As the father of an 18-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, Rodney
Emerson understands firsthand how profoundly an engaged parent can shape a
child’s future. Yet it was the values his own parents instilled in him growing up in
Pittsburgh that motivated him to join the Board of The Father Center of New
Jersey.
“My dad was a smart, fun-loving and gregarious guy, but he also taught us strong
values,” he recalls. “He encouraged honesty and self-confidence, and told us to
dream big while understanding that mistakes are part of growing up.
“Everyone has the right to be young and dumb,” Rodney says with a smile. “The
important thing as a parent is to help your children learn and become better.”
When Rodney learned about The Father Center of New Jersey after participating
in a nonprofit board training program, it really spoke to him. “I share many of the
same values as the organization,” he notes. “Like my father would say, you can
tell a lot about a man’s character by the way he acts when no one is around.”
Rodney brings those same principles to both his family and his career. A
graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he played football, he
earned his MBA from the University of Michigan before building a successful
career in the pharmaceutical industry. His experience has taken him from DuPont
to leadership roles across the country, and today he focuses on expanding
affordable access to medications while navigating one of healthcare’s most
challenging industries.
“It’s a business with a tremendous amount of accountability,” he says. “At the end
of the day, it’s about helping patients gain access to the medicines they need.”
That desire to remove barriers is one of the reasons he believes so strongly in
The Father Center of New Jersey’s mission.
“There are so many men facing obstacles—job loss, custody issues, financial
hardship, mental health challenges,” Rodney says. “Sometimes all someone
needs is a hand up. If you help one father become a more active, engaged
parent, you’re also helping that child. You’re strengthening an entire family.”
He also believes the organization’s work has implications far beyond individual
households.
“There is real economic and social value in helping fathers become more
involved in their children’s lives,” he says. “Children do better when fathers are
engaged.”
Rodney is excited to contribute his business experience while learning from
fellow board members and helping shape the organization’s future. “I don’t
pretend to know everything,” he says. “But I do know how important it is to meet
people where they are and help them find the resources they need to succeed.”
For fathers working to build better lives for themselves and their children, Rodney
believes that the kind of support The Father Center of New Jersey provides can
change everything. With just a little bit of help, someone can accomplish more
than they ever imagined.
