Alfa Demmellash
Co-Founder & CEO
Rising Tide Capital

Alfa Melesse Demmellash was born and raised in Ethiopia. She came to the United States at the age of twelve with a keen interest in poverty alleviation and conflict resolution. Alfa graduated cum laude from Harvard University in 2003, where she majored in Government. During her time at Harvard, her interest in conflict resolution brought her to Rwanda. Recognizing the role economic poverty played in fueling conflicts, Alfa turned her focus to economic empowerment as a strategy to achieve peaceful societies.

Named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2015, Alfa co-founded Rising Tide Capital in 2004 to empower underserved urban entrepreneurs in northern New Jersey to start and grow successful businesses. RTC’s signature program is the nationally-recognized Community Business Academy – an intensive business training program coupled with year-round consulting and management support, which equips entrepreneurs to better operate their small businesses.

On average, a new Rising Tide business opens every seven days. Many Rising Tide Entrepreneurs use the increased earnings from their business to supplement low wages, transition out of unemployment and build on assets that allow them to better provide for their families. As their businesses get stronger, Rising Tide Entrepreneurs become local employers, tax-payers, volunteers, donors and role models to youth in their communities.

To date, 1,114 entrepreneurs have graduated from the Community Business Academy, forming a community of change agents and local leaders that are transforming their neighborhoods from within. There are currently 515 Rising Tide Entrepreneurs in business, with another 546 in the planning stages. Collectively the incomes they generate return $3.80 for every dollar invested in Rising Tide Capital.

Today the organization has operations in five locations throughout northern New Jersey and runs the state’s largest annual business pitch competition, the Start Something Challenge, serving entrepreneurs from dozens of towns across the state. Alfa is actively building a community of funders to support RTC’s national replication through a network of licensed partners, enabling many cities seeking to invest in the existing entrepreneurial energy of their communities to get a head start.

Alfa has received a number of awards and recognition for her work with Rising Tide Capital. In 2009, she was selected and profiled as a CNN Hero, and recognized by President Barack Obama during a speech at the White House. She was recognized as one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women Changing the World with Philanthropy in August 2012, and has been awarded honorary doctorates from St. Peter’s University and New Jersey City University.

Major media features include the Suze Orman Show, The Larry King Show, O, The Oprah Magazine, Inc.com, BusinessWeek.com, The Star-Ledger, Entrepreneur.com as well Essence Magazine’s 40th anniversary edition where she was recognized as a “40 under 40 Dream Maker.”

Alfa currently serves on the boards of St. Peter’s University and Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. She is passionate about social entrepreneurship, education, conflict resolution, and the environment.

Marcos Vigil
Deputy Mayor
City of Jersey City

Marcos D. Vigil recently joined Mayor Steven Fulop’s administration as Deputy Mayor to oversee economic development and real estate, working closely with the Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce as well as the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. He will also collaborate on policies related to government operations.

Mr. Vigil served for the past four years as the Deputy Secretary of State for New York in the administration of Governor Andrew Cuomo. During his tenure with New York State, Mr. Vigil headed the Division of Consumer Protection and represented the Secretary of State as Chair of the New York State Real Estate Board, a regulatory body overseeing real estate professionals. At the New York Department of State, Mr. Vigil oversaw six agencies with revenue generation of more than $70 million annually. Those divisions included the Divisions of Corporations and Licensing Services, which licenses and regulates 32 different occupations across New York. Mr. Vigil was also instrumental in streamlining operations that lead to greater efficiencies and reduced operating costs, and will work in Jersey City to continue the mayor’s agenda of streamlining services and creating greater efficiencies.

Prior to his appointment by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mr. Vigil worked as an attorney for several law firms in New York City, representing domestic and international clients in complex civil litigation and advising on employment and business law matters. A graduate of Princeton University, Mr. Vigil received his Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law. Mr. Vigil has served as a Board Member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and as Deputy General Counsel of the National Hispanic Bar Association. He was listed in the Super Lawyers Magazine 2011 NY Metro Rising Stars list.

Commissioner, Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority

http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/

Peter Daniels
EVP & COO
CarePoint Health

W. Peter Daniels has more than three decades of experience in hospital administration and management. Prior to joining CarePoint Health, he was Chief Operating Officer of Hospital Services at Cook County Health and Hospital System, a large and complex health care system in Illinois. While there, he was instrumental in the transformation of the system, both leading and being a part of initiatives directly impacting patients. Most notably, Mr. Daniels led a team that improved operational performance in the emergency department at Stroger Hospital, resulting in a 35% decrease in wait times and a 75% decrease in patients leaving without being seen; helped improved processes and services across the health system and served in a leadership role for the redevelopment plan of the Central Campus, including new outpatient and administrative space.

Throughout his career, Mr. Daniels has not only led several high profile projects, he’s held numerous senior leadership positions at major New York/Metropolitan area health care systems including as president of Ocean Medical Center, a member of the Meridian Health System in New Jersey.

Mr. Daniels received a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialty in finance and quantitative analysis from Long Island University and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He was a co-founder of a telecommunications company. Mr. Daniels also co-authored several professional publications, and has taught graduate students in business administration at Mercy College in New York, and a course in public health at Elmhurst College in Illinois. He has lectured extensively, has served on numerous boards and has been an active participant in many community activities, including as a volunteer for the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Boy Scouts of America.

https://www.carepointhealth.org/

Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D.
President
Saint Peter’s University

Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., is the 22nd president of Saint Peter’s University. Under Dr. Cornacchia’s leadership, Saint Peter’s has expanded its highly regarded undergraduate and graduate programs, initiated the institution’s first doctoral programs and established a School of Nursing and a School of Education. He was also instrumental to Saint Peter’s acquiring university status and assuming responsibility for St. Aedan’s Church, transitioning the parish church into a university church. St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church enables the University to provide appropriate worship and programmatic space to the Saint Peter’s family and its surrounding community. In addition, Dr. Cornacchia has set fundraising records, securing $64.7 million for Students at the Center: The Campaign for Saint Peter’s University, the largest and most successful campaign in the University’s 143-year history.

Dr. Cornacchia earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1976 and a master’s degree in political science in 1979 from Fordham University. He also earned a Ph.D. in political science from Fordham University in 1985. Prior to becoming the first lay president of the University and after many years of teaching at Saint Peter’s, Dr. Cornacchia served as academic dean and subsequently as provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Dr. Cornacchia regularly devotes his time to many civic leadership organizations. He is a member of the executive committee of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Presidents’ Council, a member of the board of directors and accountability committee for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), chair of the board of directors of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of New Jersey (AICUNJ), a member of the board of directors of the Independent College Fund of New Jersey and a board member and vice chair of the executive committee for the CarePoint Health Foundation.

Two community organizations recognized Dr. Cornacchia for outstanding contributions in 2015. The Rotary Club of Jersey City honored Dr. Cornacchia for Service to Vocations at its “Legacy of Service” awards fundraiser. Black Interest Team Enterprise, an organization dedicated to promoting inclusive communities in Jersey City, recognized Dr. Cornacchia with the Distinguished Leadership Award.

Additionally, Dr. Cornacchia serves on the executive board for the New Jersey Presidents’ Council and is a member of the executive board and chair of the finance committee for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU). He is also a Third Degree Knight of Columbus.

