project new village

Leadership

Nyenyekevu Diane Moss

Managing Director

N. Diane Moss is a waymaker and womanist with more than 30 years of experience managing small community-rooted organizations in southeastern San Diego. She was selected as the 2019 Women of the Year for the 79th State Assembly District and awarded the 2019 Trailblazer award by the San Diego Voice and Viewpoint.

Moss is an alumnus of the University of California San Diego (1980) and  a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Alumni Network. She is supportive of and involved with numerous community and cultural groups including the San Diego Food System Alliance; Hunger Free San Diego Advisory Board; and Society for the Preservation and Promotion of African American Culture (SOPPAAC). She serves on Board of Directors for the Elementary Institute of Science; and the advisory board for Neighborhood House Association Adult Day Center and the San Diego Continuing Education Foundation.

Robert Tambuzi

Board Member

Robert Tambuzi, a longtime resident of Southeastern San Diego with a history of leadership in social justice efforts. His local public service includes Consultant to the City of San Diego’s Public Service and Neighborhood Services Committee (1997-98) and Special Assistant for Community Affairs to Councilman Stevens (1992-97). He was the Executive Director at United African American Ministerial Action Council UAAMAC). Presently, he is the Board Chair Emeritus for Project New Village and Co-convener for Black Men and Women United. Tambuzi is also an instructor with the Limbiko Tembo School of African American Culture and longtime member of the Organization Us.

[Aug 10, 1953 – June 16, 2022] Rest in Peace

Bernard Mauricia

Board Member

Bernard Mauricia is the Director of Development, with the Seany Foundation. He has had a regional presence with the American Cancer Society (ACS), beginning in 2010 as a manager for Relay for Life, then the Regional Director of Volunteer Resources in 2012, and finally the head of Corporate Partnerships in 2013. Bernard is an alumnus of Dartmouth College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1999 with a major in Spanish and a minor in biology.

Nina Mauricio

Board Member

Nina Mauricia has worked as a teacher with the San Diego Unified School District for fifteen years. Nina is an alumnas from San Diego State University, earning a BA in Political Science in 2000, California Teaching Credential in 2002, and MA in Educational Technology in 2011. As a means to transform the public education sector, Nina also pursues interests in advocacy and policy change work. She recently completed her Preliminary Administrative Credential from the University of San Diego and is currently Principal at Linda Vista Elementary.

R. Daniel Hernandez

Board Member

R. Daniel Hernandez is the Director of Community Relations for San Ysidro Health, possesses almost 45 years of extensive experience in developing a wide variety of outreach, community awareness and promotional programs for the corporate and non-profit sector. His abilities and proficiencies include grassroots outreach, issue advocacy, political strategy and fundraising, economic and community development, public relations, marketing and advertising, media relations, and special event management.

Derrick Robinson, PhD

Board Member

Dr. Derrick Robinson is the Senior Research and Policy Analyst at the Center on Policy Initiatives.  He has previously worked as a research economist and professor for the University of San Diego; University of California, Agriculture & Natural Resources; University of North Florida; Tuskegee University; Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant Consortium; and Auburn University.  He has attained multiple degrees in the fields of economics, communication, and geography.

In his current position, he does research related to workers’ rights, poverty and income distribution, household wages and employment valuation, and increasing community economic welfare. He uses this information to advise development of governmental policy, programs and activities to increase food, housing and economic security for communities with the intention of increasing positive outcomes for workers, youth, families, and communities.

Sona Desai

Board Member

Sona Desai has been working to advance sustainable and equitable food systems for more than 20 years. She has a background in organic farming, food marketing & distribution, farm business development, and is recognized nationally as a leader in food hub and community food systems development.

She is currently the Associate Director of the San Diego Food System Alliance. Prior to working for the Alliance, Sona was the Director of Food Systems Development at the Leichtag Foundation and also served as the Associate Director of Coastal Roots Farm in Encinitas.

Sona moved to California in 2016 after working at the Intervale Center in Burlington, Vermont for ten years. At the Intervale Center, Sona led the development and management of the Intervale Food Hub and the organization’s Gleaning & Food Rescue Program. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. Sona is actively engaged in local, state, and national food system networks.

Eric Henson

Board Member

Eric Henson was born and raised in Southeast San Diego. His curiosity about the history of old buildings and vacant lots throughout the area was his motivation to pursue the field of urban studies and city planning. After various internships including the San Diego Housing Commission, Port of San Diego, City of San Diego and a two-month term in the City’s Development Services department, he is now a policy advisor for the San Diego City Council District Four office of Council Member Monica Montgomery Steppe. 

He received his Master’s degree in City Planning from San Diego State University in 2017, with undergraduate degrees from University of California San Diego in Urban Studies, and Political Science at San Diego City College. He is also a board member of the American Planning Association’s San Diego Chapter and its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee. In addition, he currently serves on the board of the San Diego Leadership Alliance. 

Another source of Eric’s motivation in civic engagement is he grew up in the Chollas View, a neighborhood across the Interstate-805 freeway from Project New Village’s Mount Hope Community Garden that will become the future Good Food District Headquarters.