Staff

Milly DuBouchèt is a Bronx, NY native and recent transplant to West Orange, NJ. As the Project Manager of Buy Newark, DuBouchèt has a primary responsibility to support the implementation of the Alliance’s robust and growing portfolio of Newark-focused inclusive economic development efforts, which includes the Hire Buy Live Newark framework. A seasoned financial wellness professional, DuBouchèt brings 15 years of asset-building expertise, most prominently vis a vis her tenure at Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners, an organization that innovates financial services to help create economic security for low-wage workers. She is also a former Adjunct Professor of Personal Financial Management and Financial Counseling Skills at Columbia University’s School of Social Work.

DuBouchèt is deeply committed to anti-poverty strategies that help communities increase their economic stability and growth and has devoted her entire career to help solve the problem of financial insecurity that plagues most working Americans today. 

Milly is also a licensed commercial truck operator and hopes to build a trucking business that creates jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for Newark residents.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises from Syracuse University’s School of Management.

Evan Weiss is the President and CEO of the Newark Alliance. He assumed the role in December 2021.  
 
Previously, he was Senior Advisor for Finance and Major Projects to Governor Phil Murphy. He focused on finding creative solutions to New Jersey’s most pressing economic and community development problems, including managing the fiscal response to COVID-19, establishing New Jersey as the base of the US offshore wind industry, and financing affordable housing, transit, and water infrastructure projects. He was also the administration's point person for key city initiatives in Newark, Trenton, and Atlantic City. Most recently, he helped craft the legislation to reform the Urban Enterprise Zone program and the $14+ billion suite of Economic Development Authority tax credit programs, as well as lead the State's financial review of the Gateway Project, the largest infrastructure project in the United States.  
 
Prior to entering the Governor’s administration, Mr. Weiss was Director at the Pennsylvania Economy League and HJA Strategies, where he specialized in developing and implementing turnaround strategies for distressed cities and school districts, including for the City of Newark, Newark Public Schools, Scranton, Atlantic City, and Trenton.  
He has published several articles on economic development, tax policy, and corporate social responsibility. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago. 

Della M. Walker, Jr. is the Director of Newark 2020. A Newark, New Jersey native and veteran management professional, Della has over twenty years of experience in operations, business development, training, coaching, and workforce development. Della is a natural-born visionary thinker with an entrepreneurial spirit, who specializes in operational excellence, process improvement, contract negotiations, and strategic planning. In her current role, Della leads the Alliance’s HR Roundtable promoting equitable hiring as an essential hiring practice. She works with our employer partners to implement policies and practices that create cultural shifts towards more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces. 

Prior to joining Newark Alliance, Della served as the Program Coordinator of NewarkWORKS, the Mayor’s Office of Employment, where she launched training programs with PSEG, Rising Tide Capital-Returning Citizens, NJMEP, Essex County College, and Clara Maass Medical Center. 

Della is a servant leader who is passionate about Newark, the economic empowerment of its residents, and creating communities of change and diverse corporations that reflect the communities they serve.

Sibu is a seasoned public servant committed to mobilizing disenfranchised communities through public policy and partnerships. She holds over ten years of professional experience in public affairs, community relations, volunteer management, and fundraising. As NAC Director, Sibu is responsible for developing and directing collective NAC action, as well as managing the Newark Live Local housing incentive program.

Prior to the Newark Alliance, Sibu served as National Urban Fellow in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Department at Prudential. Previously, Sibu served as Executive Director for the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC) where she was responsible for defining, highlighting, and analyzing issues affecting people of color in Massachusetts. Under her leadership, the MBLLC secured several policy victories in the state budget, criminal justice reform, cannabis regulation, equal pay, and racial justice legislation.

Prior to the MBLLC, Sibu held roles in the Office of Senator Chang-Diaz (D-MA), Governor Deval Patrick’s re-election campaign, and educational nonprofits. Sibu holds a B.A. in History and English Communications from Emmanuel College, an M.A. in Public Policy from Tufts University (Neighborhood Fellow), and an M.A. in Public Administration from Baruch College (National Urban Fellow).

Kaili Baucum Sanderson is a non-profit leader, serving educational institutions for nearly two decades.

Prior to coming to the Newark Alliance, Kaili has had the privilege of working at some of the country's top non-profit organizations on educational challenges in districts across the country. These organizations include PDK, International, American University, The Panasonic Foundation, Teach for America. Kaili was also the Founding Executive Director of Pallus, a non-profit organization, focused on growing the number of minority students in top tier colleges.

Kaili began her education career with Teach for America at P.S. 28 in the South Bronx, where she taught third and fifth grade students. Kaili is a proud Plainfield, New Jersey native; holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Rutgers University-Newark, a Master's Degree in Secondary Social Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University