The Perfect Team
Our Staff
Our Board of Directors
Sanetta Ponton, J.D., M.Div.
Executive Director of Metro Community Center
Sanetta is a proud graduate of the Englewood Public School District and has been blessed to receive degrees from Columbia University (BA), Harvard Law School (JD), and Duke Divinity School (M.Div.). She has served in ministry in Houston, TX; Durham, NC; and even as far away as Kenya. In addition, she faithfully served in her home church, First Baptist Church of Englewood, for 6 years as an Associate and later Assistant Pastor before moving to Metro. At the same time, she spent several years working with Legal Outreach, a law-related college prep program in New York City, most recently as their Managing Director of Academic Programs. Her heart beats for justice, equity in education, and to see the realization of the prayer, "thy kingdom come".
Contact Sanetta at sanetta.ponton@metrocenternj.org
Rev. Peter Ahn, Pastor
Mack Cauthen, Manager of Quality & Regulation
Jorge Felix, Esq., Attorney
Lorelei Pratt, Clinical Trial Coordinator
Charles Taylor, Adjunct Professor
Stephanie Tsai-Kim, PsyD, Psychologist
Our Volunteers
Masumi Goldstein, Yoga Instructor
Greg Gomez, Fitness Instructor
Renee Karibi-Whyte, Marketing & Communications Executive
Sodigi Karibi-Whyte, Career Counselor
Deborah Moore, Creative Artist
Steven Park, Tennis Instructor
Lorelei Pratt, Tutor
Michael W. Smith, M.Ed.
Program Director of MetroLIFE Project
Born and raised in the Newark/East Orange section of Essex County, Mike witnessed many friends, loved ones, and family members fall to pressures associated with at-risk lifestyles. Determined not to become a statistic, he went to college on a football scholarship, where he also completed his masters degree in counseling psychology. Since then, he’s served as an educator in multiple capacities, due to his passion to mentor young people. The MetroLIFE Project is his way of living out his calling and responsibility to effect positive change within the community.
Contact Michael at michael.smith@metrocenternj.org
Coco Kim
Associate Director of MetroLIFE Project
Coco has always held Englewood close to her heart—she was born here, graduated from the Academies at Englewood, and has called Metro Community Church home since 2005—back when she was still in high school! She earned a BFA in Graphic Design from Rutgers University-Newark and initially worked as a designer before pursuing her passion for cooking. After training at the International Culinary Center, she gained experience in top NYC restaurants, taught cooking classes, and launched her own private chef business.
During the 2020 pandemic, Coco realized that her love for cooking was deeply rooted in serving people—especially youth. After a decade in the restaurant industry, she shifted her career to focus on this calling.
Contact Coco at coco.kim@metrocenternj.org