Through NASA's Johnson Space Center's summer program, Elizabeth Romanaux (LNJ '04) found herself in a KC-135 aircraft high above the Gulf of Mexico to simulate a near-weightless condition. Elizabeth, Vice President of Communications for the Liberty Science Center, participated in two experiments in zero gravity. They were part of a project of four students from the William L. Dickinson Technology Magnet School in Jersey City, where the Science Center is located.

One experiment tested the effects of microgravity on the sensory organs of cockroaches when burdened with a sudden change in gravitational forces three times those typically experienced on Earth. Results showed that the cockroaches were aware of their dimensional change and reacted to it.

The students are the first to participate in a pilot program funded by the NASA to identify new ways of bringing the excitement of scientific discovery and space exploration into communities across the nation. Elizabeth said, "The thing that surprised me the most was the maturity and focus of the students. I wanted to thank the efforts of NASA in sponsoring such a program that shows kids the possibilities and opportunities they would not experience from traditional schooling." She is shown here with Emilio Pane, a teacher from Dickenson High School.

Roland (Chip) Chapdelaine (LNJ '93) is the new President of Cuyahoga Community College's Eastern Campus in Highland Hills. It is a 'leap for innovation school' that accepts students by invitation only. "It is a very prestigious college and a leader in innovation and technology education," says Chip. He brings over three decades of community college experience to this position. Chip reflects upon his LNJ experience, "I was exposed to different leadership styles and techniques on both the local and state levels on a variety of issues. LNJ is truly a unique and incredibly valuable experience, both personally and professionally."

Ved Chaudhary (LNJ '91) is working to improve the political representation of Asian Americans by leading the 80-20 Initiative in New Jersey. The 80-20 Initiative is a national nonpartisan venture to unite all Asian-American leadership groups to improve the representation of Asian-Americans at the national level. "I consider the 80-20 Initiative to be a catalyst in the Asian-American community," says Ved. He adds "My exposure to LNJ has helped me expand from being an activist within the Indian-American community to the bigger role that includes other institutions in the Asian-American community as well as other civil rights organizations." Ved is also a member of the New Jersey Advisory Committee for the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

Legal representation will now be easier to obtain for artists thanks to the efforts of Robert Steinbaum (LNJ '90). The publisher of the New Jersey Law Journal, Rob called for the formation of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts last September at the Law Journal's 125th anniversary celebration. It featured exhibits and performances by lawyers involved in the arts. Rob's leadership has now resulted in a more systematic approach to providing pro bono legal services to arts and arts organizations. Rob says, "LNJ got me involved with the non-profit world in the state and seeing its value and interrelationships, which is where the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts grew from."

Hunterdon County attorney Peter Buchsbaum's (LNJ '89) nomination to become a Superior Court judge was approved by the Senate. He was sworn in July 14 at the Hunterdon County Court House. Peter was a partner at Woodbridge's Greenbaum Rowe Smith Ravin Davis & Himmel. A 1970 Harvard Law School graduate, Peter clerked for Chief Justice Joseph Weintraub. He has served on the Law Revision Commission since 1974. Peter becomes the eighth LNJ Graduate Fellow to ascend to the bench and the second from the class of 1989. Ed Neafsey (LNJ '89) was named a Superior Court judge earlier this year. Other Superior Court judge ranks of LNJ are: Maryann Bielamowiczv (LNJ '97), Estella De La Cruz (LNJ '96), Lee Forrester (LNJ '92), Brian Martinotti (LNJ '01), Carmen Messano (LNJ '93), and Thomas Smith Jr. (LNJ '89).

On the same day that it approved Peter's nomination, the Senate also confirmed the appointments of several other Graduate Fellows to state positions. Mary Wells (LNJ '87) and the President of Family Service in Burlington County, is a new member of the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women. John Weingart (LNJ '89) the Associate Director of The Eagleton Institute of Politics, was reappointed to the D&R Canal Commission, which flows not far from his Hunterdon County home. Barbara Armand (LNJ '03) will join the Board of Trustees at Rowan University in Glassboro. She is President of the Armand Corporation in Cherry Hill.

Thaler Pekar (LNJ '96) has been promoted to Vice President at Douglas Gould & Co. It is a communications-consulting firm that works with progressive non-profits and foundations. Among her clients is Time Out From Testing, a New York State coalition calling for an end to high stakes testing. She continues to manage two projects for the Ford Foundation, one on religion and culture, and the other on reframing how Americans discuss low-wage work. The photo shows Thaler at work in a training session for that project. LNJ Graduate Fellow Mark Murphy (LNJ '91), second from left, took part in the training.

The International Women's Forum (IWF) is a global organization for achieving women who want to share knowledge and ideas to enrich each other's lives. It provides a network of support and influence for its members. They attend conferences throughout the world, focusing on leadership initiatives in all sectors including government, business, arts communities, and scientific research. The current and former chairs of the Forum's New Jersey chapter are both LNJ Graduate Fellows: Marsha Dubrow (LNJ '90) and Elizabeth Christopherson (LNJ '92). Through its Leadership Foundation, the IWF helps prepare future generations of women leaders. Elizabeth regards her experience with the IWF highly. She adds that her experience in LNJ provided a model for good leadership when she served as President of the IWF/NJ Chapter for six years. For more information about IWF, the website is http://www.iwforum.org/.

Carl Brooks (LNJ '89) is the President of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). It is a nonprofit networking and professional development organization for African-American corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies. Carl is implementing new programs to enhance the next generation of African-American leadership in the corporate executive sector. Carl says his experience with LNJ has helped him promote better guidance and direction with these programs. He adds, "LNJ is an excellent way to understand the inner workings of government within New Jersey and to network with state and government officials for better development of key initiatives in environment, diversity, and the legislative processes." For more information on the ELC, click this link: http://www.elcinfo.com/

LNJ's goal is to strengthen civic leadership in the state, but many civic leaders come to exercise political leadership. At least 8 Graduate Fellows serve as mayor. (If we missed you, let us know.) From River Vale in Bergen County to Lawnside in Camden County, mayors are finding that their experience in LNJ helps them make a difference for their communities.

