Meet Our New CEO – Rhonda R. Neal
Fueled by a passion to uplift those in need, Rhonda R. Neal joined Saint Joseph Parenting Center (SJPC) as Executive Director in 2019 after working fifteen years at Guideposts, where she led strategic outreach by expanding channels of distribution for the three million inspirational magazines, Christian booklets, cards, and Comfort Kits for Kids in hospitals nationwide.
Leveraging her proven ability to build relationships, solve problems and unearth new opportunities, Rhonda, in five short years grew SJPC from $600,000 to $2M. Key notables include securing a $3.3M federal grant for the Fatherhood program and $1.1M in city and state grants. Rhonda lead SJPC though COVID-19, our nation’s worst pandemic in modern times with a resolve that kept the doors open serving more parents throughout Fairfield County. She also opened a second center in Danbury and Bridgeport in 2012 and 2013.
Rhonda is no stranger to Bridgeport Rescue Mission. While working at Guidepost an inspirational publication nonprofit, she lead a team of staff to donate coats, set up prayer stations and distribute Christian booklets at the Great Thanksgiving. Once she landed at SJPC, Rhonda called on BRM to provide turkeys and fixings for Stamford families during the height of COVID-19 in 2021.
A resident of Danbury, Rhonda, the second oldest of five, was raised by hardworking, faithful parents. She still remembers the words of her dad, AJ who passed away in 2020, “success is not for anyone to give nor take away” and “my job was to lead you to Christ, your job is to follow Him.” Rhonda earned an MBA from the University of Bridgeport followed by a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Clark Summit University. Rhonda is an avid tennis player and student of golf. She loves jazz, traveling, fine cuisine and sports. She is the proud mother of Niema Riley, her only child, who graduated with honors from Virginia State University’s school of social work and Niema just recently graduated from Hunter College with master’s in social work.
Living by faith, one of Rhonda’s many favorite scriptures comes from Jeremiah 12:5, “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? To do anything great for God requires listening to His voice, maturing in His Spirit, taking risks through obedience, pressing through challenges and loving His people unconditionally.
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