Majors Lolita & Richard Sanchez
Kroc Center Administrators/Pastors 

Major Lolita Sanchez was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer in 1999.  She has been serving as a full-time officer/pastor for 24 years. She entered the SA seminary/training college in 1997 at the age of 22 along with her husband, Richard, and their daughter Alexandra. After graduating in 1999, they arrived at their first appointment in Dover NJ. They successfully transitioned the dwindling English-only corps (church) to a bilingual corps while they were concurrently learning Spanish. Each of their parents were born in Puerto Rico but spoke only English once migrated from the island.  They quickly learned that ministry requires more than what you have, and God provides the rest.

Majors Sanchez have been the administrators/pastors at six corps over the years (Dover, NJ; Dunkirk, NY; Waltham, MA; Riverhead, NY; East Northport, NY; Salem, MA) and spent two years at Territorial Headquarters in West Nyack, NY. Their latest and (soon to be) favorite appointment is as the Kroc Administrators in Camden, NJ!

Major Lolita focused on growing her family and ministry.  She and her husband had two more children, Cristina and Jason.  In 2017, she decided to go back to school and finish the Bachelor’s degree she began after high school.  It was a lifelong goal to be the second in her family to complete a degree of higher education.  She now has her Bachelor’s degree in Ministry Management from Asbury University.  She had even begun a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Salem State University.  Up until last year, each of her family members were in school:  Major Richard completing a Master's degree in IO Psychology, Alexandra starting her first year at New Jersey Medical School, Cristina finishing her bachelor's degree at UMASS Boston and Jason in 11^th grade.

Organizing, planning and follow-through are a few of Major Lola’s core strengths.  She has used these skills to manage budgets, plan community events and provide consistency to our staff, congregation and community members.  In each appointment and in life, the Majors Sanchez strive to shine God’s love to all we meet.  She and Major Richard are excited to partner with the Kroc family in Camden to continue God’s work.

Major Richard Sanchez was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer in 1999. He has served throughout the northeastern United States in eight appointments, most recently appointed as the Kroc Administrator in Camden, NJ!

As a traveling, ordained minister, Major Sanchez has had the opportunity of serving many cultures, nationalities, generations, and communities. Services he supported and started over his tenure include: Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens, Emergency Disaster Services, Youth & Senior Camps, After-School Programs, Financial Assistance Services, Rehabilitation Centers, and more. 

Major Sanchez is studying organizational psychology and working in an international organization, he has examined performance, motivation, discipline, and burnout from both an academic and experiential perspective. Organizational psychology research enables Major Sanchez to implement theory and practice for the well-being and improvement of both the organization and its employees. At the Camden Kroc Center, he looks forward to serving both the community and employees with his experience, training, and gifts. 

Major has a passion for learning and implementing new strategies for problems that historically may have only been approached via one paradigm or discipline, a multidisciplinary solution is increasingly the answer to more complex and multidisciplinary challenges.

With his wife, Major Lola, he has three wonderful children, two daughters and a son. His oldest daughter is in her first year of Rutgers medical school, his middle daughter is finishing her Bachelor's at U Mass Boston. His son starts his last year of high school at Cherry Hill HS West. 

Lieutenants Elias & Jennifer Pizzirusso
Kroc Center Corps Officers/Pastors 

Lieutenant Elias Pizzirusso recently graduated from The Salvation Army College for Officer Training in Suffern, NY and even though this is his first appointment as an officer, he has lived and worked with The Salvation Army for most of his life. Lieutenant Elias is originally from Argentina and there he worked for The Salvation Army in different areas. He has worked in Senior Nursing Homes, in the Youth Department, and in different Corps in Argentina and the United States. One of his most recent positions was as Corps Ministry Assistant at the Bedford Temple Corps in Brooklyn, NY. Lieutenant Elias enjoys public speaking and getting to know different people and cultures. Being from Argentina, he speaks both Spanish and English fluently. He studied Public Relations in college and most enjoys uniquely and effectively showing others who God is. Communication is very important to him and ensuring that people know what God has done in his life is one of his greatest desires. He loves trying new things and hearing people’s stories. Lieutenants Pizzirusso were married in 2017 and have lived and served in both Argentina and the United States since then.

Lieutenant Jennifer Pizzirusso is originally from Milford, Pennsylvania and has attended The Salvation Army with her family all her life. She recently graduated from The Salvation Army College for Officer Training in Suffern, NY. Lieutenant Jennifer previously worked at The Salvation Army’s Star Lake Camp for eight summers in various roles working with children. She also worked as a secretary and translator for The Salvation Army South America East Territory in Argentina for almost 5 years. Most recently, Lieutenant Jennifer worked as a Corps Ministry Assistant at the Bedford Temple Corps in Brooklyn, NY. Lieutenant Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in both Spanish and Political Science from Wheaton College (IL) and a Master of Science in Legal and Financial Translation (Spanish-English) from New York University School of Professional Studies. She speaks both Spanish and English fluently. She loves children and youth ministry and is passionate about working with other cultures. Lieutenants Pizzirusso were married in 2017 and have lived and served in both Argentina and the United States since then.

Benjamin Ovadia
Community Relations & Development Director

Ben Ovadia, MBA, joined The Salvation Army in 2012 as part of the capital campaign to fund the Camden Kroc Center.  As Community Relations & Development Director, he is responsible for philanthropic fund development, strategic relationship development, and external messaging.  Ben has been a South Jersey resident for 20 years and has worked in Camden for over a decade.  A lifelong student, Ben graduated from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School for undergraduate studies and earned his MBA from Rutgers Business School.  In his spare time, Ben is often known to travel with wife and three children by car; to date, they have had a road (warrior) trip component in seeing all 50 states.

Dawn M. Garlic
Volunteer Services Manager 

Dawn Maria Garlic holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a certificate in Criminology from Rutgers University - Livingston College. Dawn  has over 30 years’ experience in the non-profit sector to include Volunteer Management and Youth Development.  Since 2014, Dawn has held the position of Volunteer Services Manager at The Salvation Army Kroc Center. In 2016, she was a conference presenter on Volunteer Management at The Salvation Army Kroc Conference in San Diego, California.

In 2018, Dawn was recognized by the Camden County Police Department for Dedication and Commitment to Project Guardian, a program to instill positive change in at-risk youth and help them avoid making the wrong choices. Currently, Dawn serves on the Board of Trustees for the Boys & Girls Club of Camden and was their 2020 Volunteer of the Year.  

Asante Gonzalez
Social Services Manager 

Asante Gonzalez is a dedicated social services professional with a Bachelor's degree in Human Services from Rowan University. With over a decade of hands-on experience serving the Camden community including working in case management and as a Family Advocate for Acelero Learning serving children and families, she has always been deeply involved in her hometown community. At the Camden Kroc Center, Asante oversees the operations of the Kroc Marketplace Food Pantry, Mobile Food Pantry, and the Pathway of Hope Program. Beyond her professional life, Asante enjoys reading and seeking out unforgettable experiences with her friends and family.