Brookdale Grad Inspires at Empowerment Day

The Young Women’s Empowerment Day, an annual program designed to inspire and uplift female students from Long Branch High School, returned at the close of the school year and proved once again to be a powerful and moving experience. Hand-selected by school staff for their potential and promise, the 29 students—ranging from freshmen to seniors—participated in a full day of hands-on workshops, wellness activities, and empowering conversations with local women leaders.

The day featured engaging programming developed through collaboration between Brookdale Community College, Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), Trinity AME Church, and Long Branch Public Schools. The event was carefully crafted to address the current needs of teen girls, with input from schools and a focus on the challenges young people face today.

What made this year’s program especially powerful was the career panel, where professionals from medicine, law, engineering, government, public health, and human services sat side-by-side—including recent Brookdale graduate Andrea Peralta, who represented the next generation of changemakers.

Peralta is also a recipient of the Dr. Anita Voogt Family Scholarship, which supports Long Branch residents to achieve their educational, personal, and professional goals and promote civic engagement. Her participation was a full-circle moment for the family behind the scholarship, showcasing how targeted support can change the trajectory of a student’s life.

“Andrea’s story reflects what’s possible when education, encouragement, and opportunity intersect,” said Abby Thompson, MPH, CHES, Regional Director of Community Health and Social Impact at MMC & MMCSC, who leads planning for the event and oversees MMC’s Anne Vogel Family Care & Wellness Center.

Peralta, who graduated from Long Branch High School in 2023, just earned her associate degree in Human Services from Brookdale Community College and will continue her education at Rutgers University to pursue social work. On the panel, she joined the ranks of other distinguished women leaders:

Angela Zagami, BSN, RN, FNP-S, a labor and delivery nurse at Monmouth Medical Center, shared her journey from nursing school at Wagner College to working at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and now pursuing a nurse practitioner degree while caring for patients through childbirth.

Karen Kashar, a biomedical engineer and longtime manager of Monmouth Medical Center’s Clinical Engineering Department, spoke about the importance of STEM careers and managing over 8,000 pieces of medical equipment that keep hospital operations running safely.

Sophie Wilkinson, MPH, a research analyst for the NJ Division of Disability Services and co-founder of CoVar Research Strategies, highlighted how data and research fuel impactful public health programs and encouraged students to follow their curiosities.

Rev. Dr. Lesly R. Devereaux, Esq., an estate planning attorney and the visionary founder of Empowerment Day, spoke passionately about her legal career, community leadership, and how building generational wealth begins with education and self-awareness.

Each year, Empowerment Day brings together community leaders with a shared mission: to equip the next generation of women with confidence, tools, and real-life insight. As one of the most anticipated programs of the year, it’s a testament to what can be achieved when educators, health professionals, faith leaders, and students unite in purpose.

“If we were able to empower even one young woman through the presentations and outpouring of love, then our living is not in vain,” said Rev. Devereaux.

For Brookdale, the event also reinforces the value of community partnerships and the impact of programs that meet students where they are. Empowerment Day isn’t just an annual event—it’s a launching point for a lifetime of impact.