Meet The Team

Since becoming its President and CEO in 2004, Vivian Cox Fraser has led the Urban League of Essex County’s growth and transition from a social services agency to a comprehensive community development corporation.

Leveraging her distinguished corporate career in world-class organizations such as Prudential, Credit Suisse and CIGNA, Mrs. Fraser has successfully guided The League’s organizational progression – establishing a Community Employment Center, a job-creating social enterprise, affordable housing development and strategic community organizing. These programs play a vital role in its mission to promote economic empowerment as a key driver for social change.

Mrs. Fraser’s own personal history drives her commitment to advance economic and social justice for all. She was taught early on that education was critical to improving one’s future. Growing up in Washington, DC, she lived “first-hand” the disparities of location – where geography determines access to resources that determine the future opportunities of so many urban youngsters.

Recognizing that quality education paves the pathway to economic opportunity, she ensures that it is integrated into every program and service area at The League.

Vivian is a graduate of Goucher College and Yale University, where she was a National Science Foundation Fellow while earning her Master’s Degree in Economics. She is married and has three daughters.

Darrin currently is the Chief Administrative Officer at the Urban League of Essex County, and the Director of the Tech House. Darrin held a number of positions in the public and private sector. He developed a detailed knowledge of computers and technology after holding positions at the Summit Medical Group as a Computer Network Specialist, and as a Microsoft Office User Specialist for New Horizons, a corporate computer software training firm catering to fortune 500 companies.

His knowledge of nonprofit management and program design came from serving as the Director of Operations for the Urban League of Essex County from 2004 – 2010. Darrin was introduced to local government serving as the Chief of Staff to United States Senator Cory A. Booker who from 1998 – 2002 served on the Newark Municipal Council representing the Central Ward. Darrin would later represent the Central Ward from 2010 – 2014.

During Darrin’s time in office, the Central Ward led the State of New Jersey in commercial and multi-family development. Also, while in office, Darrin worked with many cross-sector institutional leaders and community-based organizations NJIT, Rutgers, and the Greater Newark Conversancy to make important “Human Development” investments in the most challenging but deserving neighborhoods in the Central Ward.

Darrin Sharif was born in Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. He attended elementary school in Newark, and middle and high school in West Orange, New Jersey. After high school Darrin attended Rutgers University where he majored in Business Management (concentration in finance), graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Jessica Rademaker is a multi-talented, seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in marketing, advertising, promotions, publicity, customer service, counseling and finance in the profit and non-profit sectors of the performing arts (Newark Symphony Hall), cable network (VH1, Centric), healthcare (Jewish Renaissance Medical Center) and education (New Jersey Institute of Technology, East Orange YMCA, Young Adult League) industries. 

Founded by her parents, the Young Adult League was her family’s non-profit organization that provided computer literacy classes to help bridge the digital divide, so her passion for serving the underserved for better access, affordability, quality, and relevance is in her DNA.

As the Urban League of Essex County’s Special Initiatives Manager, she is responsible for directing their social media platforms and website management as well as maintaining compliance status across grants and affiliation with the National Urban League.

Her lead-by-example character and dedication are untouchable. Picture this. She’s at her company’s annual health fair that’s not well attended. She’s not the type to solely rely on her team’s previous outreach hoping people show up. She will also put on a lab coat (mind you, she only plays a doctor on TV) and canvas the community handing out flyers with a bull horn. Besides her life-long compassion for helping people in need, especially youth/young adults and seniors, dancing is her freedom and favor. As an original member, instructor, and choreographer for Step for Step Line Dancers, if you need a choreographed soul line dance for your special occasion, please let her know.