Taneesha Marshall-Id'Deen, MPA
Taneesha Marshall-Id'Deen, MPA, is a dedicated and accomplished human services professional with over 16 years of experience advancing community well-being through compassionate, client-centered support. Based in Lawnside, New Jersey, she is recognized for her high-energy leadership and her ability to build and motivate dynamic teams. Her expertise spans case management, program administration, supervision, employee training, and budgeting, supported by strong problem-solving skills and sound decision-making in complex environments.
Currently serving as Manager of Volunteer Services at Samaritan, Taneesha oversees a network of approximately 500 volunteers whose contributions generate nearly $1 million in organizational value. In this role, she leads extensive community outreach and engagement efforts, with a particular focus on Black and Brown communities, increasing awareness of hospice and end-of-life care while connecting individuals and families to critical resources. She also manages operations of a thrift store as part of her portfolio. Prior to this role, Taneesha spent 14 years in Health and Human Services, primarily working within a homeless shelter system. Her work has supported women and children, individuals navigating family reunification, and those impacted by mental health and substance use challenges. She expanded her reach into the county jail system, meeting individuals where they were, and later served homeless men and veterans. Additionally, she dedicated eight years as a Probation Officer and courtroom liaison, providing vital behind-the-scenes support to individuals navigating the justice system.
Beyond her professional career, Taneesha is an entrepreneur and community builder. She is the founder and owner of Clique Socially, an event space in West Deptford, New Jersey, which she successfully built from the ground up and has operated for five years. Through this venture, she hosts community-centered events and supports small businesses and emerging entrepreneurs. Holding a Master of Public Administration from Strayer University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from William Paterson University of New Jersey, Taneesha combines academic excellence with hands-on experience. Driven by a deep sense of purpose, she remains committed to empowering others, strengthening communities, and creating meaningful connections—effectively balancing two full-time roles centered on service and impact.
• Notary Public
• Strayer University - MPA, Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
• William Paterson University of New Jersey - BS, Business Administration and Management, General
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my family. When I started the business, I started decorating, and my two girls, they're really young, pretty much helped me with all my events. Then my husband ended up going into medical school, and the event and decorating became like a second income for us. The sacrifice that we put into doing that just continues to push me and motivate me. It was something that was mine. I worked hard for everybody else, million dollar grants, and then I'm just like, why can't I do this for myself? That's where my determination came in. We go hard and work hard for someone else, then we don't put that effort into pouring into self, so I wanted to see if I could do it. I've been successful in my career in every aspect, so I wanted to see what that looks like for me and what I have. That challenged me to see if I can do it on my own from the ground up.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
There are two pieces of advice that really stuck with me. The first was, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. That was about taking things for face value and dealing with things that way, and I think that allowed me to deal with adversity and challenges, because some things and people are surface level. The other thing was, you can't please everybody in business. That was an eye-opener for me, because I was worrying about what this might be going on, and I'm worried about this, and I'm worried about that, and it will drive you crazy. Some things are just out of your control, so you just can't please everybody, and you have to be okay with it. That might sound cliche, but until you're put in that position, you don't understand what that is. You're worrying about noise, you're worrying about this, you're worrying about that, and it takes away from what you're supposed to be really focusing on.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For someone that wants to come up in the events industry, just know that hard work is required and it doesn't happen overnight. I get a lot of people that watch me, and I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I got a lot of people that reach out to me because they think it's grand over here. But I'm inspired and motivated, and I also tell people that I'm still putting in the work. If you don't put in the work, you don't get the results. For those interested in hospice services or care, I'd say take a chance. It's one of those things that you don't know until you meet it. This is different for me. I could have never even saw myself wanting to talk about end of life, but my perspective and outlook on end of life is totally different now. It doesn't have to be dark. You get to plan, you get to prepare what your end-of-life care looks like. The outlook is different on this end, and it's really wholesome. It's a circle of life that keeps giving.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
At Samaritan, the biggest challenge is the ability to help people see change. There's a 'this is what we used to do' mentality, so getting people's buy-in on what you're trying to sell for growth and the future takes some time. You want to come in and you see where you have to make adjustments, but you can't do it too fast because you have to get the buy-in from the people that's doing the work. It took some time to finesse, but I always feel like I have the ability to win people over by making them feel informed and involved. Just getting people on the same page was a big challenge, but I've been able to take the organization to a different level because of my outside connections that they didn't connect with. For my business, Clique Socially, the challenge was that I thought I could get the establishment and just rent the four walls, and that wasn't going to pay the bill. I had to learn to pivot to be able to stay in business. I also had to learn who my target audience was. I just thought party people was my market, but learning who your target audience is and learning the market has been a learning experience. Those lessons have allowed me to grow and think about where the direction of my establishment is going to go.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I always say that I am what my values are. I'm open, honest, fair, and direct. I feel just those values have taken me where I want to go.