Contributors

Christina Noble was appointed as the first-ever Director of Youth Services for the City of Atlantic City in 2022, and is responsible for organizing and directing the varied activities of this comprehensive division. Over the years, her passion for youth and community has inspired her work as a changemaker. Christina’s deep connection to Atlantic City drives her commitment and service to this community. Prior to working for the City of Atlantic City, Christina was a national award-winning project manager for Stories of Atlantic City acting as a community organizer, event coordinator and strategic planner. After working in education in NJ and Washington, DC for over 10 years, and engaging with many marginalized communities, Christina learned the importance of narrative as it relates to identity. Alongside the SOAC Team, Christina has helped to develop and nurture community and media partner relationships by collaborating with local organizations, activists, artists and other community members on projects that highlight the resilience and strengths of the Atlantic City Community. This work now informs her current role. Outside of her work with the City, Christina is a youth mentor, world traveler (having traveled to over 30 countries) and an international dance teacher and performer. She currently serves as a planning team member for the New Jersey News + Info Collaborative, a founding member of the NJ Community Media Collective, a member of the Atlantic City Food Access Coalition, a NAACP member; and an advisory board member for MudGirls Studio, ACHS Teen Center Community Liaison Board, and Atlantic City Early Childhood Advisory Council. Christina holds a B.S. in Psychology and Human Development from Howard University and is currently pursuing a M.A. degree in American Studies.

Christopher Marsh is a Recreation Specialist for the City of Atlantic City’s Division of Recreation. He is a graduate of Morgan State University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Multiplatform Production. His goal is to impact the kids & young adults in the community, open their eyes to expand different horizons; give them chances to see and explore things they haven’t been able to. This is a very important reason why he the position and that is to impact the youth in a positive way involving sports and life.

Collins Days Jr., originally from South Carolina, grew up on the Westside of Atlantic City where he attended Atlantic City Public Schools. Collins went on to attend Morris College, a HBCU in Sumter, South Carolina, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a minor in Criminal Justice. After graduation, he knew he wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to him, leading him to move back to Atlantic City. In 2007, while working in the Atlantic City School District, Collins was accepted into the nursing program at Atlantic Cape Community College. However, his experience in education led him to find his calling: working with youth. Following his passion, Collins continued on to work for Pleasantville School District where he assisted disabled children and coached varsity football and basketball, joined the Covenant House staff working alongside youth experiencing homelessness, and was later hired as a corrections officer at Harbor Fields Detention Center where he mentored youth in the justice system. His time in each of these roles allowed him to recognize the connection between lack of resources in Black and Brown communities and delinquent behaviors. This inspired Collins to connect to underserved youth in a new, proactive way. In his current role of program coordinator, Collins aims to assist the youth of Atlantic City by providing them with the life skills, opportunities, and resources needed to enhance their futures. He continues to act as a mentor while enthusiastically building relationships with children and families.

Elizabeth is an Atlantic City resident who actively implements change through her dedicated service to this community. After working in the library field for the last 18 years and creating fun and diverse programs for kids, Elizabeth is excited to bring her skills and passion to benefit the youth of Atlantic City. She sits on multiple boards across town and often seeks out volunteer opportunities in which to give back. In her current role as program specialist, Elizabeth works hands-on and behind the scenes to both create and facilitate innovative programming for AC’s youth. Her greatest success is raising two amazing boys and being married to her best friend for the last 30 years.

Eric is a youth advocate passionate about inspiring young people to be the best versions of themselves. He is a graduate of Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA with a bachelor's degree in Business and Economics Over the past 15 years, Eric has volunteered with organizations such as Head Start and the America Reads program and has acted as a mentor and coach in various schools and communities locally. As a former business professional at Bank of America and Wells Fargo, Eric often volunteered at the Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club and Uptown School Complex teaching children financial literacy. In his current role as program coordinator, Eric will utilize his experience in building relationships and developing successful strategies to help bring innovative, specialized programming to the youth of Atlantic City.

Nefertiti Hathaway is an Atlantic City native who was raised between Atlantic City and Aliquippa, PA. While attending Atlantic City East Campus School, Nefertiti attended her first college tour. After this experience, she realized she must think beyond her borders and vowed to be a role model for her community. With the mindset of “Anything is possible,” Nefertiti went on to attend Lincoln University where she studied human services, anthropology and criminal justice. At Lincoln University, Nefertiti discovered her passion to serve. It is this passion that led her to start a non-profit organization, Ubuntu the Community, in 2018. Ubuntu in the Zulu language means “I am because we are”. Through Ubuntu the Community, Nefertiti has hosted various free community events including a city-wide annual Juneteenth cookout and the “Let’s Talk About It” mentoring program where girls ages 12-18 can come be who they are unapologetically while learning and developing useful skills to succeed. As a youth Program Coordinator for the City of Atlantic City, Nefertiti is committed to creating programs that will expose the children of Atlantic City to new opportunities and develop them into effective leaders and citizens.

Born and raised in the great city of Atlantic City, Tasha began her journey servicing Atlantic City's youth in 2010 as a program coordinator for Youth Exposure Mentoring & Enrichment Program. The mission was to break the poverty cycle by empowering low-income students to strive for high levels of success through pursuit of education, leadership development, and community service. Tasha has over 14 years of management experience, having spent 10 years in the hospitality industry and 7 years in Early Childhood Education. She obtained a B.A. in Individualized Studies with a specialization in Business and Technology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an A.A. in Liberal Arts with a specialization in Business Administration from Atlantic Cape Community College. Tasha brings to her role of assistant director a wealth of knowledge and experience in both management and youth work. She is excited to be a part of the Youth Services team where she can continue to be of service and make a difference in the lives of children in Atlantic City.

Tre' was born and raised in Atlantic City, NJ, later moving to Galloway Township where he graduated from Absegami High School. After high school, Tre 'interned under a Philadelphia establishment where he learned the ins-and-outs of running a clothing brand. This led him to attend the Art Institute of Philadelphia where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing and Design. After college, Tre’ was a freelance designer for emerging brands and businesses and continues to work alongside graphic designers. In his current role, Tre’ uses his creative talents towards the promotion and branding of the division and provides organizational support.

Ziggy Chau is an award-winning marketing and communications leader with over 25 years of experience helping brands, businesses, and organizations amplify their stories, scale their missions, and drive meaningful, sustainable change. With expertise spanning communications, crisis management, brand building, and go-to-market launches, Ziggy seamlessly integrates media insights with modern communications strategies to provide strategic counsel across diverse industries. Ziggy's professional journey includes roles at Fortune 50 organizations such as Bank of New York Mellon, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Charter Communications, and Time Warner, where she honed her skills and ignited her passion for launching Lucky PR Inc. Driven by a desire for greater diversity at the senior level of her field, she relaunched Lucky PR with the guiding principle of nurturing the next generation of marketing and digital professionals through mentorship, education, and opportunity. Her ethos, "Each one teach one," reflects her commitment to giving back by providing marginalized BIPOC youth with resources, mentorship, education, and connections previously out of reach. Ziggy holds a Master of Science degree from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and completed her undergraduate studies at Rutgers University. Her educational background, combined with her extensive professional experience, underscores her unwavering dedication to excellence in marketing and communications leadership, with a passion for mentorship, diversity, and societal impact.