The number one concern amongst LNJ mayors is property taxes. West Windsor Mayor Shing Fu Hsueh (LNJ '96) says, "We have been discussing the property tax issue for 25 years and the different ways to deal with this issue. With what the Governor has proposed, West Windsor would like to see a final resolution come with a Constitutional Convention in 2006 or sooner." West Windsor has a non-partisan mayor-council form of government, and Shing Fu has served as Mayor since 2001. He directed the state's Water Supply Administration before retiring from that position a few years ago. Even with that exposure to issues at the state level, Shing Fu says LNJ helped him "understand all the important issues state wide and how West Windsor, as one of the municipalities, ties into them."

Bernards Township is also concerned with stabilizing taxes. Its new mayor, Ali Chaudry (LNJ '03), says, "We are taking steps to make sure we can keep our taxes low so we can keep seniors in our town…As they leave, and a new family comes in, we add 1.8 children to the school system and that adds to the cost, which is more than we can collect in taxes." Ali says he is working to cut costs, and he says, "I am focusing on using technology - email, the website [www.bernards.org], and any other ways to get information to the public." Chaudry, a Republican, agrees with the other mayors who say LNJ "gave me a much broader perspective - I was able to see how different people are dealing with these same issues." Even now, Chaudry says he is using the connections he made at LNJ to help his town. "Gerry Gibbs (LNJ '03), an Assistant State Treasurer, and the Department are helping us collect the amount of taxes the town should send to Trenton…and we are using that to find out about tax property relief to seniors," he said.

Traffic is on the minds of many local officials, among them Lawrence Township mayor Mark Holmes (LNJ '01). Mark, who by day directs the East Orange Housing Authority, began his term as Mayor last January. He is working on a highway redevelopment plan with the Department of Transportation. "We want to make it more pedestrian-friendly and more attractive by landscaping it to give it a 'boulevard effect,'" he explained. Mark remains in close contact with his classmates. He says LNJ has been "very useful networking tool…connecting me with different people who represented different entities throughout the state," adding that he especially likes "the sharing of ideas and collaborations" that result.

Stephen Dilts (LNJ '03) was recently elected mayor of Hampton, a borough of about 1,500 people in Hunterdon County. Steve, who has professional concern with traffic in his day job as Acting Deputy Executive Director of the Turnpike Authority, worries about congestion. "It's a great little town with a lot of children," said Dilts, "I'm most concerned with public safety issues related to traffic." Turning to the LNJ network, Steve, a Democrat, has worked to increase state police coverage of the area, making sure that traffic on Route 31 moves safely. And he is looking into getting speed humps - "a couple of other towns have had success installing them," he said. Steve says the LNJ experience has definitely helped his work as mayor. "The overall state view…being able to know that none of us are on our own…we have resources and friends in other parts of the state that can help," he says, adding, "LNJ absolutely supports being a good public servant and being able to help others."

In Bergen County's River Vale, Mayor George Paschalis (LNJ '01), cares about safety too -the safety of the water supply. One of his town's biggest issues is "C-1 designation for our waterways [protecting our water supply and preventing over-development]." In Morris County, Chatham Mayor Dick Plambeck (LNJ ' 95), a Republican, shares that concern. "Many towns are seeing greater contamination of their water supplies requiring expensive treatment procedures. . . We have expanded and upgraded our water storage and distribution facilities…inspected and upgraded all our wells, their emergency power supply systems…and security systems at all our key water infrastructure sites." he explains. The town is also looking to acquire new sites for additional wells.

Dick announced his intention to seek public office at his graduation from LNJ. "Several members of my class of '95 were then or had been mayors or councilpersons. In my 'Leadership is' speech at graduation I threw out my little definition and announced publicly for the first time that I would be running for elected office. I was subsequently elected to three terms as Councilman in Chatham Borough and then in November was elected Mayor. "

The development of recreational programs for children is on the mind of Joe DeIorio (LNJ '98), the mayor of Roselle Park in Union County since 1995. "We are currently building a youth center," he says. Joe's involvement in political life is deep and goes beyond his service as mayor. He is an aide to the legislative delegation for the 21st District, Assemblymen Jon Bramnick and Eric Munoz and Senator Tom Kean, Jr. Joe is clearly well-connected in state government, but he finds the LNJ network an important asset. "Whether it's at the state level, the county level, or even in the private sector," he says LNJ Network works. "I made some wonderful connections at Schering-Plough. I've even been able to get some money for my town."

Open space and recreation are key concerns for Jane Reilly (LNJ '98). The Village Council under its non-partisan form of government chose her as Mayor. Now in her last month of office, she will complete the purchase of "the last largest tract of undeveloped land" in the area before stepping down. It will be "a combination of active and passive recreation." Like West Windsor's Shing Fu Hsueh, Jane values the perspective on the issues that she gained in the LNJ seminars. "I think LNJ helped me immeasurably. It put me in touch with a network of people around the state…and let me discover the commonalities of the issues that effect all the municipalities and state agencies, she says.

LNJGO News could not reach Mayor number 8, Mark Bryant (LNJ '89). But the picture shows him at work behind the Mayor's desk in Lawnside, a Borough of about 2,700 people in Camden County.

The new 927 page Encyclopedia of New Jersey proudly announces that readers can find everything they've ever wanted to know about the Garden State within its covers. It includes nearly 3,000 articles (Governor Leon Abbot to Vladimir Zworykin, the RCA scientist hailed as the father of television), 585 illustrations (the cross-dressing Royal Governor Lord Cornbury or an Unidentified Woman, depending which caption you prefer), and 130 maps (including Major Soils and the sites of pre-revolutionary land riots).

Eight LNJ Graduate Fellows contributed articles to the Encyclopedia: Gloria Bonilla Santiago (LNJ '91), Peter Buchsbaum (LNJ '89), Al Felzenberg (LNJ '88), Margaret Harrer (LNJ '03), Ed Neafsey (LNJ '89), Angelica Santomauro (LNJ '92), and Rob Steinbaum (LNJ '90).

Edited by Maxine Lurie and Marc Mappen, the long-awaited Encyclopedia is published by Rutgers University Press, with a list price of $49.95. It is a bargain. Graduate Fellows who enjoyed the Trivia Quiz after SIMSOC won't be able to put it down.

