The Newark Partnership Team
Join TNP
The Newark Partnership (TNP) is guided by a dedicated Board that brings together a broad range of perspectives, experience, and connections from across the Newark community. The Board includes local residents, nonprofit and civic leaders, economic development professionals, and representatives of community-focused organizations. Together, they share a commitment to strengthening Newark and creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration, engagement, and growth. By building connections among the City of Newark, the University of Delaware, local nonprofits, residents, visitors, and business owners, the Board helps ensure that TNP’s work reflects the needs and aspirations of the entire community. This diverse leadership enables TNP to champion initiatives that support a vibrant local economy, encourage civic participation, and enhance the quality of life in Newark and the surrounding area.
Executive Committee of the Board
Tyrone Jones
Chair: Sr. Manager, Policy & Public Affairs, Bloom Energy
Bio
Tyrone is married to Donna and lives in Wilmington, DE. He has raised four children and blessed with three grandchildren. He is an ordained Elder at The Resurrection Center in Wilmington and a graduate of the University of Delaware.
Mr. Jones is a resourceful and strategic leader in addressing complex social and business issues by inspiring Innovation, Change, Collaboration, and Partnerships that build policies, practices and programs that drive results. He currently serves as Chair of the Resurrections Center Governing Board, WAREHOUSE Board of Directors, ACCELL Community Advisory Council, Communities in Schools, KIDS Count of Delaware, The Newark Partnership, Christiana Care Advisory Council, and the Newark Morning Rotary Club.
Currently, he is employed by Bloom Energy as Sr. Manager of Policy & Public Affairs. He also served with United States Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and United States Senator Thomas R. Carper of Delaware. In addition, Mr. Jones played a key role with the United Way of Delaware, serving as the Senior Vice President of Community Impact and as Chief Impact Officer; Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League as Vice President of Operations; and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, serving as Director of Government and External Affairs and as Director of Corporate and Community Alliance.
He is inspired by a life quote by Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays:
“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream…It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.”
Donna Snyder White
Vice Chair: Manager, Innovation Ecosystem at University of Delaware
Bio
Donna is a native Delawarean with hometown roots in Newark. Her career and diverse experiences span both corporate and non-profit sectors. Starting at the DuPont Company, she held positions in sales, marketing, communications, operations, and business management. Donna supported well-known brands like Corian®, Lycra® and Dacron®. It was through the DuPont Days of Caring program where Donna made a commitment to community service and volunteerism. Donna subsequently moved to Nemours Children’s Hospital, where she helped launch the new Health and Prevention Services division in Newark. Donna, then, pivoted into roles where she collaborated with partners statewide to develop and implement strategies to address the social determinates of health and increase access to programs, services, and resources. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team at United Way, Donna led the Financial Empowerment strategy. Donna secured a million-dollar investment to develop and implement the Stand by Me Minority Small Business Program supported by Barclays.
Today, Donna serves as the Innovation Ecosystem Manager within the University of Delaware’s Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships. Donna plays a key role in the university’s technology commercialization efforts at the intersection of research and strategy through engaging with faculty, students, and subject matter experts. Donna strives to ensure new discoveries are market ready while providing technology start-ups resources to be successful.
Bob McBride
Secretary: Resident, Bike Newark
Bio
Robert H McBride is Chair of BikeNewark and Secretary of The Newark Partnership.
Bob was elected Chair of Bike Newark for a second two-year term in November 2020. Before becoming Chair he also served as Treasurer. McBride grew up in Wilmington and lived in Newark for 8 years during his UD Education. (BS and MS) His daughter was born on West Main Street. He worked in NewCastle County Head Start Early Childhood Development programs before moving to Virginia to run a Head Start Program in Roanoke. He later moved to Pennsylvania where he worked in education for 35 years.
Bob and his wife both retired back to Newark after a long careers at George School, a Quaker High School in Pennsylvania. He was a founding member of the White Clay Bicycle Club, and he is currently serving on committees with the City of Newark for transportation planning.
A charter member of The Newark Partnership he is an avid recreational bicyclist, volunteer urban planner, and an enthusiastic bird-watcher.
Jamie Zingaro
Treasurer: Resident, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
Bio
Jamie Zingaro is a long-time Newark resident. He is the treasurer of The Newark Partnership. He enjoys his involvement with TNP and its impact on Newark, its residents, area businesses and the greater community. He works at W. L. Gore & Associates as a communications specialist. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends, gardening, and participating on many outdoor activities.
