Xiomara Guevara is currently the Executive Vice President - Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer for Greater Bergen Community Action, a $40+ million nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty in Northern NJ. Xiomara oversees a staff of 600+ whose work includes everything from early childhood and adult education, financial empowerment and banking, housing, wellness, and community revitalization. Greater Bergen serves nearly 50,000 people each year and has leveraged over $350 million in the community in the last 4 years.
Xiomara joined Greater Bergen in August 2021 as its inaugural VP of Legal Affairs and Deputy Chief Operating Officer, after having served 15 years as Executive Director of the Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs. During her tenure there, she raised over $40 million and served 13,000 low-income Hispanic families annually. The Center for Citizenship and Legal Immigration program she founded was named the 2015 Innovative Program of the Year by the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she also founded the Morris Hispanic Women’s Resource Center and health literacy programs.
Xiomara began her career as an elementary school teacher at the Discovery Charter School. She went on to serve as the Director of Early Childhood Education at La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark. She continues her love of teaching as an Adjunct Professor at Drew University under the Civic Engagement Center.
Xiomara has received numerous awards and recognition for her leadership, advocacy, and sponsorship of others. She has been recognized by the Morris County Bar Association and Morris Prosecutor’s Office for her pro-bono work in immigration detention centers and community work through the Center for Citizenship and Legal Immigration. Drew University and Rutgers Law-Newark ALALS has also recognized her with the Civic Scholar Alumni Award and Legacy Award for her leadership in the Non-Profit sector and social justice community. Most recently, she was recognized by the Executive Women of New Jersey as a power policy maker for her efforts to advance gender equality in the workplace and was awarded by the Drew Alumni Association the Frances B. Seller Award that honors alumni who personify the ideals of the Educational Scholars (EOS/EOF) program and who have contributed significantly to their community.
Xiomara has her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers Law School-Newark, a MPA in Public Administration from NYU’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, and a BA from Drew University where she majored in Political Science and Spanish. Committed to paying it forward, Xiomara serves or has served on the following boards: Saint Clare’s Health System, Zufall Health Center, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Center for Non-Profit Excellence Advisory Board, Morris Arts, Morris County Human Service Advisory Board, and the Drew Alumni Association.
Xiomara is a resident of Ridgefield, NJ and the proud mother of Emilio and Eli.