Maggie Harrer (LNJ '03) should be proud. She was project manager for the book The Hackensack Water Works by Clifford W. Zink, which has just won both the NJ Historic Preservation Award for Education and the 2004 Bergen County Historic Preservation Commendation Award. It is also in the running for the Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Prize given by the Society for the History of Science, the Sally Hacker Prize for History of Technology, and the 2004 Edelstein Prize for excellence in scholarship in the history of technology.

Jun Choi (LNJ '03) was recently featured in an article in PoliticsNJ.com's "Inside Edge". Jun has formed his own PAC to help finance his political future. He has raised more than $22,000 over the last eighteen months and has his eye the Democratic nomination for State Assembly in the 18th district if incumbent Assemblyman Peter Barnes decides not to run for reelection. Jun, who lives in Metuchen, is the Executive Director NJ SMART (Standards Measurement and Resource for Teaching) in the state Department of Education.

Expect to see several LNJ Graduate Fellows at both the Republican and Democratic Conventions this year. At the GOP Convention in New York, look for Doug Forrester (LNJ '90), who ran for Senator in 2000, Michael Hsing (LNJ '98) from the 7th Congressional District, and Mary Devon O'Brian (LNJ '93) from the 10th Congressional District. Bill Pascrell, (LNJ '92) of the Princeton Public Affairs Group, Linda Baer (LNJ '90), of Rutgers University, and Dottie Blakeslee (LNJ '99), of Municipal Advisory Partners, Inc. are candidates to be delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

The Association for Children of New Jersey will honor its former Director Ciro A. Scalera (LNJ '88) in May with the Founders Award. The ACNJ Board is a hotbed of LNJ talent - JoAnn McCondichie (LNJ '98), Maria Pinho (LNJ '97), Penny Pinsker (LNJ '94), Alma McCloud Salter (LNJ '88), and Richard Trenk (LNJ '92) are all on the Board of Trustees and Executives.

The Salute to the Policy Makers Awards Dinner in May will honor several LNJ Graduate Fellows. The 2004 Honorees include Kathleen DiChiara (LNJ '01), Barbara E. Kauffman (LNJ '91), Amy B. Mansue (LNJ '96), Julane W. Miller-Armbrister (LNJ '94), and Denise V. Rodgers, (LNJ '99).

Leading the planning for The National Black United Fund's Hip-Hop Political Convention (June 16-19 at Rutgers Newark) are National Co-Chair Baye Adofo-Wilson (LNJ '01) and New Jersey State Coordinator Charles Hill (LNJ '02), shown in photo.

Baye is Director of the Lincoln Park/Coast Cultural District in Newark. Charles is manager of policy and planning for the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.

The convention aims to energize young people to become more interested in public policy. It will draw on hip-hop music and style to organize young people to participate more actively in civic life and politics.

The convention will develop a political agenda for the hip- hop generation, encourage leadership within that generation, and help hip-hop generation candidates run for office. The event will include a political dialogue between the hip-hop generation and the civil rights generation, sessions on economic empowerment, education, and health issues as well as performances by The Coup, Public Enemy and others. www.hiphopconvention.org

Al Felzenberg (LNJ '87) is the Deputy for Communications at the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United State (perhaps better known as the 9-11 Commission, co-chaired by former Governor Tom Kean). He was formerly at Voice of America, after serving as communications consultant to Secretary of the Navy Gordon England. Al directed the Heritage Foundation's "Mandate 2000" project on the presidential transition process, and was editor of Keys to a Successful Presidency. He held several senior staff positions with the House of Representatives. Also working with the Commission as a consultant is Peter Yerkes (LNJ '90). Peter, a former political reporter with the Bergen Record, had been the public affairs officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Many LNJ Graduate Fellows helped make the April seminar on Human Services and Health Care a success by serving as resource people or hosts for site visits.

Gwendolyn Long Harris (LNJ '88), former Commissioner of the Department of Human Services, opened the seminar with a talk on "Two Views of the Safety Net." The other view was provided by former Jersey City mayor and candidate for Governor Bret Schundler. Dinner and discussion that night took place at the New Jersey Community Development Corporation in Paterson. Karen Brown (LNJ '00), Creighton Drury (LNJ '00), and Mark Valli, (LNJ '03), all leaders of the NJCDC, welcomed the class and described the organization's mission and methods. Reggie Lewis, (LNJ '01), Special Assistant in the state Department of Education's Division of Abbott Implementation -and formerly on the Commissioner's staff of the Department of Human Services, led discussion of the Fellows daylong experience in the social welfare system. That had included a meeting, for the Child Protection Team, with Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (LNJ '88), the Executive Director of Essex County's Citizens Services.

The second day of the seminar focused on health care. It began with a dynamic overview by Amy Mansue, (LNJ '96), President and CEO of Children's Specialized Hospital. Until recently she served as the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff.

The class had lunch at Elijah's Promise in New Brunswick, where they heard from its Executive Director Lisanne Finston, (LNJ '95). Case study teams fanned across the city in search of the facts on key health issues. The group exploring prevention of AIDS/HIV met at the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation with Legislative Director Axel Torres Marrero, (LNJ '03), and Executive Director Riki Jacobs, (LNJ '95). The Childhood Asthma team visited the Eric B. Chandler Health Center, where they met with Executive Director Rosemary Tarrant McAndrew, (LNJ '02). Neonatal Care team members visited Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where they met with Diane Abatemarco (LNJ '01), Assistant Professor at the UMDNJ-School of Public Health and with Judith E. Burgis, (LNJ '93), Senior Vice President of the hospital.

The final panel of the day included Mary Wachter Altamura, (LNJ '00), the Senior Regional Manager State Government Affairs at Hoffman-LaRoche, who, until last month, served as Chief of Staff of the state Department of Health and Senior Services.

Martin A. Berkowitz (LNJ '94) is the new president & CEO of the Veterans Corporation. He had been serving as the interim CEO.

The Veterans Corporation, based in Alexandria, Virginia, fosters entrepreneurship and expands business opportunities for veterans. It opens access to training and mentoring, capital and services, and markets for veterans. Its board is appointed by the President of the United States.