General Board Members
Leann Moore
Associate Director of University of Delaware's Community Engagement Initiative
Bio
With a background in local government contracting and community organizing, Leann Moore worked as the executive director of The Newark Partnership, building bridges between the community, the University of Delaware, and the City of Newark.
As a policy scientist at the Institute of Public Administration, Leann was responsible for soliciting and fulfilling state and local government contract work, specializing in conflict resolution and strategic planning. Leann served for two years as a full-time legislative aide for the Delaware General Assembly’s House Majority Caucus after working in UD’s Office of Residence Life & Housing as an undergraduate and graduate student. She is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care and sits on the board of the Newark Senior Center. Leann is an animal lover with four rescue dogs and sits on the Advisory Board for the Brandywine Valley SPCA.
Tom Coleman
City Manager, City of Newark
Bio
Tom Coleman joined the City of Newark in 2011 as the Deputy Director of Water and Wastewater, before being promoted to Director of Public Works and Water Resources in 2014. He is now the City Manager, a position that he has held since 2017 when he took over in an acting role following the departure of the City’s previous City Manager. Prior to working for Newark, Tom was an associate at Karins and Associates, a Newark area land development engineering firm, where he specialized in commercial and residential land development. Tom was also an adjunct professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department between 2017 and 2020 where he instructed the year-long “Senior Design” capstone class.
Tom is a graduate of the University of Delaware’s Civil Engineering program and has been a licensed professional engineer in Delaware since 2009. In 2011 Tom was named “Young Engineer of the Year” by the Delaware Engineering Society. More recently in 2019 he received the University of Delaware Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Citation for Outstanding Achievement. Tom enjoys playing sports of all kinds, pretty much anything involving the mountains, and spending time with his family.
Freeman Williams
Resident, NAACP Newark Chapter
Bio
Dr. Freeman Williams earned his bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from the University of Delaware. In addition to TNP’s Board, he also serves as the president of the Board for Neighborhood House, which provides counseling, early childhood education, and meal services. He is the president of the Newark Chapter of the NAACP and the vice president of the State of Delaware NAACP.
Freeman is a former superintendent of the Christina School District, and also served as a teacher, principal, director, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent. He previously worked for the Upward Bound program and the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program.
Dr. Williams resides in the city of Newark. He is married and is the father of three children and grandfather to three grandchildren. His favorite part of Newark is the historic African American community that borders New London Road and Cleveland Avenue, affectionately called, “School Hill,” the area he where I grew up.
Chantel Bratcher-Coleman
Licensed Therapist
Bio
Chantel Bratcher is a dedicated mental health professional and community advocate. Raised in Newark, Delaware, she graduated from Christiana High School and has since established herself as a respected educator, licensed therapist, and author.
As the CEO of her own private mental health practice, Chantel is committed to promoting mental wellness and driving social change. Her significant contributions to the field have been recognized with prestigious honors, including Women in Business, Family Owned Business nominee, and NAACP Legacy Award.
Chantel actively serves on multiple executive boards within the state, ensuring programs operate with integrity and fairness to better serve the community
Dr. Deirdra Aikens
Superintendent, Christina School District
Bio
Dr. Deirdra Aikens is a visionary and highly respected educational leader committed to excellence, equity, innovation, and the power of strong community partnerships to support children and families. She currently serves as Superintendent of the Christina School District in Newark, Delaware, one of the state’s largest and most diverse school systems, where she leads with a focus on ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.
With a career rooted in teaching and school leadership, Dr. Aikens brings a collaborative and data-informed approach to systemwide improvement. She is committed to continuous learning, thoughtful problem-solving, and creating systems that empower educators, students, families, and community partners to work together toward meaningful outcomes.
A passionate advocate for authentic family and community engagement, Dr. Aikens believes lasting change is strengthened through relationships built on trust, shared responsibility, and a common vision. She works to bring diverse voices to the table and foster partnerships that help create stronger schools and communities for all children and families.
Dr. Aikens earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Delaware. As a transformational leader, she is dedicated to developing others, strengthening collaboration, and creating opportunities for collective impact. Her leadership reflects a steadfast commitment to working together to advance the well-being, success, and future of every student and family in the Christina School District and the broader Newark community.