About NJ Speaks
NJ Speaks is a dedicated nonprofit organization rooted in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Founded on the belief that every individual deserves to live free from violence, the organization stands at the forefront of sexual assault and domestic violence prevention, intervention, aftercare, awareness, and advocacy. Our team is committed to providing support and resources to survivors, raising awareness, and advocating for policy changes to create a safer community for all. Learn more about our mission and the impact we're making.
Meet The Team
Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar, M.A., Hon. DLitt.
Co-founder, NJ Speaks
Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar, Hon. D.Litt., is an award-winning scholar, seasoned administrator, and frontline advocate whose life’s work spans more than two decades of unwavering service to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in the United States. She has served as Program Director of Hudson Speaks Against Sexual Violence, the designated rape crisis center for Hudson County, New Jersey. Her earlier roles include Case Manager at HarborCov—Communities Overcoming Violence—in Massachusetts; South Asian Advocate for the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence in Boston; and Domestic Violence/Family Advocate at the Neponset Health Center.
With extensive expertise in leadership training, outreach, education, project management, and research, Dr. Pariyar embodies compassionate and transformative social service. Her lifelong mission has been to empower individuals and families affected by violence, discrimination, and systemic inequity.
Dr. Pariyar earned her Master of Arts in International Development and Social Change from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and her Bachelor of Arts in Social and Political Systems from Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. In recognition of her pioneering social contributions, Pine Manor College awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) in 2013. Further exemplifying her national impact, the City of Louisville, Kentucky, proclaimed September 27, 2015, as “Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar Day.”
Her public service extends to state and municipal leadership. Dr. Pariyar currently serves as a Commissioner on the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Commission appointed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and as a member of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s advisory board.
Dr. Pariyar is also the visionary founder of ADWAN (Association for Dalit Women’s Advancement of Nepal). What began in 1998 as a single women’s savings and loan group has grown into a nationwide network of 6,200 women in 253 groups, uplifting and transforming the lives of more than 155,000 people across Nepal.
Her remarkable life story has been widely celebrated and academically documented. It is featured in the higher-education textbook The Writer’s Mindset by Dr. Lisa Wright Hoeffner, published by McGraw Hill in 2021 (pages 591–594). In 2022, her life journey was included in the Massachusetts Department of Education’s 7th-grade curriculum under Lesson 12: Untouchability and SDG 10, spanning eight pages.
Today, Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar stands as a powerful voice for justice, equity, and human dignity—an advocate, leader, and changemaker whose work continues to uplift and inspire countless lives.
Ms. Rocio Olivera, M.A., LPC
Co-founder, NJ Speaks
Rocio Olivera, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a passion for supporting mental wellness across all ages. She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the College of Saint Elizabeth and holds a specialized certificate in Clinical Supervision . With extensive experience working with children and adolescents in high-risk settings, Rocio brings a trauma-informed approach to her work, fostering safe and healing environments for her clients.
Rocio currently operates her own private practice in Union City, NJ, and also serves as a psychotherapist at a higher ed counseling center. Her approach blends compassion, evidence-based techniques, and a deep understanding of emotional resilience. When she’s not working, Rocio enjoys spending time with her beloved dog, her kids, and unwinding with a good TV series or podcast.
Ms. Rocio Olivera, M.A., LPC
Co-founder, NJ Speaks
NJ Speaks is led by two highly experienced former Program Directors of Hudson Speaks Against Sexual Violence—Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar, M.A., Hon. DLitt., and Ms. Rocio Olivera, M.A., LPC—who each bring more than two decades of expertise supporting survivors. Their deep commitment to trauma-informed care ensures that every interaction fosters safety, compassion, and healing for individuals affected by violence.
The mission of NJ Speaks is clear and urgent: to build communities free from sexual assault and domestic abuse while uplifting the healing and rehabilitation of survivors. Central to this mission is a commitment to intentional inclusivity, ensuring that marginalized identities across the community are welcomed, represented, and empowered. Through culturally relevant advocacy, diversity initiatives, and trauma-informed direct services, NJ Speaks works tirelessly to strengthen both individual and community resilience, striving toward a future free from sexual and domestic violence.
