Our Team
Steering Committee
Executive Director
Rev. Andre Cortez Gilford Jr.
Rev. Andre Cortez Gilford Jr. joined MRJC as executive director in October 2024. Andre is an organizer, educator and ordained minister with a staunch commitment to advocating for those most vulnerable and marginalized in society. He has significant experience working in the non-profit sector and education, having served as a high school history and English teacher. In addition to his work with MRJC, he also works with area schools and districts to improve their pedagogical practice centering student agency and serves as the interim pastor of the historic Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church UCC in New Haven, CT.
President
Camille Smith
Camille has served on the MRJC Steering Committee since 2022, taking on the role of Steering Committee President in January 2024. In addition to helping to coordinate the MRJC's T-Square summer enrichment program, Camille also currently works as a Family Liaison at Farm Hill Elementary School in Middletown, a teacher and nursery assistant at her church, and as Direct Support Staff for individuals with disabilities.
Camille is a graduate of several local and statewide Parent Leadership programs and has attended Middlesex Community College and Saint Joseph College in West Hartford. Camille has lived in Middletown for many years and is a proud mother and grandmother to three sons, one daughter and two grandsons.
Member
Ayanna Wright-McKennon
Ayanna became involved in the Middletown community as the Russell Library's Community Engagement Coordinator in 2019 and joined the MRJC Steering Committee in 2022. She now works at her alma mater, Quinnipiac University, as a Project & Operations Manager in the Office of Career Development & Experiential Learning.
Ayanna holds a Master's of Library and Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi and Bachelor's in Film, TV, and Media Studies from Quinnipiac. She now lives in New Britain with her husband, 2 children, and her 4-legged princess.
Member
Lanea Collins
Lanea joined the Steering Committee in January 2024. In addition to coordinating the MRJC's T-Square summer enrichment program, Lanea is also the Creative Director of The Teaching Artist Hub CT. She is an award-winning poet and a writer, speaker, and author. Lanea has appeared in theater performances for CT Theater Company and Vintage Soul Productions and has also written, directed, and produced her own productions at the Jamaican Performing Arts Center in Queens, NY and Oddfellows Playhouse here in Middletown.
Lanea has also created many arts and theater workshops and is a certified arts trainer in the principles of Kingian nonviolence through the CT Center for Nonviolence (CTCN). For the last six years, Lanea has been a teaching artist for grades K-12 and in afterschool programs, working in both school and community settings. Lanea has a passion for social justice and the arts and continues to share her gifts in all spaces.
Member
Ashley Blount
Bio & photo coming soon!
Member
Rev. Edward Ford Jr.
The Reverend Edward C. Ford Jr. Is a committed advocate for both spiritual growth and civic engagement, Reverend Ford brings years of public service experience. He has served with distinction on the Middletown City Council, the Middletown Board of Education, and as an Assistant Clerk for the Connecticut General Assembly. He is currently Chair of Performance Improvement at Community Mental Health Affiliates—the largest mental health authority in Central Connecticut.
Reverend Ford is pursing a Master of Divinity at Yale University, where he has studied under renowned social justice leader Rev. Dr. William Barber, Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign. His activism and academic journey were honored by NPR in an article recognizing the next generation of faith-rooted social justice leaders. He also is a proud graduate of Central Connecticut State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
In 2025, Reverend Ford was selected as a Clergy and Religious Leader Fellow with the Fellowship at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE).
Thank you to all of our current and past Steering Committee, subcommittee, and Coalition members who have played an integral role in establishing, growing, and supporting the MRJC over the past six years.