The Junior League of Elizabeth Plainfield (JLEP) is proud to welcome its first African-American President, Kalshelia Lloyd. Along with the rest of the 2021-2022 Board of Directors, Lloyd will lead the charitable educational organization in its 99th anniversary year. Founded in 1923, the Junior League of Elizabeth-Plainfield has a rich tradition of community service in the surrounding Union County area.
Lloyd has been a member of JLEP for over 10 years and has held several leadership roles prior to taking on the role of President. She will be one of only a few women of color to have ever served in this role for a Junior League in the country.
“I am looking forward to leading as President, seeing the power and impact of the Board and our League members can make on the community,” Lloyd said. “It is not lost on me the historic nature of this moment and how ground- breaking it is for me to be President. When JLEP was founded, women such as myself didn’t have the rights that we do today, and definitely were not members of the League. This year, when social justice and inequality are a central part of the national narrative, I am proud that the Junior League of Elizabeth-Plainfield continues to demonstrate what it means to be inclusive and reshape what the Junior League not only means for me but also future generations like my 7-year-old daughter. This is an organization that embraces diversity whether it be race, religion, national origin, sexuality or otherwise. I am honored to serve as JLEP’s President and to leverage the strength of our diversity to address the problems of the community in meaningful and innovative ways.”
Lloyd, the 2021-2022 President, is the Marketing Director for Group Benefits at MetLife. She resides in Rahway, NJ with her husband, Malcolm and their three children. Prior to taking on the role of President, Kalshelia has served in several roles in JLEP including President-Elect, Membership Resource Director, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Teen Closet Chair along with being active with other charitable organizations in the area.
JLEP is hosting the virtual panel discussion “A Conversation on the Black Maternal and Infant Health Crisis” on May 27 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver will be the keynote speaker. The panel discussion is being moderated by Fatima Heyward, Reproductive Justice and Community Partnerships Manager at Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey and features Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (15th Legislative District) and Dr. Nicola Pemberton.