The Sanctuary on the Green Arts, Cultural and Community Alliance (SOGA) is honored to welcome five new board members to join in the work of preserving Bloomfield’s iconic Sanctuary on the Green and promoting its use as a center for arts, culture and community in the heart of Bloomfield.
“Each of these five new board members has deep Bloomfield roots. Together, they bring a passion for the arts, a commitment to historic preservation, a wealth of experience in the non-profit world, and an incredible array of skills, talents and creativity,” says start-up SOGA board member, Dr. Carlos Monteagudo. “We’re thrilled to have them on board.”
“Since its incorporation as a secular 501(c)3 non-profit organization during the pandemic, SOGA has been a wonderful partner to us,” says Rev. Ruth Boling, pastor of the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green. “SOGA has brought lectures, chamber music, a jazz concert, and a photography exhibit and more into the historic Sanctuary. The board has also labored alongside church leaders in a capital raise to restore the Sanctuary and its 19th Century Steeple Clock. We’re delighted that the organization is growing and thriving.”
JOHN S. MASI is a Newark-born photographer now living in Bloomfield whose creative career spans over 35 years, capturing everyday life with an eye for vintage signage and iconic New Jersey imagery. A graduate of the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, he has had his work featured in exhibits like Newark, A Day in the City (sponsored by Kodak), showcased in solo shows across New York and New Jersey, and included in both corporate and private collections.
ADAM CRUZ is a nonprofit operations leader, artist, DJ, producer, author, and community arts advocate. He serves as Chief Operating Officer of NJSACC: New Jersey’s Afterschool & Out-of-School Time Professional Network, where he helps lead organizational systems, data management, policy development, staffing processes, and strategic operations in support of afterschool and OST professionals across the state. Alongside his nonprofit leadership, Adam has built a long career in the creative arts as a recording artist, songwriter, DJ, producer, graphic designer, and music business educator. He runs the record label Mixtape Sessions and co-owns Honeycomb Music with longtime music partner Josh Milan. His creative work spans music, visual art, cultural programming, and artist-centered education, including the Mixtape Sessions Music Conference and his Plena Punk art series, which explores Puerto Rican identity through digital art, typography, and symbolism.
Adam currently serves as Treasurer of the Bloomfield Public Library Board of Trustees and is proud to join the Sanctuary On The Green Alliance board. Through SOGA, he is helping develop Bloomfield’s First Annual Arts Crawl, presented in partnership with the Township of Bloomfield, the Bloomfield Public Library, and surrounding venues, churches, and art spaces on and around The Green. Adam earned his BA in Creative Arts & Technology (specializing in Music Technology) from Bloomfield College and resides in Bloomfield, NJ, with his wife, Councilwoman Sarah Cruz, and their three beautiful children.
ANDREW LOMONTE is Bloomfield’s youngest elected official, having been sworn in as a member of the Board of Education in 2026. A Bloomfield native and 2023 graduate of Bloomfield High School, Andrew is currently attending The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. He is a District Leader. His first experience in the Sanctuary on the Green was performing in a NiCori Teen Production of Godspell in 2019, in which he played the roll of Jesus.
NANCY EDMOND is a retired Senior Manager in Benefits Administration for the USGA, having previously served as Senior Manager in Benefits Administration for Lucent Technologies and Benefits Manager for AT&T. She is a ruling elder of the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green as well as church treasurer. She serves on the SOGA Board as the designated Session Representative.
DON CORNELL worked in various capacities in the field of Information Technology at JPMorgan Chase from 1980 until his retirement in 2006. He then pursued a second career as a middle school math teacher before retiring a second time from the East orange School District in 2014. He and his wife Diann moved to Bloomfield in 1981, and have four children and four grandchildren, now scattered across three states. Don is a member of the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green, where he has served as deacon, elder, and food pantry director (2017-2024). He has sung in the bass section of the church choir since joining the church and also sings with the Oratorio Society of New Jersey. In the past he sang with the Bloomfield Chorale where he also served a term as president. He has a particular fascination with the bells in the church steeple and has probably climbed the eight flights of stairs in the clock tower more than any other person alive.