Dr. Cornacchia and his wife, AnnMarie, have two daughters, Lauren and Katherine, and two grandchildren, Ava and Zachary.

http://www.saintpeters.edu/

Sue Henderson, Ph.D.
President
New Jersey City University

Dr. Henderson began her tenure as president of New Jersey City University (NJCU) in 2012. In just three years, she has made dramatic strides in advancing the mission of the University on behalf of its diverse student population. Dr. Henderson created a robust fundraising program and increased philanthropic giving significantly. Dr. Henderson spearheaded more than $400 million in construction projects, including a new School of Business facility, science building, new and renovated residence halls, and public-private partnerships to vitalize the community.

Under her leadership, Dr. Henderson implemented a new General Education program and a range of student success initiatives. She created zero-based budgeting and integrated planning to ensure efficiency within the context of a rapidly growing city and region.

Dr. Henderson is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Commission on Education of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Vice Chair of the Society for College and University Planning’s Board of Directors, and Chair of the Committee on International Education of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. At the state level, she serves on the Task Force on the Alignment of Higher Education Programs and Workforce Development and co-chairs the Hudson County Alliance for Action and the Hudson County Vicinage Advisory Committee on Minority Concerns.
Dr. Henderson holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Georgia, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in math education from Georgia State University. Dr. Henderson has received numerous awards for her work as an educator and administrator.

http://www.njcu.edu/

Marcia V. Lyles, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Jersey City Public Schools

Dr. Marcia V. Lyles started as Superintendent of Jersey City Public Schools on August 31, 2012. Jersey City Public Schools is the second largest school district in New Jersey with 29,000 students in 39 schools.

She was Superintendent of the Christina School District, Delaware’s largest school district serving the Newark/Wilmington area from 2009-2012. During her tenure the District focused on an equity and excellence agenda, Pre-K to 12. District priorities focused on college and career readiness for all, empowered and effective educators, strategic support for lowest performing schools and family and community engagement. Major initiatives have enhanced educational options for families and students including opening the first Early Childhood Center, implementing universal Full Day Kindergarten, the opening of the first public Montessori school in Delaware, and development of the Community School model in targeted schools.

Prior to Delaware Dr. Lyles served over 30 years in the New York City school system.She began her career as a high school teacher of English and subsequently served as an assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent, Community Superintendent, and Regional Superintendent. She was the founding CEO of the Community Learning Support Organization. Her last position in NYC was Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning in the New York City Department of Education.

She has served as consultant for various organizations and as an adjunct for several colleges including UCLA, the City University of New York, Bank Street College and New York University. Dr. Lyles received her Ed.D in Educational Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Dr. Lyles has dedicated her career to making a difference. She firmly believes that a good education is the key to the future for our children and our communities. She is convinced that strong, effective leadership is needed in our schools, on the District level and in the system to foster and nurture an environment in which change is embraced, collaboration with parents and the community is facilitated and the belief in the ability and necessity to provide a sound education for all children prevails.

http://www.jcboe.org/

Paul Hoffman
President & CEO
Liberty Science Center

Paul Hoffman is the President and CEO of Liberty Science Center, the largest cultural institution in the State of New Jersey and the largest interactive science and technology center in the NYC-NJ metropolitan area. He is also a journalist and biographer whose work explores the relationship between genius, madness, obsession and creativity. An award-winning author of 11 books, including the international bestseller The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, Mr. Hoffman has been a top media executive. He was the long-time president and editor in chief of Discover magazine (owned by the Walt Disney Company), the president and publisher of Encyclopaedia Britannica, and, most recently, the editorial chairman of the expert-knowledge website BigThink.com, funded by Larry Summers and Peter Thiel.

Mr. Hoffman has been at the helm of Liberty Science Center since November 2011 and has overseen the creation of new programming and exhibits that have brought renewed attention and prestige to the Center and have propelled LSC’s
attendance to grow 53% to a record level of 650,000 visitors annually. LSC’s yearly Genius Gala, which Mr. Hoffman initiated, has brought singularly brilliant minds to Jersey City, including Jeff Bezos, Frank Gehry, Sir Richard Branson, Oliver Sacks, Garry Kasparov, will.i.am, Craig Venter, James Watson, Buzz Aldrin, Temple Grandin, David Blaine, Dean Kamen, Sylvia Earle and Cori Bargmann. The Genius Gala has been covered extensively by the Wall Street Journal and other media. LSC’s $5-million Beyond Rubik’s Cube exhibition, which Mr. Hoffman spearheaded and brought on Google and the Hungarian government as key partners, made international news,including the front page of the New York Times.

Mr. Hoffman is a noted expert on the public understanding of science, and has advised NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Academy of Engineering, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Mr. Hoffman, who was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard. As a television personality, Mr. Hoffman has performed mathematical paperfolding tricks on David Letterman and appeared on Oprah as the sole guest for an entire 2 show on the future of consumer technology. He worked with the magician David Blaine to kick off a match between two Russian chess champions in the ABC Studios in Times Square, and he served as the master of ceremonies for three highly publicized chess events. He was the color commentator for 17 hours of live chess on ESPN, the on-airscience essayist for PBS NewsHour, and the host of the five-part PBS series Discovering the Great Minds of Science.

He has edited the writing of Oliver Sacks, Jared Diamond, Sherwin Nuland and Nobel laureates Francis Crick, Steven Weinberg, and Leon Lederman. He has conducted long video interviews with Noam Chomsky, Richard Dawkins, Ray Kurzweil, Penn Jillette, Aubrey de Grey, Annie Duke, Michio Kaku, Anatoly Karpov, Arianna Huffington, Ed Koch, Jonathan Irving, Gay Talese, Jonathan Ames, and Nobel laureates James Watson and Orhan Pamuk. He moderated a spirited radio debate between biologists E.O. Wilson and the late Stephen Jay Gould. He did stand-up storytelling at the Moth along with Nobel laureate Paul Nurse. He has been trounced at the chessboard by Garry Kasparov, and was taken into custody in Libya when he tried to play chess with Muammar el-Qaddafi.

http://lsc.org/

Glen Gabert, Ph.D.
President
Saint Peter’s University

Dr. Glen Gabert has been President of Hudson County Community College since 1992. Under his leadership, the College has been transformed and has grown enormously.

Before coming to HCCC as President, Dr. Gabert was a Dean at the Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas, where he also served as the institutional liaison officer to the League for Innovation in the Community College. At Johnson County Community College, he also served as the chief planning and development officer and the chief personnel officer. He started his community college career as Assistant to the President at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois.

A native of Chicago, he received his Ph.D. from Loyola University. At Loyola, he was a Schmitt Fellow and an adjunct member of the faculty of the Graduate School of Education. He also holds a post-doctoral M.B.A. in human resources management from the Graduate School of Management of Rockhurst University in Kansas City. In addition, he holds a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he was a Hearst Fellow, and a bachelor’s degree from Benedictine University. He is a recipient of the Phi Delta Kappa National Service Key and a life member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society for Jesuit university alumni.

https://www.hccc.edu/

Joseph W. Gilkey, Jr., PhD, MBA
Assistant Professor Department of Business Administration
Executive Director, Ignite Institute
Director, Center for Consumer Analytics
Saint Peter’s University

The mission of the Center for Consumer Studies is to provide facilities and capabilities for students, faculty, and industry to collaborate on research in the field of consumer behavior. In general, the research will cover many relevant topics, not limited to, understanding the attitudes, interactions, characteristics and perceptions that shape and influence consumer behavior in social and commercial settings, individually and collectively. The Center will serve three interconnected purposes:

I. Research: A prominent focus on real-time and real-world applied research that involves directly client businesses, organizations and corporations. The Center will facilitate the access to and availability of timely industry, market and consumer data for faculty and students, who also will have opportunities to engage directly in research with respective business and corporate partner clients who join the Center.