Before joining The Veterans Corporation, Marty spent 25 years with Prudential Financial, retiring in 2000 as senior vice president. He previously served as Prudential's comptroller and as chief financial officer of its investment operations. He has also chaired the LNJ Selection Committee and is a trustee of Leadership Newark. www.veteranscorp.org/

The new executive director of state Commission on Science and Technology is Dr. Sherrie Preische (LNJ '02). She had been serving in the Governor's Office of Management & Operations. Sherrie earned her doctorate in astrophysical sciences at Princeton and then conducted research in fusion energy. During the LNJ seminar year, she was serving on the staff of U.S. Representative Rush Holt. Sherrie told the Princeton Packet that "The commission's mission is to build partnerships between industry and universities. I really want to try to find new ways to build such relationships. I look forward to working with the many talented scientists and entrepreneurs to develop new industry and new jobs for New Jersey."

Julia Somers (LNJ '96) was recently featured in the New York Times for her work with the Great Swamp Watershed Association. This "purposeful woman who sometimes rides as if she owns the road," has been a leader in New Jersey wildlife preservation. Julia's upbringing in a village outside of Edinburgh, Scotland, "prepared her for some aspects of conservation," though she got into the field accidentally, after working a few land-use cases as a Morristown lawyer. Through her work with the organization, Julia has effectively redrawn the boundary of the refuge, and has had quite an influence in local politics and zoning decisions. "I'm one of those unfortunate people," she said, "who can't stop themselves from getting involved."

Denise Grey-Felder, (LNJ '94) has put her years of service as Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation to good use. She is the founding President and CEO of the new Communication for Social Change Consortium, an international nonprofit organization that works in developing and industrialized countries. It is based in South Orange. Chartered last year, the CFSC works to build the capacity of people living in poor and marginalized communities to use communication in order to improve their lives. The CFSC works with UN agencies, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and universities.

Wei-Ching Lin (LNJ '01) has been busy working for the Asian-American community in Montgomery Township in Somerset County. Not only is she running for school board in there, but she and brother, David Lin, have recently launched the Montgomery Asian Cares organization, which is committed to building the Asian-American community in Montgomery through methods such as political empowerment. For more information, please see www.montgomeryasiancares.org

Linda Winfield is being honored by Goodwill with the Joanne Bowman Community Service Award. Linda, a Vice President and Community Development Officer with PNC Bank, has worked extensively with the Camden County Youth Opportunity Program, an organization that starts bank accounts for the children of Camden. "These were students who had little or no experience with banks," said Winfield. "Part of my job was to see that they had long-term goals... When you have savings, you can make choices and changes."

Tom Toronto leads the 2-1-1 Partnership for New Jersey, which is working to establish a new telephone number (211) for assistance in reaching social service agencies in each county. Tom is the President and CEO of Bergen County's United Way

Current LNJ Fellow Elisse Glennon is coordinating 2-1-1 activities in Union County, where she is the CEO of the United Way of Greater Union County.

In the 2004 annual HealthSense list of "New Jersey's 50 Most Influential Players In the Political Healthcare Arena" are four LNJ Graduate Fellows. The numbers show HealthSense's ranking and the comments are excerpts from its report

11. John Kohler (LNJ '88) - wrote most of the regulations, laws and policy papers dealing with healthcare during his four-decade involvement in Trenton. At one of the state's premier law firms, Kohler now lends his expertise to clients such as Cigna Insurance and Cooper Hospital.

20. Amy Mansue (LNJ '96) - in yet another key healthcare position as the president and chief executive of Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside. Her Trenton connections should help the Robert Wood Johnson Health System, of which Children's is a member, remain a key player in State House healthcare issues.

37. Mary Wachter Altamura (LNJ '00) - She knows her way around halls of the State House and filters the wheat from the chaff for the Commissioner. . .has enabled him to stay focused on the key healthcare issues facing the state, particularly making sure New Jersey is prepared in the event of a bio-terrorism attack.

42. Susan Reinhard (LNJ '94) - lends her considerable thinking power and hands-on experience to the Department of Health and Senior Services as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Commissioner. In her "spare time," Reinhard also directs two national initiatives to support and stimulate state health policy and program development.

The Delaware-Raritan Girl Scouts announced that it will honor three LNJ Fellows at the Women of Distinction Awards dinner in March.

Anna Lustenberg is being honored with the World of People Award for her "commitment to expanding opportunities and raising awareness of the world around us". Anna is Director of External Affairs for Verizon New Jersey.

Amy Mansue will be presented with the World of Medicine Award, for her work as President & CEO of Children's Specialized Hospital.

For her "individual commitment to community growth through urban planning & development", Leslie A. Anderson will be named 2004 World Citizen. Leslie is the Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority.

Barbara Armand was honored with the Spirit of Edison Award for Distinguished Alumni. Barbara graduated from Thomas Edison State College in 1993.

Marie P. Imbalzano was honored with the Spirit of Edison Family Award, a special honor presented from time to time to those who have demonstrated their dedication to the college.

Arthur Lindberg is the new president of the New England chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, a national organization of former FBI, CIA, military intelligence officers, authors, and academics. Art, a retired Navy officer, was the undercover double agent in the FBI case "Lemon Aid", which led to the arrest of 3 KGB agents operating from the UN in the late 1970's and the subsequent release of 5 Soviet dissidents. Art is writing a book about his experiences.

Councilman Mark Holmes was chosen as mayor of Lawrence Township, in Mercer County, home to another LNJ mayor, West Windsor's Shing Fu Hsueh, (LNJ '96). The Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of East Orange, Mark was sworn in by Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (LNJ '91). He is the first black mayor in Lawrence history. Holmes pledged to revitalize streets, neighborhoods and "the entire Lawrence Township community."

Maria Vizcarrondo-DeSoto was recently elected to the Board of NJ Council of Grant makers. She was also honored by ASPIRA of New Jersey for her leadership. Last spring, she was appointed to the Governor's Cabinet for Children. Maria is the president of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson, which was recently selected to serve as a national model as a community impact organization by the United Way of America.

Leadership New Jersey Fellows are in the forefront of The Citizens Tax Assembly, which aims to reduce New Jersey's heavy reliance on the local property tax. The report of the Assembly, Let the People Speak: Report of the Citizens Tax Assembly was released on February 3. Click on the title to read the full report and find additional information on The Assembly and its sponsoring organization, The Coalition for The Public Good.

