VAN DENNIS NELSON, JR., PRESIDENT/CEO
Trumbull Community Action Program
Van is a lifelong resident of the City of Warren. He and his wife, Wanda, have two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren.
Van holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Business, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He was hired by the Trumbull Community Action Program (TCAP) in December of 1981. During his career he served as Intake Worker, Special Services Manager, Personnel Director, Chief of Staff, and Chief Operating Officer. In August of 2016, the retiring CEO recommended him to be Interim CEO. He was officially voted in as the Chief Executive Officer in January of 2017.
He has been Treasurer for the Warren/Trumbull Branch of the NAACP since the year 2000. He holds a seat on the Trumbull County United Way Board and on the Board of the Youth Alternatives Academy after school program. He has been a member of the Trumbull County Camp of the Gideons. He has been a board member of the local Urban League and the Warren Rape Crisis Team.
Without reservation or shame, he states that he grew up as a low-income resident in public housing who remembers how it was and realizes the importance of the work of Community Action Agencies. He goes above and beyond the call of duty where TCAP is concerned. He is committed to what it stands for and all that it does in Trumbull County. Having observed his first anniversary as CEO of TCAP, Van hopes to expand agency services to include more assistance with household emergencies and more accessibility for the outlying residents of Trumbull County. Van proudly states that the skills and knowledge of the existing staff members and management at TCAP continue to make his job easier than he had anticipated. He plans for TCAP to implement more programs that result in long-term and permanent solutions that help county residents move closer toward self-sufficiency.