II. Academic/Instructional Content: The Center will offer workshops, seminars and symposia for students, faculty, the university community, the business and industry sector and the public on timely topics in consumer marketing, consumer relations and consumer behavior. The Center also will provide the resources to develop specialized courses for the university curriculum on numerous topics including, for example, managing the value of consumer relationships, applied probability models in consumer marketing and consumer experiments for decision making. The objective is to offer content that informs stakeholders about the volatile market, industry and economic dynamics underlying 21st century consumer activities and behaviors.

The Ignite Institute is a Center of Excellence at Saint Peter’s University. In partnership with Rising Tide Capital, Ignite provides thought leadership, academic research, and direct educational service (including workshops, panels, and training for local entrepreneurs).

The Institute contributes to policy and thought leadership by working with the Local Living Economy Working Group (LLEWG) to discuss the Jersey City Local Economy, identify opportunities for student involvement, and to determine how institutions like Saint Peter’s can positively affect change.

http://www.saintpeters.edu/ignite-institute/

Vanessa N. Quijano
Small Business Development Coordinator
JCEDC

Vanessa Quijano is an expert in brand management and integrated marketing communications. She is a dedicated and seasoned manager who successfully leads organizations to achieve brand and market presence.

With Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, Vanessa leads the Small Business Services division where she counsels entrepreneurs and small business owners on every aspect of starting, owning and managing a business, including access to capital and opening shop. The First Stop to Open Shop in Jersey City.

She holds a Masters in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from New York University and a Bachelor’s in Communications and Digital Marketing Certificate from Rutgers University.

http://www.jcsmallbiz.com/

Vivian Brady-Phillips
Deputy Mayor
City of Jersey City

Vivian Brady-Phillips is a Deputy Mayor of Jersey City whose portfolio includes community relations and human services. Prior to serving as Deputy Mayor, Vivian was the Chief of Staff and later the Executive Vice President for External and Legal Affairs on the NYC Leadership Academy, a nonprofit created by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former NYC School’s Chancellor Joel Klein to recruit, train and support NYC public school leaders. She has significant experience in building public and private
partnerships as a nonprofit leader and in the education sector: as a program officer at New Visions for Public Schools, supported the creation of new small schools and student support programs, and as an educational advocate, she worked to expand school access for students at risk of discrimination, including medically fragile and disabled students.

Ms. Phillips, a lawyer by training and former litigator in private practice, earned her J.D. from NYU School of Law where she was a Root Tilden Scholar and recipient of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund’s Earl Warren Scholarship.

http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/

Alfred J. Titone
NJ District Director
US Small Business Administration

Alfred Titone was named district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s New Jersey district office on March 28, 2011.He brings with him a diverse business background in both non- and for-profit businesses with a concentration in marketing, sales and entrepreneurship.

Al is responsible for directing SBA’s efforts to assist over 700,000 small businesses in New Jersey with the agency’s financial, contracting, and business development programs. Additionally, he has oversight responsibilities for eleven Small Business Development Centers administered by Rutgers University, one SBA funded Women’s Business Centers and nine chapters of SCORE – Counselors to America’s Small Business, a volunteer organization that provides free business counseling.

Al started his SBA career in 2008 as the branch manager of SBA’s Long Island Office.In 2009, he served as the acting district director of the SBA’s New York Office for seven months. In January of 2010, Al was appointed as the SBA’s New York deputy district director. In that position he directed the agency’s implementation of its programs and services, promoted the SBA to various business and other groups, and encouraged more lending institutions to take part in SBA programs

Prior to joining the SBA, Al served as Regional Director for the York College Small Business Development Center in Queens, NY. During his nearly six-year tenure, the organization grew considerably with significant increases in the number of counseling hours, and the dollar amount of small business client loans the center helped to facilitate. While at the SBDC, Al also served on several minority and women’s business enterprise committees. These were tasked with creating goals and participation requirements for minority and M/WBE companies in large construction projects scheduled in the borough over the following years.

After earning his undergraduate degree he worked in the entertainment field for five years and returned to school to earn an MBA in marketing and management in 1988 from St. John’s University. He then ran several small businesses, including two of his own, and subsequently counseled others on various aspects of operating and owning a small business.

https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/nj/newark

Maria L. Nieves
President & CEO
Hudson Chamber of Commerce

Maria L. Nieves is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce.

Established in 1888, the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce is one of New Jersey’s oldest regional chambers. The organization serves more than 500 members that do business in the 12 municipalities which comprise Hudson County in Northern New Jersey. Ms. Nieves began her tenure as President on November 1, 2011.

During her tenure the Chamber has grown membership by more than twenty percent, increased both the breadth and number of programs, launched a young professionals networking group, and engaged and served members through a new member-centric website and social media platforms. The organization has also continued to develop into an advocate for local business concerns and successfully taken on new initiatives. In 2013, the Chamber launched a first-ever trade mission to India, which was officially certified by the United States Foreign Commercial Services division within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The mission connected a delegation of Hudson County business leaders with more than 150 business and government leaders in four Indian cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata) and generated interest from more than 50 Indian firms wanting to learn more about doing business in New Jersey. In 2014, the Chamber successfully secured a Cooperative Marketing Grant from the New Jersey State Division of Travel & Tourism and partnered with Jersey City to activate tourism events welcoming the NFC and AFC Champion Teams to Hudson County. Also in 2014, the Hudson County Chamber and the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce joined in a partnership agreement that allows Members of both organizations to enjoy dual memberships. Through this partnership, the Hudson County Chamber has grown to represent more than 500 Members. In March 2015, the Hudson County Chamber was named one of the Top 25 Chambers in the state by NJBIZ.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Ms. Nieves was the Director of Public Affairs for Fidelity Investments in New York and New Jersey. In this role, she had responsibility for advancing the company’s public policy and business priorities in the region; establishing and maintaining relationships with local and state opinion leaders; identifying and implementing local sponsorships; and engaging employees as volunteers in the community.

Her career with Fidelity began in 2000 when she joined the asset management firm as a senior training analyst for National Financial Services (NFS), Fidelity’s broker dealer. In this role, she focused on the development and delivery of operational training. Following the events of September 11, 2001, Ms. Nieves was instrumental in coordinating space and technology needs for Fidelity’s businesses in Lower Manhattan. As a result she was promoted to project manager in 2002, and played a critical role in ensuring a smooth and timely transition of the business to new space at the World Financial Center in New York City and the Harborside Financial Center in Jersey City, NJ. She consequently served as a Project Director of Business Continuity for NFS and in April 2005, she became Fidelity’s director of Public Affairs in the region.

Ms. Nieves began her career as an educator at the Wadleigh Arts Middle School, an alternative, public school located in Harlem in New York City. She was responsible for developing and implementing the school’s social studies curriculum.

Ms. Nieves earned her undergraduate degree in history from Columbia College, Columbia University in New York City; a master of arts in education from Teachers College, Columbia University; and a master of business administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business. She is a 2010 graduate of Lead New Jersey and has completed the first three years of certification training provided by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization Management.

