Honorees

Exciting news! I am thrilled to announce that The Parada San Juan Bautista of Camden, NJ has chosen me as this year’s Grand Marshal for the Puerto Rican Parade! I am proud and committed to continue supporting the events from May to June; Desfile Puertorriqueño throughout Camden and the Delaware Valley area. Como descendencia puertorriqueña, ¿qué honor continuar esta hermosa tradición en nuestra ciudad?

Let me thank the President, Felix Moulier and the board of directors for nominating me this year’s grand marshal. Together, we will encourage everyone to support this 2025 Parada San Juan Bautista’s 68th anniversary. Please visit the website (www.sjbp.org) and become a sponsor, contributor, get involved and volunteer, advertisements (including me and the rest of this year’s awardees and scholarship recipients).

Historically, “in 1957, a group of parishioners from Our Lady of Mount Carmel/Fatima Church marched under the leadership of its founder, Father Leonardo Carrieri. These parishioners gave witness to their and Puerto Rican heritage, culture and traditions, thus forming the Parada San Juan Bautista, Inc. also known as St. John the Baptist Parade, Inc. It epitomized the aspirations of a community in search of recognition and equal opportunities. One of the main objectives of the first parade was to present a positive image of the Puerto Rican community.” It is my privilege to continue that legacy with honor; therefore, I encourage all private and public sec- tors, faith-based leaders, elected and appointed officials, Boricuas and all ethnic groups to say, “Presente” from the flag raising, June 2nd to the thousands that will line the streets of Camden on Sunday, June 29th. (Of course, the many in between events; especially, the Gala).

The mission of the Parada San Juan Bautista, Inc. is to create solidarity and harmony within the entire community. As Grand Marshal, I will convey to all Puerto Ricans and all city’s 30 plus cultures to join me as we celebrate Puerto Rican’s Fiestas Patronales. As our salsa legend Marc Anthony says, “Ay, pa’llá voy Ay, pa’llá voy Ay, pa’llá voy Donde me llamen, pa’llá me voy” May God continue to bless our culture and traditions for many years to come.

Jose Javier Ramos was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico in 1978 and migrated to the United States in 1989. Raised in the South Bronx, NY, he faced numerous hardships, including periods of homelessness. By the age of 16, Ramos doubted he’d live to see adulthood. But everything changed on November 15, 1996, when he found his Faith—an awakening that set him on the path to his true calling: serving others.

Ramos has dedicated over 12 years to serving families in Camden, NJ, including 10 years in various roles within the Camden City School District, where he currently works as a Specialist in Family Solutions and Community Partnerships. A proud father of three adult children, he also serves as an Assistant Minister with the men’s ministry at the Revival Center in Woodbury, NJ.

Guided by his unwavering Faith in Jesus Christ and a deep commitment to the Golden Rule—“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”—Ramos is known for offering a helping hand, a listening ear, and a shoulder to lean on. He encourages leaders and service workers to “not be afraid to love people unconditionally,” and believes it is a great sin “to have the ability and resources to help others but choose not to.”

In his free time, he enjoys cooking and baking, finding peace and joy in the kitchen. Being named 2025’s Padrino of the Parada San Juan Bautista is a humbling and  unexpected honor for Ramos, who never seeks recognition for doing God’s work. He sees this platform as yet another opportunity to continue his advocacy for human  rights and uplift those in need.

Carmen Ubarry was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico and raised in Camden, New Jersey. The youngest of seven siblings and raised by a single mother, Carmen grew up in a very tight-knit family with strong civic-minded values. Her mother, Carmen Bonano, instilled in her family the value of community service and social consciousness. 

She graduated from Lincoln University with a Masters in Human Services.  Ultimately, Carmen became an inclusive leader with an aptitude to affect change in the lives of people especially brown and black families. She learned to contribute her talent and voice where needed, and after 26 years of working in the K-12 charter school setting became an expert in family engagement, community partnerships and post-secondary programming education. 

She currently works and is a founding staff member at Mastery High School of Camden (MHSC) as the Family and Community Engagement Manager. Her start in the charter school movement began as a founding family member for the LEAP Academy University Charter School.  She started there as a parent volunteer and worked her way up to Director of College Access.  The 19 years spent at LEAP Academy prepared her to put her extensive knowledge and experience into shaping MHSC in becoming the largest high school in Camden City and the first high school located in the North Camden area.

In 2015, she began her work at Mastery High School of Camden. Under her guidance, the MHSC has developed a myriad of community partnerships that provide extraordinary opportunities for high schoolers to pursue and explore post-secondary options. Her work in sparking awareness of the importance of workforce development to prepare and secure living wage jobs for high school graduates entering the 21st century job market was the impetus in making MHSC a pioneer for this model in Camden City with other high schools quickly following suit.

In her many hats at MHSC, Ubarry saw the need for students to embrace their return to school post pandemic and used the Extra-Curricular Program to increase attendance, school spirit and student achievement. It has grown into the largest and most impactful EC program in the Mastery network offering a plethora of opportunities for students to discover and develop leadership skills, community service, hobbies, sports, career awareness and school spirit. Carmen has a heart for immigrant and undocumented families and works diligently to connect and support students and their families in understanding their rights.  Under her auspices, MHSC is the first school to implement a safety policy and planning document in their enrollment process to protect and inform undocumented and immigrant families of their rights and available resources.

