is dedicated to building her entrepreneurial skills as co-owner alongside her lovely husband Edgar (de Guatemala) of the family business Alpha Ink Tattoo Shop, which was inaugurated in 2021. Krystal and Edgar are parents to three beautiful children Jonathan, Aiden and Arianna. Kris also holds a Masters in Psychology. Prior to getting into the small business world she started her passion of helping others through working in the medical field for 15 years. She loves to read and write and aspires to write a book on the struggles in her life that were used as motivation to beat the odds and achieve greater than her circumstance. A future goal is a not-for-profit organization focused on mental health resources and counseling.
Through her role as Trustee, Kris wants to continue to reach out to the community and give back through philanthropic means. She intends to learn more about the cultura to teach others and sustain the traditions for future generations.
Alex Rodriguez, Sergeant of Arms
Maritza Raimundo-Petroski, Trustee
Maritza Isaura Raimundi-Petroski, a trailblazing leader, traces her roots to San Sebastián de las Vegas del Pepino in Puerto Rico, where her mother's family has a rich history. Her father's family hails from Almirante Norte, Vega Baja, the same hometown as the renowned Bad Bunny. Maritza earned her dual undergraduate degree in Puerto Rican Hispanic Caribbean Studies and Spanish from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, laying the groundwork for her future accomplishments. She later obtained a Master's in Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Rutgers University in Newark, equipping her with the expertise to drive meaningful change.
Notably, Maritza co-instructed a course at The College of New Jersey, focusing on environmental justice, civic responsibility, and racial disparities in Puerto Rico, shedding light on the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. A long-time Mercer County resident for 24 years, Maritza spent 13 years in the South Ward of Trenton, where she began her journey at the Mercer County Hispanic Association (MECHA). As Vice President at The Children's Home Society of New Jersey, Maritza continues to empower her community. She also holds various volunteer roles, including Vice-Chair of the Trenton Health Team, and was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to serve on the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority, a groundbreaking initiative. Maritza's personal life is marked by love and commitment, sharing her life with her high school sweetheart, their beautiful daughter, and their loyal dog, Koda
Meet Our Executive Committee
Carmen Gandulla currently holds the position of Finance Director, a pivotal role in the administration of Jersey City. Appointed to this position by Mayor Steven Fulop in April 2022, she is not only the first female but also the first Puerto Rican to assume this influential role in the city. Carmen brings a wealth of financial management expertise gained from her extensive background in the private sector. Her tenure as Finance Director has been instrumental in ensuring financial stability and driving progress for the betterment of all Jersey City, NJ residents.
Before assuming her role as Finance Director, Carmen Gandulla served as the Director of the Division of Community Development for the City of Jersey City, a position she held since 2014. In this capacity, she effectively managed a multitude of federal grants, totaling approximately $100 million, including grants such as Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOWPA), CDBG, CSBG, HOME, and ESG, spanning fiscal years 2014-2024. Her remarkable leadership extended to overseeing the city's CARES ACT and American Rescue Plan funds.
Carmen has also made significant contributions at the municipal level, serving as the Chairperson for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Review Committee, where she administered funds dedicated to the development and preservation of affordable housing units. Within the County of Hudson, she played a crucial role on the Alliance to End Homelessness’ and Homelessness Trust Fund Executive Board.
In 2017, Carmen was appointed to the Board of the National Community Development Association for Region 2. Notably, she also served as Co-Chair of the Tech Committee, focused on enhancing technological platforms within the NCDA, while keeping abreast of HUD changes and updates. Her dedication and expertise in the field of community development were recognized by the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, where she received an award as a "Rising Leader." In 2023, the National Community Development Association awarded her the Community Development Service Award for her commitment on helping the association and her nationwide peers.
Carmen Gandulla’ esteemed journey in the Jersey City community began in 2008 when she considered it her cherished home. With a solid foundation of experience in the private sector, specifically in banking and finance at JP Morgan Chase, she brought valuable insights to her role as the first Hispanic Community Development Director during her tenure.
Additionally, Carmen serves as a statewide Puerto Rican Commissioner, actively advocating for interconnectivity and creating better opportunities for Puerto Ricans residing in New Jersey and on the island. Her unwavering dedication to inclusivity and the pursuit of equitable opportunities has earned her immense respect and admiration from the community she represents.
Driven by a passion for public service and a deep-rooted commitment to the community, Carmen Gandulla has dedicated her career to making a positive impact.