Ms. Nieves currently serves as a volunteer on the following boards, committees and community organizations:
• Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, a national organization representing 7500 chamber of commerce executives in the U.S. and Canada;
• Hudson Catholic Regional High School Consultative Board;
• Hudson County Community College Foundation;
• Hudson County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) & Strategic Revitalization Committee;
• Hudson County Workforce Investment Board;
• Jersey City Medical Center Legacy Entity;
• Jersey City Rotary Club;
• Saint Peter’s University Board of Regents;
• United Way of Hudson County; and
• Women Rising, Inc.

Mark Lohbauer
Director, New Jersey
Regional Plan Association – RPA

Mark Lohbauer leads RPA’s research, planning and advocacy activities in New Jersey. Mark is an economic development policy specialist who was a principal at the economic consulting firm JGSC Group for 12 years before joining RPA in 2016. He also is a lawyer who, after serving respective turns as a township and county elected official, became an assistant New Jersey state treasurer in Governor Christine Whitman’s administration. In that role, Mark helped devise policy on economic development programs throughout New Jersey, particularly in support of downtown retail. He was a member of the boards of directors of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority and the Urban Enterprise Zone Authority, among others.

Mark currently serves as a commissioner of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, and sits on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition. Mark holds a bachelor’s from Rider University, and a J.D. from Rutgers School of Law, Camden. He studied for a year at the University of Madrid, and is fluent in Spanish.

http://www.rpa.org/

Katherine Lawrence
Senior Planner
City of Jersey City
Secretary, JC
Environmental Commission

Kate Lawrence is an Environmental Planner for the City of Jersey City. She is the Staff liaison and Secretary to the Jersey City Environmental Commission and is working closely with the Mayor’s Office of Innovation to further the City’s sustainiability. Before moving to Jersey City, Ms. Lawrence worked as the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Albany, NY, where she was instrumental to the creation of the City’s Energy Plan and its participation in the New York Climate Smart Communities program.

http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/boards.aspx?id=8684

Randall Solomon
Director and Co-Founder
Sustainable Jersey
The Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey

Mr. Solomon is one of the principals that founded and directs Sustainable Jersey. Prior this he was the founder and Executive Director of the New Jersey Sustainable State Institute at Rutgers where he worked to expand the capacity of public decision making to address sustainability.

Mr. Solomon’s policy experience includes positions as a policy advisor on sustainable development for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities integrating land use and energy policy, director of the States Campaign for the Resource Renewal Institute in San Francisco, and policy director for the non-profit New Jersey Future. Other jobs include a stint as a national Park Ranger and serving in the inaugural class of AmeriCorps volunteers. He has participated on advisory boards for federal and state government, civic organizations, and has advised major corporations. He writes and speaks frequently on sustainable development, land use policy, using indicators in public decision making, and governance issues. He has a BS in Biology from Stockton College, an MS in Public Policy from Rutgers.

http://www.sustainablejersey.com/

Edward Potosnak
Executive Director
New Jersey League of Conservation Voters

http://www.njlcv.org/index.html

Brian Platt
Chief Innovation Officer
City of Jersey City

Brian Platt is the Jersey City Chief Innovation Officer and has worked under Mayor Steven Fulop since 2013. Brian previously worked for McKinsey & Company, was formerly a kindergarten teacher with Teach For America, and ascended to the rank of Captain of his local volunteer Fire Department. Brian recently completed his Masters in Public Administration at Columbia University. He is also a volunteer emergency medical responder, President and cofounder of the Hudson County Young Democrats, a board member of the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, and teaches Olympic weightlifting at Crossfit Jersey City.
https://innovatejerseycity.org/

Debra Italiano
Founder & Chair
Sustainable JC

Sustainable JC is a community green team incubator and social impact network with a focus on outreach and education, sustainability planning at the neighborhood level, and the implementation of innovative demonstration projects.

Debra is the Managing Principal of Merintra, a strategic business and market development consulting firm founded in 2003. The company works with green economy clients to build their business and brand equity through sustainability measures, value creation and hi-impact collaborative enterprise initiatives. Areas of focus – Community Green Infrastructure Development, Private-Public Partnerships, Impact Investing, Regional Food Systems and Sustainability Education.

www.sustainablejc.org/

Signe Nielsen, FASLA
Principal
Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, P.C.
Lead Designer, Newport Green

Signe Nielsen has been practicing as a landscape architect and urban designer in New York since 1978. Her body of work has renewed the environmental integrity and transformed the quality of spaces for those who live, work and play in the urban realm. Key threads of her work are to create new open spaces within challenged communities and to improve access to recreational resources.

A Fellow of the ASLA, she is the recipient of over 100 national and local design awards for public open space projects and is published extensively in national and international publications. Ms. Nielsen believes that advocacy and education are critical avenues to address change in the urban environment and has served on numerous task forces and authored many position papers.

In addition, Ms Nielsen is a Professor of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture at Pratt Institute in both the Graduate and Undergraduate Schools of Architecture and currently serves as President for the Public Design Commission of the City of New York. Born in Paris, Ms. Nielsen holds degrees in Urban Planning from Smith College; in Landscape Architecture from City College of New York; and in and in Construction Management from Pratt Institute.

https://www.mnlandscape.com/

Steve Jandoli
Supervising Program Specialist
Green Acres Program
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Steve Jandoli is a Supervising Program Specialist with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres Program. Steve manages the Land and Water Conservation Program, and the Pinelands, Planning Incentive, technical assistance and open space tax programs and is responsible for preparing New Jersey’s open space and
recreation plan. He is responsible for the evaluation of Green Acres state land acquisition projects and local government and nonprofit land acquisition and park development funding applications. Steve is a member of the New Jersey Trails Council and the New Jersey Scenic Byways Advisory Committee.

Prior to Green Acres, Steve was with the Essex County Department of Parks and Recreation as an Environmental Specialist and worked on a variety of park and recreation and natural resource projects. Steve has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Montclair State University and is a member of the Cranford Township Environmental Commission.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/greenacres/

Sam Pesin
President
Friends of Liberty State Park

Sam Pesin is the son of the “father” of Liberty State Park, Morris Pesin, who had the vision and spearheaded the 18-year campaign to transform the Jersey City waterfront wasteland of abandoned rail yards and decaying piers into a beautiful park behind Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. Morris Pesin then co-led many battles against park commercialization with LSP’s “godmother”, Audrey Zapp.

Sam has advocated for a free and green open space urban state park since his father’s 1992 death and has been president of the Friends of LSP since 1995. He has worked to carry out the Friends’ mission of “preserving, protecting, conserving and promoting LSP”. The Friends have spoken out on all park issues and encourages all who care about this priceless park to express themselves on park plans.

The Friends is an all volunteer park advocacy group which started in 1988 and which has worked to protect and improve the park. The Friends has co-led grassroots battles with the NY/NJ Baykeeper against the golf course and commercial waterpark plans of the now terminated LSP Development Corporation, and recently against Governor Christie’s administration destructive plans to turn LSP into a commercial venue .

The Friends have funded over 800 trees in LSP and spent tens of thousands of dollars on the park’s sixteen gardens, created and maintained by gardening volunteers who are welcomed to pitch in every Saturday morning.

LSP turned 40 years old on Flag Day, June 14, 2016 and Sam’s hope is that LSP’s future will be bright as a great NJ and American open space for future generations to enjoy.

