LaVonia Abavana

Areas of expertise: Family & community advocacy, maternal, infant & child health equity, neurodevelopmental & disability rights, mental/behavioral health, trauma-informed care, special education & IEP navigation, early relational health (ERH), youth mental health & prevention services, family-centered & culturally responsive care, public speaking, policy & legislative advocacy, parent leadership, early childhood systems building & data sharing, social determinants of health, and health equity

Bio: LaVonia Abavana is an award-winning community leader, disability rights advocate, and maternal-child health champion based in Camden, NJ. As a Black mother, motivational speaker, and systems-change agent, she bridges lived experience and professional expertise to elevate family voice and build equity-centered programs. She currently serves as Family Mentor with NJLEND at Rutgers RWJMS and Chair of the Family Voice Subcommittee for the Camden County CIACC. Her leadership spans maternal health, early childhood systems, mental health, and policy advocacy, with a focus on children and families with complex needs. LaVonia also serves on statewide and national advisory boards, and enjoys mentoring, storytelling, and cultivating inclusive community solutions.

Experience

• 2025 NJ Ethics and Equity Pre-Conference Luncheon – Guest Speaker, 2025
• Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (NJLEND) Fellow , 2023–2024
• NJLEND Family Mentor , 2024 – Present
• Camden Coalition National Consumer Scholar, 2023–2024
• Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Advisory Group – Weill Cornell Medicine 2024 – present
• Camden County Children’s Inter-Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) – Chair, Family Voice Subcommittee, 2023 – present
• Board of Trustees – Uncommon Schools Camden Prep, 2023 – present
• Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation – NJ SNIP Advisory Committee, 2023
• The Cooperative – ECCS CoIIN Lead Community Advocate 2021 –  2023
• Community Planning & Advocacy Council – Maternal Infant Child Health Initiative, 2023–present
• Partners in Policymaking Fellow – The Boggs Center, 2021–2022
• SPAN Parent Advocacy Network – SEVA, DECCLR, LEAD Stakeholder, 2022 – present
• Diana Cuthbertson Parent Leadership Award – SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, 2022
• The Burke Foundation – Early Relational Health Champion, 2022 – present
• CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early” – Parent Champion, 2021 – present
• Power of Our Voices – Community Advocate, NJPreterm, 2021 – present
• Early Childhood Success Covenant Parent Champion Award – CPAC (2022)
• Parent Champion Award – Camden County Board of Freeholders (2019)