The Assembly itself took place on a weekend last September. Among the almost 100 concerned New Jersey citizens who came together to discuss how to reform the state's tax system were 7 LNJ Fellows or Graduate Fellows:
Mark Bombace (LNJ 02), Bob Davison (LNJ 03), Marge Drozd (LNJ 03), Pareg Patel (LNJ 03), Dave Scheck (LNJ 99), Tsang-Bin Tzeng (LNJ 04), and Elizabeth Wong (LNJ 01).

Elizabeth Wong (LNJ 01) makes a point

Efforts to reduce New Jersey's reliance on the local property tax, either through legislative action or a constitutional convention, have so far been stymied. The Assembly demonstrated the ability of citizens to move towards a responsible consensus on this hot issue.

The delegates, from every county in the state, reached agreement on the values a tax system ought to reflect, and they came to consensus on the changes needed to make the system conform to those values. Three broad statements in the report characterize the delegates' views.

1. New Jersey should realign its tax structure to protect seniors and others with low or fixed incomes by reducing reliance on the local property tax.

2. Providing schools with the resources needed to give all children a quality education requires that the state reduce reliance on local property taxes and increase use of progressive taxes that are based on the ability to pay.

3. Holding down the costs of government and education requires that New Jersey promote cooperation among its municipalities and school districts to avoid duplication, improve efficiency and make regional planning possible.

Delegates also agreed on policies that would move New Jersey's tax structure in the directions suggested by the three statements. Those policies did not necessarily reflect the views of every member of the Assembly, nor were they always compatible with each other. But taken together these policy ideas established a range of possible actions that participants thought should be considered.

The moderators and recorders at The Assembly were LNJ Fellows who had been recruited and trained by The Coalition. They included:
Denise Anderson (LNJ 98), Dale Anglin (LNJ 01), Dottie Blakeslee (LNJ 99), Sally Dudley (LNJ 94), Mary Forsberg (LNJ 01), Beth Gates (LNJ 01), Felipe Gorostiza (LNJ 02), Joyce Harley (LNJ 00), Michael Klein (LNJ 02), Mark Murphy (LNJ 91), Tom Murphy (LNJ 98), John Tiene (LNJ 02), Nelida Valentin (LNJ 02), George Williams (LNJ 99), Susan Zellman (LNJ 96), and Ken Zimmerman (LNJ 01). LNJ Seminar Director Jon Shure also served as a moderator.

Sally Dudley (LNJ 94) served as a moderator

The Citizens' Tax Assembly grew out of discussions among the bipartisan Citizens for the Public Good, a group of former elected and appointed government officials and leaders from the business, academic and nonprofit communities who are concerned about lack of progress on issues critical to the state's future. Among its members are Sally Dudley (LNJ 94) and Lorraine Kulick (LNJ 95). The Fund for New Jersey, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Schumann Fund for New Jersey provided funding for the Citizens' Tax Assembly. The Executive Director of the Fund for New Jersey is Mark Murphy (LNJ 91). Barbara Reisman (LNJ 98) is the Executive Director of The Schumann Fund for New Jersey.

When the new General Assembly convened for the first time on January 13, 4 LNJ Fellows took the oath of office. Bonnie Watson Coleman, (LNJ '91), who also serves as Chair of the Democratic State Party, was sworn into her fourth term representing the 15th District, which includes Trenton.  Upendra Chivukula (LNJ '98) was sworn into his second term, representing the 17th District, parts of Middlesex and Somerset counties.

Bob Gordon (LNJ '87) and Sheila Oliver (LNJ '88) enjoyed the special thrill of being sworn in for their first terms.  Bob, a former Mayor of Fair Lawn, was elected from the 38th District, which includes that and other Bergen County towns.  Sheila previously served as an Essex County Freeholder and is currently a department director in Essex County government. She represents District 34, which includes her hometown of East Orange.

LNJ Graduate Fellows, who constitute only one ten thousandth of the population of the state, now fill 4 of the 80 seats in the Assembly.  Statisticians agree that an LNJ Graduate Fellow is 500 times more likely to be elected to the Assembly than the average New Jerseyan.

Whether you're trying to fill a board seat or get a quick, free consultation, one of the challenges of leadership is finding the right person to provide advice or expertise. For LNJ fellows the chances are good that the skills you need reside somewhere among the 800 plus leaders who have passed through the program.

But how to find them? Now the task of locating your needle in the LNJ haystack has become much simpler - thanks to the LNJ Talent Exchange.

Visit the LNJ website and look for "Talent Exchange" on the menu (or click here). Then click on "submit a new Talent Exchange item" to open a simple form. Just provide your details and click "submit."

Your request for help will be added to those of others and emailed to the LNJ alumni list, giving your needs immediate statewide exposure. And of course, when you receive a Talent Exchange email, please read it to see if there's a match with your skills and interests.

The LNJ Talent Exchange is part of the class project of the Class of 2001.

Charles Hill (LNJ '02) is the new Director of Economic Opportunity for Mercer County. He had been Manager of Policy Research and Planning at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. Through his new position Charles will develop downtown business districts throughout the county and to help small minority-owned businesses compete for county contracts.

Ramon de la Cruz (LNJ '00) has been named Northeast Regional Representative to the Executive Board of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED). NASED deals with such issues as voting standards, voting technology, and elections administration. He is the first person of Hispanic heritage to serve on NASED. Ramon has also been selected to participate in the Henry Toll Fellowship Program, a development initiative for state government officials. Ramon said, "The experience provides participants with information, and viewpoints not readily available in the course of their everyday lives in public service."

The new Deputy Director for Community Services of Mercer County is Sasa Montano (LNJ '96), who had previously served as the Director of the Pace Center for Community Services at Princeton University. Sasa now leads the programs that relate to the children, youth, seniors, homeless, and the disabled in Mercer County.

The Vice President of Public Affairs at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Jeffrey Norman (LNJ '94), presented a case study of NJPAC at the Joint Convention of Americans for the Arts and the National Association of State Arts Agencies last month in Washington, DC. Jeff emphasized the importance of a public-private partnership in creating and sustaining a cultural institution. NJPAC cultivated community involvement, investment, and enthusiasm for a successful world-class Arts Center. "It was a great opportunity to speak to fellow arts leaders from around the country and show them how Newark is a leading force in forging economic revitalization of a beleaguered downtown area," says Jeff.