Sam has taught preschool children for 40 years and now teaches at Jersey City’s Garden Preschool Cooperative.

http://folsp.org/

Laura Skolar
President
Jersey City Park Coalition

Laura Skolar is a lifelong resident of Jersey City. Raised in the Jersey City Heights she graduated from Dickinson High School and then earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the School of Visual Arts with a major in graphic design. She was in her own hand silk screening business, Orphalese Designs, until life took her on a different course and she began a career in Real Estate. Working with people; concentrating in the community that she knew and loved was a truly gratifying experience. She continues in this profession today as a successful Real Estate Broker and owner of Century 21 Plaza Realty Corp and is co-owner of Square 1 Community Eatery in the burgeoning Journal Square area.

Laura began her community service in 1984 as a board member of the non-profit Heights Neighborhood Housing Services, consisting of residents, municipal government representatives and local business people. The positive experience of this public private partnership and the constructive work they accomplished in the Jersey City Heights was the impetus for her continued community service.

In March 2003, Laura became one of the founding members of Pershing Field Garden Friends (PFGF), a community based organization whose mission is to contribute to the well being of their community through gardening. Although gardening was the means to beautifying Pershing Field, their mission is just as much about people as it is about plants. Engaging the community & local children has been a fundamental part of this process and has contributed to the safety and well being of their neighborhood. She currently serves as president of the organization.

The following year PFGF became one of the founding members of the Jersey City Parks Coalition (JCPC) which has become a significant park and open space advocacy organization. Today they are over twenty members strong, representing every ward in Jersey City. Laura was elected president in 2012 and has worked to forge a durable relationship between the community and the City. Her organization’s proudest accomplishments to date are the organization’s Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in 2013 with the City of Jersey City codifying the role of the Parks Coalition and the City regarding the development, use and maintenance of all City parks and public spaces and her role in the National Award Winning BIG DIG project.

http://jcparks.org/

Francesca Giarratana
Principal Planner
Dvision of Planning
Hudson County

A native and current resident of the Marion Section of Jersey City, Francesca Giarratana, AICP, PP, is the Principal Planner at the Hudson County Division of Planning and the Coordinator for the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund. Francesca started at the County as an intern six years ago and has enjoyed working on a variety of projects involving several planning topics, including economic development, bike share, transportation, and comprehensive planning. She attended American University in Washington, DC for her undergraduate degree, studying politics and economics, and Rutgers Bloustein School of Planning for her Masters’ degree in City & Regional Planning.

http://www.hudsoncountynj.org/planning

Benjamin Delisle
Director, Development
Jersey City
Redevelopment Authority

Benjamin J. Delisle is the Director of Development for the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) in the City of Jersey City where he is responsible for managing redevelopment projects and daily staff activities. During his tenure with JCRA, Ben has led the efforts to develop Berry Lane Park from pre-development, design and now to construction, which has leveraged nearly $40 million from multiple funding sources. The largest City-owned park in Jersey City, the project has served as a catalyst to spur additional redevelopment activities in the Morris Canal neighborhood. Through unique public private partnerships, Mr. Delisle has initiated and completed long standing challenging urban redevelopment projects which are often contaminated.

Prior to joining the JCRA, Ben served as the Assistant Director of Operations and Management Planning for the New York City Parks Department. In this capacity, he directed the Parks Inspection Program for over 2,000 parks; this program is widely credited for upgrading and improving the quality of New York City’s parks. Before working in the public sector, Ben worked at Tyco Telecommunications where he was responsible for overseeing the environmental compliance, permits, land acquisition, and rights of ways for multi-billion dollar fiber optic cable construction projects around the world.

With over eighteen years experience in redevelopment, environmental, property and construction management, Ben Mr. Delisle holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of New Hampshire and a Masters degree in Public Administration and Finance from Columbia University and was recently recognized with an Environmental Champion Award by EPA Region 2.

http://thejcra.org/

Nicholas Paleologos
Executive Director
New Jersey State Council On The Arts

Nicholas Paleologos is a cum laude graduate of Tufts University. He received his Masters Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. He is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the Boston Conservatory, and in 2016 he was awarded the Medal of Excellence from Rowan University.

A two-time Tony Award winning producer, whose credits include both the London and Broadway productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Paleologos is also the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the HBO film In The Gloaming–which marked the directorial debut of the late Christopher Reeve. His other film for HBO was the Emmy nominated Lansky, written by David Mamet and starring Richard Dreyfus. Motion pictures include; Hurlyburly and Ghosts Of Mississippi, featuring an Academy Award nominated performance by James Woods. He has produced documentaries for both Frontline and The American Experience. His last film for PBS was, Louis Brandeis, The People’s Attorney.

Prior to his career as a theater and film producer, Paleologos served for 14 years as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where his primary focus was education and the arts. He was House Chairman of the Education, Arts and Humanities Committee from 1985 to 1990. During that period, he was the author of several major initiatives including; the Education Reform Act of 1985 (Chapter 188), the Performing Arts Student Series (PASS Program), the 1988 Boston/Moscow Cultural Exchange program, the Student Freedom of Expression law, and the College Opportunity Bond law.

After leaving the Legislature in 1990, Paleologos helped spearhead the drive to create the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School—the largest of its kind in the country at that time. He then served for over a decade as one of its Founding Trustees. He was honored by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees in 2007 for his Lifetime Service To Public Education.

In September of 2000, Paleologos founded Boston’s Stuart Street Playhouse where he was the Producing Director for nearly a decade during which time he taught a course in theater production at Tufts University.

From 2007 until 2010, he also served as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Film Office. Under his leadership, the Film Office attracted more than a billion dollars of new direct spending on film and television production to the Commonwealth. Also during his tenure, Massachusetts-made movies–including The Fighter, Shutter Island, The Town, The Social Network, Game Plan, 21, Mall Cop, The Proposal, and Ted–earned a record sixteen Academy Award nominations and topped Variety’s weekly box-office chart an unprecedented ten times in four years.

Paleologos is the author of several published articles on a wide variety of subjects. He won the 2014 Harvardwood Writers’ Competition for Best Feature Screenplay (The Story Of Television) and currently serves as the Executive Director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

http://www.artscouncil.nj.gov/

Stefania Panepinto
Principal Owner
Panepinto Galleries
Panepinto Fine Arts
Panepinto Properties

Stefania Panepinto is an artist, gallery owner and art advisor who lives in Tribeca (Manhattan) with offices/studio in Jersey City/Hoboken, NJ. In 2011 she founded Panepinto Galleries, collective space to host art exhibitions, film screenings, artist salons and photo shoots. Since than she plays a vital role in building a vibrant community of artists located in the heart of the Powerhouse Arts District in Jersey City, NJ.

Stefania expanded her vision to establish Panepinto Fine Arts to create “Art as Inspiration” for luxury hotels, residential and office buildings, hospitals, as well as homes. She creates and sources unique custom designed contemporary artwork to enhance the vision and experience of each project. Stefania earned her MFA at the New York Academy of Art and works in oil paint, mixed media, and sculpture.

