Ramona has a master’s degree in Psychology from Walden and is now pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology.  She has a background in the helping professions, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Service Administration and worked as a correctional nurse and in drug and alcohol treatment programs for many years.  Her long-term goal is to become a licensed psychologist.

Six years ago, Ramona started helping victims of domestic abuse when she offered shelter in her home to a woman, who had been battered by her spouse, and her child. That sparked her to lay the foundation to build a non-profit organization called Brighter Horizon.  Its mission is, “No woman left behind.”  Ramona states that Brighter Horizon “will strive to make sure that women get the help that they need to be stable mothers and not to be faced with domestic violence in the home while raising their children. Our goals are to provide shelter, counseling, healthcare, childcare, and permanent housing placement.  I would also like to address these issues not only in the state of New Jersey but I have future plans to build at least one program in each state.”

Two of the Board members for her non-profit have passion and experience working with victims of domestic abuse.  For the past three years, Ramona has worked with a team to develop her business plan.  Her current focus is to raise funds to buy a residential shelter that will offer transitional housing, childcare, counseling services, medical, and dental for up to five families. As a mother of five children ages 2 to 15 and a domestic violence survivor, Ramona aims to support mothers with proper resources so they can raise their children in healthy homes.

For more information, please visit the Brighter Horizon website at: http://www.brighterhorizonnj.org and email Ramona at: brighterhorizonnj@yahoo.com.

We thank Ramona for sharing her story of social change and wish her the best with expanding her evolving non-profit organization.

Written by Lisa Cook, Senior Director of Career Services