Joe Oxley (LNJ '03) has become the new President of the Sheriff's Association of New Jersey and he is Secretary of the County Officers Association of New Jersey.

Governor McGreevey recently announced the appointment of three LNJ fellows. Tsang-Bin Tzeng, Ph.D. (LNJ '04) will serve on the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund Board of Directors. Wei-Ching Lin (LNJ '01) will servebe on the New Jersey Governor's School Board of Overseers. Shirley M. Ward (LNJ '95) was reappointed to her position on the Governor's Advisory Council on Volunteerism and Community Service.

The New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority (NJPBA) has elected Scott Kobler (LNJ '95) as the new Chair of the Board of Commissioners at its annual meeting on July 20, 2004. Scott also serves as a Trustee of the NJN Foundation.

Former Fair Lawn Mayor Edward Trawinski (LNJ '92) ran a write-in campaign for the GOP congressional nomination and received 211 votes to secure a ballot position. He will run against the incumbent Democrat, Representative Steven Rothman. Ed says he was motivated to undertake this challenging race because the Republicans did not put up a candidate, and he believes the voters should have a choice.

Ben Choi (LNJ '03) hosted a fundraiser for Jun Choi's (LNJ '03) (no relation) budding candidacy for the Assembly. The event took place in the Rutherford law office he shares with Jay J. Fahy (LNJ '91). Co-Chairs for the event included Dotty Blakeslee (LNJ '99), Sal Santiago (LNJ '03), and Phil Peredo (LNJ '03).

Joyce W. Harley (LNJ '00) has accepted a new position as Executive Director of the Newark Downtown District. This is the largest Special Improvement District in the state. Its mission is to revitalize downtown Newark by promoting the appeal of living in the downtown area through programs, physical improvements, special events, and economic development initiatives in collaboration with all levels of government. Joyce has also moved from South Orange to Newark.

Rebecca Perkins (LNJ '98) has established her own firm, The Perkins Partnership, which provides public policy consulting. For the past six years her work has revolved around research focused on the pharmaceutical and biotech community in New Jersey. "I'm very excited about my new company because it combines everything I've done in the past from the public, private, and academic sector to create the opportunity to bring the necessary skills and people together," she says.

After spending over 25 years in New Jersey, David Chai (LNJ '92) is planning to leave home for sunny Foster City, California in the middle of July. Before his retirement, David was a Director at Bellcore. He served as Chair of the LNJ Graduate Organization. On the civic front, he founded a Chinese language school, was Mayor of Holmdel Township, chaired the Holmdel Zoning Board, and served as Assistant Commissioner of the Department of State during the Whitman Administration.

Former Cranford Mayor Philip J. Morin III (LNJ '03) has been elected Chairman of the Union County Republican Committee. Phil told the Star-Ledger that, "I am confident that with the unanimous backing our leadership team received tonight, the Union County Republicans will be able to work together for our common goal of electing more Republicans to local, county, state and federal office."

The 2002 GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, Douglas Forrester (LNJ '90) will represent New Jersey on the Platform Committee at the Republican National Convention.

Jim Hemm (LNJ '95) was recently re-elected for a third term as President of the NJ Community Action Association. The association represents 27 community action programs in NJ. Channell Wilkins (LNJ '04) is Executive Director of the association.

State Police Lieutenant Pat Reilly (LNJ '02) recently completed the 10-week FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. It offers a wide range of leadership and specialized training, as well as an opportunity for professional law enforcement officials to share ideas, techniques, and experiences.

With nearly 1.5 million members in 193 countries across the globe, the Lions Clubs (Liberty Intelligence Our Nation's Safety) is the largest volunteer organization that concentrates on service projects as well as initiatives to serve communities of the world. Mary Devon O'Brien (LNJ '93) is the first female Lion in New Jersey to be elected to serve as the Lions Clubs International (LCI) State Advisor, "Sometimes being the first at something is difficult, but I hope that it opens doors for a resource of tremendous and hard-working people." O'Brien had previously served as the LCI State Council Chairperson presiding over five Governors and the Lions Clubs in their Districts.

A new educational after-school program, NJ After 3, Inc., will be headed by Mark Valli (LNJ '03). The new orgaization is designed to strengthen after-school programs. It will offer coordination, training, support and technical assistance to existing programs. "NJ After 3 will serve as a dynamic force for the expansion of creative, fun, and educational after-school programs for kids all over New Jersey," says Mark. He had been the Vice President of the New Jersey Community Development Corporation in Paterson. Governor Jim McGreevey (LNJ '87), announced Mark's appointment as well the selection of two other LNJ Graduate Fellows to serve on board of the new organization: Michelle Tuck Ponder (LNJ '95) and Gloria Bonilla Santiago (LNJ '91).

Richard Novak (LNJ '99) recently received national recognition for his work in continuing education. In April he accepted the Walton S. Bittner Service Citation for Imaginative Leadership in the Advancement of Continuing and Distinguished Service to the Association from the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA). UCEA's membership represents over 350 of the top higher education institutions in the U.S.

George Hampton (LNJ '89) announced the presentation of "Elimination of Health Disparities: Bridging the Healthcare Divide." This open forum of the Congressional Black Caucus will take place on Saturday June 12, 2004 at the UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School in Newark. It will feature a series of health workshops and a plenary session to discuss the future of minority health care as well as the factors that contribute to health disparities.

Ellen Shoshkes (LNJ '91) has published her study of the role of school construction in achieving better land use patterns, Creating Communities of Learning: Schools and Smart Growth. The report delves into the trends in education and land use reform to link planning for schools and communities based on the principles of "Smart Growth."

Audrey Winkler (LNJ '00) organized a photo/text exhibit on family diversity, "In Our Family." It is sponsored by Family Diversity Inc. Audrey brought the exhibit to the South Orange/Maplewood school district where it is completing its run at Columbia High School.

Acting Governor Richard J. Codey nominated Jeffrey M. Vega (LNJ '03) to be a member of the State Board of Education.