EDUCATION
-New York Academy of Art, New York NY – Master’s in Fine Arts
-University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins – Short course programs in Drawing & Painting
-Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ – Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science

AFFILIATIONS
2017 – (present) National Arts Club, New York, NY
2017 – (present) Association of Woman Art Dealers, New York, NY 2016 – (present) Soho House Worldwide, New York, NY
2016 – (present) New Jersey City University, Arts Advisory Board, Jersey City NJ
2016 – (present) ProArts Jersey City, Advisory Board, Jersey City NJ
2015 – (present) Panepinto Family Foundation, Scholarship Director, Jersey City NJ
2011 – (present) Golden Door International Film Festival, Advisory Board, Jersey City NJ
2007 – 2009 Jersey City Museum, Board of Trustees & Chairman of the Development Committee, Jersey City NJ
2007 – 2009 Hudson Community College, Board of Trustees, Jersey City NJ

http://www.panepintogalleries.com

Sarah Calderon
Managing Director
ArtPlace America

Sarah Calderon is the Managing Director of ArtPlace America. Previously, Sarah Calderon was the Executive Director of Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education (Bronx, NY) from 2008-2015. During her tenure, she has overseen the opening of a new, 90,000-square-foot facility for the Center’s arts and education programming and developed partnerships with organizations ranging from Lincoln Center to the NYC Housing Authority.

Before joining Casita, Sarah founded and ran Stickball Printmedia Arts in East Harlem a printmaking and digital arts organization for youth. Prior to that she was with the NYC Department of Education creating the Annual Arts in Schools Report – a data collection, analysis, and reporting effort for arts education in NYC’s public schools and MPR Associates working as a consultant, managing research and evaluation projects from design through publication. Sarah has also worked as a teaching artist in Chicago, Oakland and New York City.

Sarah holds a BFA in printmaking and a BA in psychology from the University of Michigan; and an M.Ed. in arts education from Harvard University.

http://www.artplaceamerica.org/

Olga Levina
Founder & Creative Director
Jersey City Theater Center
White Eagle Hall
Merselles Studios

Olga Levina (Co-Founder, Artistic Director of Jersey City Theater Center a curated dance, theatre, music, visual and performing arts programming as a part of Personal and Universal, Justice, Happiness, Identity, Vanity, Borderless, Disruptions, Conversations, Arts for All, JCTCFilm series, JCTCKids, DirectorsLab, Jersey City New Play Fest.

With her team Olga produced Land of Fire by Luis Santeiro (NYC), Arts Extravaganza nand more. Olga oversees the JCTC’s artistic mission of JCTC, development of the programming at White Eagle Hall and Merseles Studios. Her directing credits include American Dreamers (director), Whispers and Shouts of a Growing City(director), Mind, Body and Soul(creator) and more.

She received Belarusian Philharmonic Award for the most creative choreography for Woman’s Nature in 1988. She worked as a dancer-choreographer and toured in Belarus with her company prior to coming to the USA. As an actor Olga started her career at Yuri Lutinsky’s Theatre Studio in Minsk. Lutinsky directed her in Song based on M. Gorky’s Song’s of a Storm Petrel and Song of a Falcon as well as Children of the Sun and Death and Love from the Italian Stories, L. Filatov’s About Fedor- marksman, Gogol’s The Government Inspector and others. Olga’s film and theatre credits include One Deadly Road directed by Frank Adonis, The Bliss Virus directed by Kimberlee Acquaro, The Blue Crown, Adam and Eve, directed by Valery Boyakjian, Anton in Show Business directed by Tim Herman, Trojan Women and Big Love directed by Jorge Cacheiro. Olga graduated from Minsk School of the Performing Arts, studied acting with V. Bondarenko (Gorky’s Russian Theatre in Minsk), directing with Jorge Cacheiro (MFA in Theatre, MSU).

Attended Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, Sally Jonson Studio, Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance(NYC) and others. She holds BFA in Acting from Montclair University.

http://www.jctcenter.org/

Robinson Holloway
Chair, Jersey City Arts Council
Owner, Village West Gallery

Robinson Holloway serves as chair on the boards of two arts organizations – the Jersey City Arts Council and the New York branch of the Association of Women Art Dealers. She is also a founding board member of Positive Impact Development, Inc – a non-profit, community-based real estate development company, and serves on the board of the Village Neighborhood Association.

Holloway also owns Village West Gallery in downtown Jersey City. Village West is a philanthropic, non-commercial gallery, created to showcase and support artists. Group shows there have drawn artists from around the world, but with special consideration for the creative community in and around Jersey City.

Prior to shifting her concentration to the arts, Holloway’s career was in sports journalism, working at Sports Illustrated and at ABC Sports and ESPN. She and her husband have lived in Jersey City since 2013.

https://www.facebook.com/jerseycityartscouncil/

Christine Goodman
Executive Director Emeritus
Art House Productions

Christine was named by Jersey City Magazine as the #1 Most Influential Figure in the city’s arts and culture scene. She received the Key to the City in 2007 on behalf of Art House Productions, in recognition of Art House’s outstanding leadership in the arts. In 2009, The Star-Ledger highlighted Christine in their “I Am NJ” feature spread as “a woman who is turning the spotlight on [Jersey City’s] arts community.” In 2010, Christine was honored by Bank of America as a Local Hero through its Neighborhood Excellence Initiative ®, in recognition of her outstanding community leadership and service.

Goodman is a prominent voice in the city’s movement to build a professional, permanent arts community and speaks regularly on the subject. She has been profiled and interviewed in media outlets such as WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show, Channel 12, and AM New York. She has served as an Arts Commissioner for the City of Jersey City, and on the Hudson County advisory board for the development of a county-wide Arts Master Plan.

Prior to her career in arts management, Goodman has toured the country as an actress, performed her poetry across NY/NJ, and taught acting classes for children and adults. Goodman trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and is an honors graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Elizabeth Cain
Director of Cultural Affairs
City of Jersey City

Founder, Hazel Baby & Kids
Founder, Hound About Town

Elizabeth Cain is the current Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Jersey City. She has spent her career specializing in solution based approaches for community building, economic development, branding, marketing and creative place making. Some highlights include: initiating the Building Neighborhoods campaign with developers SILVERMAN; launching community building and economy stimulating projects in the HDSID, such as Groove on Grove and the Shop Local campaign; and executing a wide range of festivals and community events for the City of Jersey City.

Cain has also been a local small business owner for the last 6 years. She and her husband have grown Hazel Baby & Kids and Hound About Town to 3 locations, servicing the region with curated selections for pet owners and parents.

http://jerseycityculture.org/

Michele Sorvino
Executive Director
Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City

Advisory Council Member
Hudson County School of Technology

Talk Show Host
Inside Hollywood on the Hudson

Founder
Luccabymichele.com

Member/ Ambassador
Bloomfield College “Business, Industry & Community Council” (BICC)

https://goldendoorfilmfestival.org

Kern Weissman
President
Riverview Neighborhood Association

http://riverviewneighborhood.org/

Robert Rodriguez
Superintendent
Liberty State Park

Mr. Robert Rodriguez has been park superintendent of Liberty State Park since 2012. Liberty State Park boasts 1200 acres of land and water and is located in Jersey City on the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay. The park is New Jersey’s most popular park with over 4.5 million annual visitors. Superintendent Rodriguez is a career government employee and previously held posts at Brendan Byrne State Forest and the NJ Green Acres Program within the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.
Superintendent Rodriguez received a bachelor in science degree in environmental policy from Rutgers University.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/liberty.html

Tamara Remedios
Founder & Owner, Xplore Communications
Founder, Hudson Restaurant Week
Founder, NewarkPulse.com
Event Planner, Halsey Street Festival
Co-Creator, Local Mommy Group

Tamara Remedios is a community marketer in urban New Jersey neighborhoods. For 18 years, Tamara has produced publications, city-wide promotions and festivals and local websites with TWO major goals: uplift local businesses and create community. Among the current highlights are Hudson Restaurant Week, Halsey Festival and Newarkpulse.com, and even creating a local Mommy Group.

www.xplorecommunications.com

Craig Goletz
Co-Founder & President
Jersey City International
Television & Film Festival

Craig is the President and Co-Founder of The Jersey City International Television & Film Festival which completed its 3rd season this past November. The Jersey City International Television and Film Festival is a year-round non-profit cultural and educational organization founded to provide a home in the most diverse city in New Jersey to showcase the work of filmmakers that fosters better communication between people of diverse cultures through film. Festival events include free workshops, screenings, conversations, and social gatherings for professionals in the film industry.

