The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.
Jessica Hunter
A lot of people take pain and turn it into something happy, and that’s exactly what I did. I was young, and still testing the waters of the world. I made a lot of careless mistakes, and then being diagnosed with a seizure disorder that changed my whole world. Read more>>
Lloyd Vliet
In 2021, I started Gay Social. The seed of it was a long-running community event in Somerville that had been going for over a decade. Coming out of the pandemic, people were hungry for in-person connection. When Kellen May, who had been running that event for years, relocated to Alaska, he handed me the keys to his audience. I’m grateful for that. Read more>>
Jessie Chism
When I packed up my life in the Midwest and moved to New Jersey, I thought the hardest part would be starting over—new surroundings, new routines, and learning how to be on my own. I didn’t expect that just as I was settling in, everything would be shaken by something far more profound. Read more>>
Rich & Debb Pace
So our story really starts in Northeast Philly. That’s where we both grew up, and honestly, pizza was always a big part of our lives. I spent over 10 years working at Tony’s Place in Mayfair which, if you know, you know. It wasn’t just a pizza spot, it was a community staple. Read more>>
Vonetta Hawkins
When I was six years old, I said a bad word in front of my mom, and she punished me because of it. While the punishment wasn’t severe, it made one thing clear and that was that I had power. Read more>>
Jennifer Kochenour
I’m a licensed cosmetologist with 30 years of professional experience in the beauty industry. I specialize in bridal makeup artistry and comprehensive, customized makeup lessons. Throughout my career I’ve had the opportunity to work within all areas of the beauty industry from salon and day spa to New York Fashion Week to commercial and print and so much more. Read more>>
Jessica Grasso
We’re a family-owned business that started with a shared vision between myself, my husband, and my brother-in-law. Together, we wanted to create a telehealth private practice that could expand access to mental health therapy and truly support individuals in need. Read more>>
Patricia Dill
I had a Petsitting business for 18 years. Covid shut down that business March 12, 2020. I had to pivot as I needed income and created an online treat business in August 2020. September 2020 I came up with a food truck for dogs concept. Bringing treats to food truck festivals all over NJ. Read more>>
Theresa Johnston
My name is Theresa F. Johnston, and I am the Founder and CEO of Never Alone Again Domestic Violence Organization & Resource Center. My journey didn’t begin as a professional it began as a survivor. Read more>>
Brian Durand
I got into the beer business because of an argument over the Red Sox and Yankees back in 2004. I was hired by a company called Shore Point Distributing in Freehold where I started as a salesman, then Regional Manager, followed by On-Premise Manager and finally Brand Manager. Read more>>
Caroline Rankovic
I opened Townbank Tranquility Spa in September 2022 as a licensed massage therapist with a simple goal: to help people in my community manage chronic pain and prioritize self-care. What started as a small, personal vision has steadily grown over the past few years. Read more>>
Zach McAlack
Table of Life is a community for people seeking deeper community, slower discipleship, and a faith shaped by Jesus that can hold doubt, suffering, and real life. Table of Life’s story began with a small group of people banding together to follow Jesus in community together. We looked at the Lehigh Valley and asked, what is the greatest growing need? Read more>>
Carmen Rusu
I began my career as an English as a Second Language teacher in my home country of Romania. After moving to the United States, I experienced the disorientation of leaving behind a familiar professional identity, something many immigrants can relate to. But in that space of uncertainty, a new opportunity emerged: co-creating with my husband Symposia. Read more>>
Alina Branda
Charmed. actually started in a really personal way. I began by making beaded word bracelets with my daughter at home. We were using words like strong, loved, and capable—and I realized pretty quickly that it was more than just jewelry. People were really connecting to the meaning behind the pieces. Read more>>
Dr. Carolyn Snyder
For years, I worked in the corporate world and genuinely loved helping people, but deep down I always knew mental health and healing work was where I was meant to be. Like many people, practicality won for a while. I was making good money, and leaving that behind didn’t seem to make sense… until life made the decision for me. Read more>>
Anna Katharina Abma
Our Story Abma’s Farm is a fourth-generation family farm with roots going back nearly a century. Our story begins with our founder, Barney Abma, who immigrated from the Netherlands in the early 1900s and settled in New Jersey. In 1931, he purchased 50 acres in Wyckoff, where he and his wife Anna started a small family farm with livestock, vegetables, and an orchard. Read more>>
Benita Cooper
I was born in Seattle and spent part of my childhood in Hong Kong. My world shifted when my mom brought my sister and me back to Seattle when I was twelve. It shifted again when I started college early at fifteen. On paper, I was ready. In reality, life always felt like it was moving faster than I could process. Read more>>
Daniel Fields
I grew up with a strong sense that my work—whether in education or ministry—would always center around people and community. For a long time, I thought that meant staying fully in the classroom. Read more>>
Tara Moughan
My path to working with The FAF Coalition wasn’t a straight line—it evolved from a mix of professional experience and a real pull toward community-based work. I’ve spent most of my career in marketing, creative strategy, and events- helping brands tell their story, build engagement, and create meaningful experiences. Read more>>
Nicole Pawlowski
I grew up the way a lot of people do in Wildwood Crest—working in the family business. My parents owned Lakeview Docks, a jet ski rental and fishing pier on Sunset Lake, for over 20 years, so hospitality and hard work were just part of everyday life. Read more>>
Lisa Gilmurray
I started my law enforcement career in 1997 and retired in 2022. In college, I never had a desire to go into that profession, but shortly after college, I was a victim of an armed robbery. That traumatic event propelled me into a variety of martial arts, including Karate, Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and boxing. Read more>>
Kid Flvsh
I started my art journey at the age of 10 years old. I was inspired to draw by an old friend of mine from middle school named Taysir Keys. Over the years, [in school] I never put the pencil down and continued to evolve and learn more advanced techniques of art. While simultaneously learning art, I continued to be obsessed with cartoons. Read more>>
Mike Bruno
I became the Executive Director of the Human Needs Food Pantry in 2013 after I retired. I served in law enforcement for 30 years and was Chief of Police for 11 of those years. Public service has always been a part of my life so coming here was a natural transition for me. Read more>>
Najma Premnavaz
Meet Najma Premnavaz: Turning Personal Loss into a Mission of Healing Through LANA Every meaningful business begins with a story. For Najma Premnavaz, founder of LANA Health & Wellness and LANA Onco Spa, that story is deeply personal rooted in love, loss, and a powerful purpose to change how people experience care during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Read more>>