John Fidler (LNJ '97) sold his public relations consulting firm, Fidler & Company, in Rockaway last summer and returned to his hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. He is now an editor and music critic, covering jazz and classical music at the Reading Eagle newspaper. He has also been working with child-abuse issues, both as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and as a community organizer.

Julane Miller-Armbrister (LNJ '94) was inducted as a member of The Douglass Society at the annual Founders Day celebration. Established in 1973, members of The Douglass Society are recognized alumnae of Douglass College who have distinguished themselves in their career or through community service.

A. Louis Parker (LNJ '93) (shown right) is the President and CEO of GE Employer's Reinsurance Corporation's Commercial Insurance in Overland Park, Kansas.

As the result of a recent ruling by J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo (LNJ '99), the state's top civil rights official, 'Ladies Nights' discounts are now outlawed in New Jersey bars. Oppositions include arguments that ladies discounts are legitimate promotions. As the director of the state Division of Civil Rights, Vespa-Papaleo said that commercial interests do not have the authority to override the "important social policy objective of eradicating discrimination."

Mada Liebman (LNJ '00) will attend the Democratic National Convention in Boston, providing staff support to Senator Corzine.

Fellows Deborah Jacobs (LNJ '02), Guy Baehr (LNJ '89) and Dr. Anne Barron (LNJ '03) have been working hard to plan this year's National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) Conference on Open Government, "Less Secrecy, More Democracy". It will be held on May 21 and 22 in Newark. The Conference will be hosted by the state's Open Government coalition, the NJ Foundation for Open Government (NJFOG) and the NFOIC. Deborah, the Executive Director of the ACLU-NJ, and Anne are founding members of NJFOG.

Hal English (LNJ '92) has been appointed Director of Technology and Economic Development for Hamilton Township. He is looking forward to "putting his mark" on the "Transit Village" planned for the area around the Hamilton train station.

Michele Dupey (LNJ '95) is the new Public Information Officer for the Jersey City Free Public Library. She still freelances as a writer, and maintains her public relations practice through her business, Copy on Target.

Sam Delgado, (LNJ '04), has been named Director Supplier Diversity for Verizon Communications. He will be responsible nationally for all elements of Verizon's Supplier Diversity Program including maintaining key stakeholder relationships, managing diverse supplier relations, outreach activities and contracts.

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes has recently appointed Christine O'Brien (LNJ '98) to the County Board of Social Services. Christine served on Hughes' County Authorities transition team, focusing on the County Geriatric Center. In April, she coordinated a press conference for the Center for American Women and Politics.

The Families and Work Institute will posthumously honor Chris Kjeldsen (LNJ '95) for his work in the Community and Workplace Programs department at Johnson & Johnson. The Work Life Legacy Awards will take place on Monday, June 14.

Judith Mooney (LNJ '02) is the new Director of Development for the Rutgers University College of Nursing in Newark.

Joseph O. Bass (LNJ '98) has just published two more books: Let Me Be What I Can Be, recommends discovering success on your own terms; A Race Divided, is an in-depth study of the divisiveness of the African American Community in Willingboro.

Governor James E. McGreevey (LNJ '87) recently nominated 5 LNJ Graduate Fellows for prominent positions in state government. The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved the nomination of Edward Neafsey (LNJ '89) to be appointed a judge of the Superior Court. Neafsey has worked as a state prosecutor for 15 years, most recently as First Assistant Attorney General. Reappointed as Judges of the Superior Court were Estela De La Cruz (LNJ '00) and Carmen Messano (LNJ '93).

Robert C. Angelo (LNJ '88), a Legislative Consultant with Captial Ideas has been appointed to the New Jersey State Board of Mediation and Riki E. Jacobs (LNJ '95), the Executive Director of Hyacinth AIDS Foundation has been appointed to the Public Health Council.

The New Jersey Women and AIDS Network honored Ilise Zimmerman (LNJ '03) last month at Rutgers University for her contributions to women's health care in the State.

Mary Wachter Altamura (LNJ '00) has left her position as Chief of Staff of the Department of Health and Senior Services. She has returned to Hoffman-LaRoche where she is serving as Senior Regional Manager for State Government Affairs.

Joe Bass (LNJ '98) has just completed his latest book, From Victim to Victor to Victim Again. It studies racism in Thailand from the time of the Vietnam War to today, with the influx of Africans from 40 countries. Joe is proud to announce that his book will shortly be available world wide, adding, "It is the most extensive research project ever conducted on race in Thailand, my second home."

Bob Sommer (LNJ '92), Executive Vice President of the MWW Group in East Rutherford, makes time away from the office to teach at the Bloustein School at Rutgers University. He was recently reelected to the Board of the Public Affairs Council, the leading national association for public affairs professionals. Its membership includes more than 500 member corporations, associations and consulting firms.

The Center for Civic Responsibility will recognize Kathy S. Stanwick (LNJ '89) for her 25 years of advocacy for women's participation in the workforce and politics. She will receive this commendation at the third annual Alain Daniels Civic Responsibility Awards Dinner on April 13.

At the Celebration of the Stars to benefit the Education Foundation of Bridgewater Raritan on March 19 two LNJ Graduate Fellows will be honored. Evelyn Self (LNJ '91), Director of Corporate Relations for Aventis, will be honored with the Leinard & Adele Blumberg Award.

Donald Bowers (LNJ '97), who recently retired as Director of Community Relations for Ethicon, will receive the Trustee's Award. Donald's years of service were also recently recognized with an award from The Friends of Somerset County Youth for his "tireless commitment to the quality of life for the people of Central New Jersey."

Reginald Lewis (LNJ '01) has left the state Department of Human Services to take a new position as Special Assistant in the Division of Abbott Implementation at the Department of Education. In this new capacity, he is responsible for "closing the gap in 30 special needs school districts."

The new Community Advisory Board of the Junior League of Greater Princeton has been strengthened with the appointment of several LNJ graduate Fellows: Janet Rosenzweig (LNJ '94), executive director of Prevent Child Abuse NJ; Nancy Kieling (LNJ '99), --photo upper left-- executive director of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, and Sharon Copeland (LNJ '99), --photo right-- executive director of Enable, Inc., in Princeton.

Timothy Matheny (LNJ '99) has retired as Captain of the Plainsboro Police Department. He is a 25-year veteran of the force and a noted DJ. Cliff Maurer (LNJ '93) is the new Police Director in Plainsboro.