Craig is also Executive Director and Senior Business Manager at JPMorgan in New York City, supporting a 2,000 person global operation in the Corporate and Investment Bank’s Wholesale Client Onboarding division. He has worked in the financial services industry for 35 years primarily in global banking operations, with a focus on large re-engineering initiatives. Craig has traveled extensively throughout his career to Europe, Asia, India and the Philippines.

Craig moved to Jersey City in 2009 after living in Central NJ for all of his life. His goal when moving to Jersey City was to get involved in the community to “Help Make a Difference”. Craig quickly became involved in the community, helping support Mayor Steven Fulop and his “Change Agenda”. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees for The Ethical Community Charter School, became a member of the Advisory Board for Dress for Success of Hudson County, was on the Transition Team for Cultural Affairs for Mayor Elect Fulop, and in 2013 was one of the 4 co-founders of The Jersey City International Television & Film Festival. Craig is currently the President of the film festival.

Craig has been married to his wife Maureen for 31 years and has 2 grown sons, Bryan and his wife Carolyn who live in Jersey City, and Matthew who resides in Austin, Texas.

http://www.jcitff.org/

Colin Egan
Executive Director
Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theater
Friends of Lowe’s

http://loewsjersey.org/

Patrick Conlon
President
Bike JC

That’s me and that’s my cargo bike. I bought it in Vermont and pedaled it all the way back to Jersey City.
I use it for delivering things from local businesses to residents in Jersey City, Hoboken and Bayonne. Sometimes I take things from one business to another business. I’m part of the non polluting local economic engine!
I try to use my car as little as possible.
I bought my home in the Heights area in 1991 and really love the diversity of our neighborhood.
I starting getting involved with BikeJC 7 years ago as a Marshall for the Ward Tour and joined the board of trustees about 3 years ago. I am honored to serve as it’s new president and hope that I can due proud those that came before me so that BikeJC’s mission of improved cycling and pedestrian safety is significantly advanced.

http://www.bikejc.org/

Jon A. Carnegie, AICP/PP
Executive Director
Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Project Director, Together North Jersey

Jon A. Carnegie is Executive Director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and an adjunct member of the faculty at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers.

Jon serves as the principal investigator for a variety of research and planning projects involving a range of land use, transportation and environmental policy topics. His expertise includes: transportation, land use and environmental planning and policy; community development; public engagement; vulnerability/risk assessment; emergency management and evacuation; community impact analysis; sustainability; environmental justice; and equity issues related to traditionally underserved populations.

Jon is the Project Director for Together North Jersey, a HUD-funded Sustainable Communities Regional Planning initiative led by the Bloustein School at Rutgers University. This three-year project includes extensive public outreach and community engagement and will result in the development of a long-range Regional Plan for Sustainable Development for 13 north New Jersey counties. In addition to outreach, the planning process also includes scenario planning and a fair housing and equity assessment that is examining how historic, current and future policies and public infrastructure investment decisions have or may impact traditionally underserved populations in the region.

Jon holds a B.A. and a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Rutgers University.

http://togethernorthjersey.com/

http://vtc.rutgers.edu/

Jay DiDomenico
Director
Hudson TMA
Hudson County Improvement Authority

Jay DiDomenico serves as the Director of the Hudson Transportation Management Association (TMA), a division of the Hudson County Improvement Authority. Based in Jersey City, the TMA serves each of the 12 municipalities of Hudson County.

Jay’s experience in the transportation industry extends back almost 30 years when he served as Director of Operations for a family-owned charter and commuter bus company in the metropolitan New York area. He received his Bachelor’s degree from The Catholic University of America.

Jay also serves as the Safe Routes to School Coordinator for Hudson County; implementing programs which encourage children to walk and bike to school and address environmental and community safety issues.

Since 2006, as the Director of Hudson TMA, Jay oversees a number of programs whose principal objective is to offer Hudson County businesses, employees, residents, and travelers the resources and tools to reduce vehicular traffic and congestion, simplify travel and enhance the daily commute. These objectives assist in improving business productivity and lesson carbon emissions in our environment. To achieve these goals, Jay has established partnerships with local governments, agencies, businesses, school systems, and community organizations to provide relevant education, information and programming.

Jay also serves as an appointed member to the Hudson County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies Committee.

http://www.hudsontma.org/

Barkha Patel
Sr. Transportation Planner
Division of City Planning
City of Jersey City

Barkha R Patel is a Senior Planner for the Jersey City Division of City Planning. She has a Masters of City and Regional Planning degree from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Her interests include urban design, transportation, creative placemaking, and graphic design. Barkha joined Jersey City Planning in May 2016, and has since been working on a range of transportation projects with a focus on making streets safe, beautiful and interesting for all users.
Barkha is the City’s representative to the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and serves as a member of the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee.

http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/cityplanning/

Mary K. Murphy, AICP, PP
Executive Director
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority

Ms. Murphy is the Executive Director of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. The NJTPA is responsible for the annual investment of more than $2.5 billion in transportation improvement projects in the 13 county northern NJ area impacting more than 6.5 million people throughout the region.

Prior to joining the NJTPA, Ms. Murphy was the Deputy Executive Director for Planning and Operations at the NJ Turnpike. Her responsibilities at the Turnpike included oversight of the Toll, Operations and Maintenance departments for both the Garden State Parkway and the NJ Turnpike as well as the strategic planning and annual special project budget for the Authority.

Before her tenure at the Turnpike Ms. Murphy was the Director of Planning and Community Development for Union County, Manager of Transportation Planning for the Louis Berger Group, and Manager of Policy and Intergovernmental Liaison for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.

Ms. Murphy is a licensed planner in the State of New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience in transportation planning and policy in the greater New Jersey/ New York metropolitan area. She holds a MS in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas and a BS in Environmental Planning and Design from Rutgers University.

http://njtpa.org/

Michael P. Marino
Director/General Manager, PATH
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

Mike joined the Port Authority as the Senior Project Manager on the PATH Capital Program Logistics Review group in 2011. He quickly rose through several senior management levels before being promoted to Director/General manager of PATH in 2015. Mike has enjoyed a distinguished career of over 40 years in the railroad industry. He has managed all types of railroad-related construction projects; from track installation, to shop and yard facilities. Mike worked at Amtrak for over 20 years, holding numerous titles in the transportation field, and ultimately as Superintendent of Terminal Services, in which he had responsibility for operating and maintaining the Sunnyside Yard and Penn Station train operations. In 2000, he then moved on to work for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) as the Director of Force Account Construction for the seven-mile tunnel extension of the MTA’s Long Island Rail Road System to Grand Central Terminal. In 2005, Mike was named Director of Rail/Transit for the infrastructure project involving the relocation of the Long Island Rail Road’s VD Yard. In 2006, Mike joined AECOM, where he worked on numerous projects, including the Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel in New Jersey, and Moynihan Station in New York.

http://www.panynj.gov/path/

Steven Hillyer
Project Manager
Journal Square SID

While Steve formally works for Commercial District Services, a public space management company that has been serving Journal Square for over a decade, he spends all of his time working with the Journal Square Special Improvement District. For the better part of the last year and a half, working as a Project Manager, Steve has helped to coordinate many of the administrative aspects of the District including managing the Journal Square Green Market.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Steve is a graduate of Rutgers University where he holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Planning and Design, or Urban Planning with an environmental focus as he likes to put it. Steve started his career working with the Newark Downtown District, the largest Improvement District in New Jersey.