Throughout her career, Carmen Ubarry has spearheaded numerous initiatives to engage families in working within their schools to improve student achievement, family cohesiveness and neighborhood improvements. Her most recent project is working with state and local entities to build a STEM Park connected to MHSC with outdoor classrooms, community gardens, and access to the water for sports, marine biology and environmental sciences curriculum. 

Carmen currently lives in New Jersey and counts her 3 children and grandsons as her greatest blessings. She loves to travel with her sisters and spend time with her loved ones. 

Ernesto Ventura is the chef owner of La Ingrata Camden, a restaurant he co-owns with his wife, chef Karla Torres. Since opening in 2022, La Ingrata Camden has been dedicated to bringing authentic Mexican cuisine to the Camden community while creating a welcoming space that represents their culture and values.

Born in Puebla, Mexico, and raised in Camden, Ernesto developed a passion for cooking at an early age, building his career through hands-on experience and formal culinary training. Karla, originally from Mexico City, has also built a strong career in the restaurant industry and plays a key role in the business’s operations and growth. Together, they have worked tirelessly to establish La Ingrata Camden as more than just a restaurant—it is a gathering place that fosters connection, cultural pride, and community support.

Beyond their business, Ernesto and Karla are deeply committed to giving back. They regularly donate meals to local nonprofits and support initiatives that uplift the Camden community. Additionally, La Ingrata Camden has always honored public service workers, teachers, and military personnel by offering them a standing discount as a token of appreciation.

Through their dedication to excellence, hospitality, and community engagement, Ernesto and Karla continue to make a lasting impact, strengthening Camden and celebrating their heritage one meal at a time.

Born and raised in the City of Camden by parents who emigrated from Nicaragua, Lieutenant Carolyn Dona began her law enforcement career in 2010 after graduating from the Camden County College Police Academy. She immediately joined the former Camden Police Department and worked as a uniformed officer and did community-oriented policing before joining the Camden County Police Department upon its inception in 2013.

She was assigned to the Special Victims Unit in 2014 handling missing persons. She was promoted to sergeant in 2018, taking on a role in December of that year in the Investigations Bureau supervising general investigations along with missing persons and sexual assaults. She was promoted to lieutenant in January 2024 and continues to supervise a range of investigative units.

Over the course of her career, Lieutenant Dona has taken part in a number of highly specialized training programs specific to investigative work involving juveniles, missing persons, interview techniques and leadership.

Jennifer Barrientos-Morris has been a member of the Camden City community for most of her life.  Jennifer is the oldest of triplets born to Hilda and David Barrientos who have been married for 50 years.  Jennifer and her siblings have all been employed in the public sector.  Of the triplets, Jennifer and her brother Christopher have been employed with the Camden Fire Department for 24 years, her sister Jacqueline has been a NJ State Senior Corrections Officer for 23 years and their older brother David is a retired Camden City Police Officer.  Jennifer is currently married to her high school sweetheart David of 17 years, and has been blessed with 2 beautiful children, 18 year old David and 15 year old Sanaa.  

Jennifer was born and raised in Camden and is a product of the Camden City public schools system where she eventually graduated from Camden High School in 1999.  

In 2001 Jennifer entered the Camden City Fire Department as the highest ranking female in the class 01-51 comprised of the first two females in the history of the Camden City Fire Department and began her career in the fire service.   Jennifer was assigned to Engine Company 8.   While in the department Jennifer continued her studies and gained her Fire Inspector and Fire Official Certifications and was the First and only Female promoted to the Bureau of Fire Prevention as Fire Prevention Specialist in the City of Camden in 2014. Jennifer’s main body of work within the Bureau has been in Fire Inspections, Fire Prevention, and Fire Investigations.  During the past 24 years in the Fire Department Jennifer has displayed a high level of professionalism amongst her colleagues and her community.

In October 2020,  Jennifer faced some health challenges. Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent numerous treatments and is currently in remission. Jennifer was able to return to work in April 2022. In March of 2023, Jennifer was appointed to the Provisional title of Supervising Fire Prevention Specialist UFD (Assistant Chief Fire Marshal).   In August 2023 Jennifer was assigned as Acting Chief Fire Marshal(Fire Official/ Fire Subcode Official).  In October 2023 Jennifer was permanently appointed to the title of Supervising Fire Prevention Specialist UFD( Assistant Chief Fire Marshal) making history again as the First and only female Chief in the history of the Camden Fire Department.

Jennifer has become highly experienced in all her duties and has become highly respected within her department.  Jennifer has been directly involved in delivering effective fire prevention workshops and safety awareness to thousands of students, work professionals, and senior citizens during her career.  In addition to her experience within the fire department, Jennifer holds a Fire Sub Code Official license under the Uniform Construction Code.  Jennifer is also a certified CPR instructor providing CPR and first aid certifications within the department as well as for schools, nurses and students within the City of Camden and surrounding areas for the past 18 years.

Whether it is to be active in making buildings safer or engaging in a fire safety workshop with students at our schools, Jennifer’s commitment to our city, her department, and her family has been evident and continues to be an asset to those in whom she comes in contact with.