Joey Novick (LNJ '98) will be the keynote speaker at the annual Middlesex County Bar Association dinner April 21st, speaking on "Politics Unusual" - commentary on the NJ Political scene.

Ruthi Zinn Byrne (LNJ '89) will be honored by The New Jersey State Federation of Women¹s Clubs and Douglass College on March 28, 2004. They will present her with the New Jersey Woman of Achievement Award for her strong commitment in leadership, philanthropic activities, community service, and the arts through her work as President of Zinn Graves & Field Inc.

Deborah Jacobs (LNJ '02) was featured on the front page of the New Jersey section of the New York Times for her work with the New Jersey state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. "The intense young executive director" has led the NJCLU for four years, and has seen both membership and fundraising almost double during that time.

Ben Choi (LNJ '03) has left Reed Smith LLP to help create a new firm with Jay Fahy (LNJ '91): Fahy Choi LLC. The new firm is located in Rutherford.

John Sarno (LNJ '97) is scheduled to speak later this month on What Went Wrong at WorldCom. The President of the Employers Association of New Jersey, John has studied WorldCom Inc.'s case - one of the largest public company accounting frauds in history - for 18 months and will present his findings at the Affinity Federal Credit Union in Basking Ridge.

Eagleton Institute of Politics Associate Director John Weingart (LNJ '89) has just published Another Government Success Story, a study of 435 New Jersey state boards and commissions and the impressions of the 5,000 citizens who serve on them. The analysis, published by the Eagleton Institute, is available here.

Raymond C. Black (LNJ '88) is now splitting his time between Scottsdale, Arizona and Maui, Hawaii. Although he has been retired for the last six years, he still serves as a Liaison Officer with the U.S. Air Force Academy. He serves Vice President of the condo board in Maui.

John Atlas (LNJ '91) is writing a book about "progressive politics, the decline of democracy, the increase in poverty, and the future of our cities viewed through the lens of ACORN", an organization with 700 chapters in more than 60 cities, and 150,000 member families.

Gloria Frederick (LNJ '98) is the new Director of the Rutgers Institute for Executive Leadership and Diversity. It uses distance-learning technology to offer training in corporate-supplier diversity and corporate-supported small-business development for women and minorities. It also offers courses in Managing Diversity, Professional Strategies for Managers and Executives, and Emotional Intelligence. Gloria helps community-based organizations develop for-profit ventures to encourage neighborhood economic development. For more information, check out the Institute's website at diversity.rutgers.edu.

After 19 years of notable leadership and widely hailed service, Julane Miller-Armbrister (LNJ '94) has resigned as President of the Plainfield Health Center. With previous experience as an adjunct professor at both the Rutgers Graduate School of Social Work and for the Graduate Department of Public Administration, of Kean University, Julane will pursue a career in academia.

April Aaronson (LNJ '95) will serve as the Director of the Mercer County Department of Human Services. The current deputy director of the state's Division of Youth and Family Services, she was appointed by Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes.

LNJGO Board Member Richard L. Plambeck (LNJ '95) is the new mayor of the Borough of Chatham.

Erica Ferry (LNJ '01) is now working for Schering-Plough. The former Director of Community Relations and Contributions Programs at Pharmacia, will now be Schering-Plough's Senior Director of Corporate Community Relations.

The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ has chosen Ruthi Zinn Byrne (LNJ '89) for its board of trustees.

Diane Abatemarco (LNJ '01) has been elected Vice Chair of the Raritan Township Planning Board

Magdalena Padilla (LNJ '00) has been named President of the Insurance Council of New Jersey (ICNJ). She will be the primary spokesperson for the insurance industry in the state. She succeeds John K. Tiene (LNJ '02), who joined New Jersey Skylands Insurance Companies last fall.

Harold Garwin (LNJ '95) has been selected to receive the Richard Hughes Public Service Award from Seton Hall Law School's Public Service Network. Hal is to be presented with the award on Feb 19th in a ceremony including retired Justice Gary Stein and Ann Gottlieb from American Friends.

Republican Freeholder Susan Zellman (LNJ '96) was re-elected by a wide margin in the Sussex County Freeholder Elections.

Marsha Dubrow (LNJ '90) has been awarded a Folk Arts Fellowship in Yiddish Song and was honored in a ceremony hosted by Governor James E. McGreevey (LNJ '87).

Henry Kane (LNJ '99) and his wife Carey have become the parents of their third child, Abigail Connell Kane, who was born on Sunday, October 5, 2003 at 4:05pm.

Nancy Yusko Peters (LNJ '91) has moved to Nevada, where she nevertheless continues consulting for the Middlesex County College Foundation.

Glenn Steiger (LNJ '91) was named General Manager of the Imperial Irrigation District's Electric Utility "IID Energy", California's 6th Largest Electric Utility.

Karen Brown (LNJ '00) was recently named President of the Paterson Education Fund and chosen as a member of the Affirmative Action and Outreach Committee for the 2004 Democratic National Convention Delegate Selection Program. She will also be serving as Director of Community Economic Development for the New Jersey Community Development Corporation.

President George W. Bush has nominated Peter G. Sheridan (LNJ '88) as a federal judge to sit in Camden.

Pete has worked for the New York-New Jersey Port Authority and in private practice in Trenton. He served as counsel to the state Republican Party.

Joseph Yuhas (LNJ '88) has left New Jersey, but hasn't left politics behind. The former state assemblyman, county freeholder, and Trenton City councilman is now the deputy director of the Arizona State Department of Commerce.

Edward Neafsey (LNJ '89) was selected last July as First Assistant Attorney General under Attorney General Peter Harvey. He is also Director of Office of Government Integrity.

The Red Bank Community YMCA recently appointed Patricia Clyne Lindberg (LNJ '89) as Vice President of Financial Development.

Roberta Francis (LNJ '92) is working as program consultant and scheduler for actor/educator Fred Morsell in "Presenting Mr. Frederick Douglass" School & Community performances.

Richard Hluchan (LNJ '94) was honored by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association on behalf of his law firm Ballard Spahr last October. The firm was given the Environmental Quality Award for its work converting a landfill into a housing project.