With a background in Geographic Information Systems, Steve is a proponent of using data and analytics to track the success and struggles of projects and systems. His experience in organizational structuring and programmatic growth uniquely position him to help advance districts he serves.

Michele Massey
Executive Director
Jackson Hill Main Street SID

Michele Massey, a native of Jersey City, serves as the Executive Director of the Jackson Hill Main Street Management Corporation which manages the Jackson Hill Main Street Special Improvement District (SID), which encompasses Monticello and all of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Prior to the formation and designation of the Jackson Hill Main Street, Ms. Massey served as the Executive Director for the Monticello Avenue Main Street Program managed by the Monticello Community Development Corporation (MCDC). MCDC received the Main Street Designation by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in November 2004, which now, along with MLK Drive, is the largest Main Street Program in the State of New Jersey and the only designated Main Street Program in Hudson County.

David Diaz
District Manager
Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation

Principal, Dynamic District Management, LLC

Trustee, Jersey Managed District Association

Co-Founder and Principal Organizer, Everything Jersey City Festival

David Diaz heads Dynamic District Management, LLC and serves the Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation in Jersey City as the organization’s District Manager. Utilizing his unique skill set to provide a bundle of services, David is a dedicated professional who has been heavily invested in Jersey City’s first, and one of New Jersey’s oldest, Special Improvement District program.

During his tenure, David restructured the administrative functions of the established nonprofit organization for improved efficiency and service to a business district in New Jersey’s largest growing municipality. He secured and operated more than $1 million in public and private funding; generated more than $600,000 in additional sponsorships; assisted the district needs of over 240 businesses and 200 property owners; served as the liaison between the business community and municipal government; established several successful marketing campaigns including a branding campaign, local business directory and commercial campaign with the participation of local businesses; initiated the design and continued maintenance of a fully functional website for the SID; and directed a daily sanitation operation to maintain the physical conditions of the mile Central Avenue streetscape for over a decade.

Working behind the scenes, David took an active roll in several critical campaigns over the years and has become a serene but advantageous advocate for the Central Avenue business district and surrounding neighborhood community. While working alongside and closely with local business owners and residents, David contributed to the success of several campaigns pertaining to adverse development, preservation of the Jersey City reservoir, improved public safety, improved parking conditions, and revival of a failing mass transportation service. Additionally, he was a cofounder and organizer for one of the largest main street events in the State of New Jersey, the Everything Jersey City Festival (2008-2012). This event drew nearly 39,000 visitors to the one day event designed to showcase the City’s Central Avenue shopping district. David continues to be part of the revitalization happening in Jersey City now by working alongside stakeholders to push the City’s neighborhood and business community forward.

As a first generation Cuban-American and native of Jersey City, New Jersey, David Diaz grew up developing a passion for urban environments, main street communities, and diverse cultural heritage. He attended Florida State University where he studied urban policy and architectural design. He graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Certified in Urban Planning Studies. In 2008 he was certified in Business District Management from the National Center for Public Performance of Rutgers-Newark campus and the New Jersey Managed Districts Association.

Christine Barresi
Executive Director
McGinley Square
Partnership SID

Christine has been with FirsTEAManagement (FTM), which is the management firm for the McGinley Square Partnership Special Improvement District (SID), for 22 years. She started working for FTM as an Administrative Assistant at the Bayonne Town Center special improvement district and then was promoted to Executive Director managing the day-to- day operations for the McGinley Square Partnership in 1998. Before joining FTM, she was the Sales Representative in New Jersey for a jacket embroidery company based in Massachusetts. Based on her extensive public relations and sales experience, she found the perfect fit working for FTM and McGinley Square Partnership One of FTM’s clients at the time was the New Jersey Sales & Marketing Executives Association (NJSMEA), from which she received its Distinguished Sales/Service Award.

When Christine first came to McGinley Square, she saw the potential making this wonderful community shine. It was like a diamond in the rough that needed special attention to detail. McGinley Square is known as “The Heart of Jersey City”, and through a lot of team effort with the City of Jersey City, the Partnership Board of Directors and its management firm, the Heart continues to beat strongly today.

Don Smartt
District Administrator
Journal Square SID

Don Smartt brings a passion for advocacy and commercial district revitalization to New Jersey communities, urban and suburban, and currently serves as the district administrator of four improvement districts. For more than thirty years he has provided project management and strategic planning for diverse public and private organizations. His experience in building public-private partnerships is reflected in the many successful projects organized by the firm.

In 1983 he managed one of New Jersey’s original “Main Street” programs in Madison, as well as the state’s first special improvement district in Cranford. He subsequently organized and managed many of New Jersey’s existing managed commercial districts. Don has provided expert leadership, support and counsel to more than thirty communities and non-profit organizations in support of his clients’ visions for improvements in their community.

Don is a founding member and former officer of Downtown New Jersey, the first statewide association created to promote the interests of stakeholders within the state’s commercial districts. He also served as director of the Montclair Main Street Project, was a founding member of the Barrow Mansion Development Corporation (Jersey City) and the Van Vorst Park Association of Jersey City, and served as a member of the board for the N.J. Museum of Archaeology at Drew University, Madison. Other board affiliations include the Union County Arts Center (Rahway) and the N.J. Retail Merchants Association. From his unique perspective, Don has contributed many articles to publications like the National Register of Historic Places, the Brownstoner Journal, the New Jersey League of Municipalities Magazine, the Black Journal and the Journal of Political Affairs.

Don earned a BA in Urban Affairs from Jersey City State College and did graduate work in public administration at Columbia University. Don served as a senior field representative for the National Urban Coalition, Washington, DC, a program manager for the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency’s “Neighborhood Preservation Program,” and as a manager for an Essex County real estate organization. He served the U.S. Army as an infantryman in Vietnam. Don can be reached at don@donsmartt.com.

Rachel Sieg
Executive Director
Historic Downtown Special Improvement District

Rachel Sieg is the Executive Director of the Historic Downtown SID, she relocated to Jersey City from San Francisco in 2010, and is originally from Princeton, New Jersey. Rachel’s role at the HDSID as the Executive Director is to manage and develop new relationships between the HDSID Board of directors, businesses, city organizations, city council and the Mayor. Since joining the HDSID she has coordinated over 100 ribbon cutting ceremonies for new businesses and the Mayor, with a large portion of them starting as vendors at the farmers market then expanding into a brick and mortar.

Rachel has been instrumental in developing the Grove Street Farmers Market, Groove on Grove and the Annual All About Downtown Street Fair. The All About Downtown Street Fair is the largest annual event in Jersey City with over 30k in attendance while the Grove Street farmer’s market was recognized by Governor Christie in 2013 as being the second best farmers market in New Jersey. Rachel coordinates fundraising to maintain and enhance the pedestrian plaza on Newark Avenue and throughout the Downtown Historic District.