The Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey (ELFNJ) announces the appointment of Lauren Cuervo as its new executive director. A veteran leader in integrated growth strategy and business development, Cuervo brings nearly two decades of experience driving value and developing opportunities for school leaders in New Jersey.
“The Educational Leadership Foundation of NJ is very excited to have Lauren as our new Executive Director,” said Maria Alamo, Chair of ELFNJ. “She not only brings fresh ideas, but her leadership style, along with her marketing capabilities, coupled with her donor contacts, will benefit us in ways that we’ve never experienced before. As ELFNJ chair, I have already been working with Lauren, and I’m looking forward to an extremely positive future.”
Cuervo also serves as the New Jersey School Boards Association’s senior director of connection, where she leads a cross-functional team and oversees a multi-million-dollar annual revenue portfolio. She has demonstrated success in fiscal stewardship, with a commitment to cost-efficiency and zero-based budgeting principles. This is underscored by a proven record of consistently leading her team to surpass annual budget goals while keeping within budget constraints.
Since joining NJSBA in 2006, Cuervo has served in several roles, including marketing manager, director of communications and information technology, and lead director for strategic development. She also leads NJSBA’s award-winning annual Workshop conference, the largest training and trade show event for school officials in New Jersey. In addition to other events and initiatives, Cuervo launched NJSBA’s first Women’s Leadership Conference in 2024, which is NJSBA’s second most popular event after Workshop.
“I’m excited to see Lauren Cuervo step into the role of executive director. Her energy, responsiveness and ability to build meaningful relationships are already creating momentum for the foundation,” said NJSBA Executive Director Dr. Timothy Purnell. “I’m confident her leadership will strengthen ELFNJ’s mission and create new opportunities to support and advance the work of the New Jersey School Boards Association and its members across the state.”
In her new capacity, Cuervo will leverage her extensive background in relationship marketing, program development and B2B partnerships to bolster the nonprofit foundation’s reach and impact.
“I am honored to be selected to lead the Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey and to further its vital mission,” said Cuervo. “I will focus on advancing public education by expanding free training opportunities for school leaders and building support for innovative, equitable programs to advance student achievement.”
About the Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey
The Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey is a 501(c)(3) with a mission to advance public education through training, research and innovative programming. Founded in 2008, ELFNJ is governed by a board of trustees comprised of members who represent education, government, business and the nonprofit community.
For information on how to support ELFNJ, contact Lauren Cuervo at lcuervo@elfnj.org.
