BINJE’s BEST: Honoring the Top Women in Business

Michele N. Siekerka, Esq., President and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, leads the nation’s largest, most influential employers’ organization, advocating on behalf of New Jersey’s large and small businesses for policies that will make New Jersey more affordable and regionally competitive.

Being known as a collaborative leader, Siekerka is leading an NJBIA established coalition (New Jersey Business Coalition) comprised of more than 100 business and nonprofit associations across the state to tackle the tough economic and business challenges our state is facing during COVID 19.

Well versed on the ‘boots on the ground” issues affecting our state’s business community, Michele is often the “go to” resource for media and is sought after to share her expertise in public forums across the state.

Tom Bergeron is the founder, owner and editor of BINJE.com, a media outlet that aims to serve the business community in New Jersey.

Known for breaking news – and leading entertaining and informative panels and fireside chats – Bergeron has become a go-to source for business news in the state.

A lifelong journalist, Bergeron has worked previously as the top editor at ROI-NJ, NJBIZ, Yahoo! Sports and The Star-Ledger, where he served as the sports editor. He resides in Morris Plains.

Kellie Doucette serves as New Jersey’s first Chief Operating Officer, a newly created role designed to drive efficiency, transparency, and accountability throughout state government. As Chief Operating Officer, Doucette oversees daily operations and leads transformation initiatives in the executive branch, partnering with the governor’s cabinet to modernize state processes, achieve operational excellence, and coordinate cross-agency collaboration to make life more affordable for New Jerseyans.

Doucette previously served as Executive Director of the Sherrill-Caldwell Gubernatorial Transition. She brings deep experience in management, strategy, and organizational development from senior leadership roles in both government and the private sector. As District Director for Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s (NJ-11) congressional office, she oversaw district operations, coordinated with the legislative team in Washington, and managed constituent and political outreach. She worked closely with local officials on a bipartisan basis to address issues including flooding, water infrastructure, superfund remediation, public safety, housing affordability, mental health, reproductive health, economic development, veteran health care, and support for Picatinny Arsenal.

Prior to her government service, Doucette began her career in healthcare policy and worked for many years as an actuary in the individual disability and long-term care reinsurance markets.

Doucette earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University, and completed her Associateship of the Society of Actuaries during her time working in the private sector.

At the cross sections of economic develop, business and organized labor you will find Kate Gibbs. The Deputy Director for the Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative, ELEC 825, a collaborative trust focused on creating work opportunities for the members and signatory contractors of Local 825 Operating Engineers, Gibbs leads Business Development for the organization by promoting economic development and advocating for investments in all types of infrastructure.

She has established a strong record of shaping policy, building coalitions and implementing successful strategies and tactics that include political advocacy, government relations, communications and social media in pursuit of organizational goals. With her background in politics, public affairs and organizational management, Gibbs is uniquely suited to help ELEC 825 achieve its core objectives of growing the economy to create jobs for Local 825 members and its union contractors.

In November of 2015, Gibbs was elected to the Burlington County Board of Freeholders; becoming the youngest woman in NJ to be elected to countywide office. During her first two years in office, Gibbs served as Deputy Director before being elected in January of 2018, in a unanimous and bi-partisan vote of her peers to serve as Freeholder Director.

In this role she crafted and passed a tax-cutting budget while investing in a first of its kind $20 million school security grant program, creating a women’s mentoring program, and ensuring that all County facilities, schools and libraries are equipped with dedicated, private space for mothers to nurse or pump.

Prior to joining the Freeholder Board, Gibbs served on the Board of Trustees for Rowan College at Burlington County, where she worked closely with the County’s new Workforce Development Institute and played an active role in establishing the College’s partnership with Rowan University.

Gibbs actively participates on boards and committees for various Chambers of Commerce and business and industry organizations throughout the entire State of New Jersey.

Gibbs earned her Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, graduating Summa Cum Laude and a B.A. from The American University, with a Double Major in Public Communications and Political Science.

Linda Lindner is an accomplished managing editor, writer, copy editor, and proofreader with a distinguished career spanning over three decades in publishing and business journalism. Recognized as a creative professional, she possesses strong journalism, management, organizational, and communication skills, consistently delivering high-quality content in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.

She currently works as the managing editor & reporter at BINJE.com. The start-up publication which launched in May 2025 under the leadership of Tom Bergeron.

Linda is a high-volume content producer and a key figure in content strategy and dissemination who writes up to 50 stories weekly across multiple business sectors and provides editorial expertise alongside Bergeron.

Past experience includes significant leadership roles in New Jersey business media including ROI-NJ and NJBIZ as well as over 13 years as a Staff Writer & Editor, Urner Barry Publications and as an editor and author at T.F.H. Publications.

Karen Kessler is the founding President and CEO of Kessler PR Group. With more than 30 years of experience in the public relations industry, Karen regularly counsels clients and attorneys on sensitive issues including regulatory inquiries, personnel matters, business practices, and criminal and civil litigation. She represents high-profile celebrities and entities in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East.

Karen is an appointed member of the New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct – and in 2023 was appointed as Commissioner of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. Karen has served for 10 years as a Director of Northfield Bank where she chairs the compliance and information technology committee. She also serves and has served on Boards of Directors of public companies and leading not-for-profits in finance, health care, and education.

Karen is a regular invited speaker and panelist at meetings of the New Jersey Bar Association and the Institute for Continuing Legal Education. She has served as Board Chair of Atlantic Health and Rutgers University Business School Institute for Ethical Leadership and as a visiting Fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics.

A reliably provocative commenter on reputation issues for print and broadcast, Karen has served as an on-air reputation consultant to the “NBC TODAY SHOW” and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, and others. Her work has been the basis of Oscar-nominated blockbusters and documentary films. She and her work have received dozens of awards from local, regional, and national organizations.

Earlier in her career, Karen served as the Vice President of Corporate Communications for the American Stock Exchange. She was the Director of Transition for New Jersey Governor-Elect Jim Florio and the first female commissioner of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. She earned an AB in economics from Vassar College.

Lori A. Roth is the CEO of Prager Metis, a member of Prager Metis International Group. As CEO, Lori provides leadership and strategic planning to more than 100 partners and principals and 600 team members. Lori also oversees the firm’s growth strategy and initiatives. She holds a key role in developing strategic goals and policies, monitoring performance, and driving business growth. Lori previously served as Global Managing Partner of Prager Metis CPAs and Prager Metis International, as well as Co-Managing Partner and an Executive Committee member.

Lori has been in the accounting industry since 1984, specializing in audit and assurance services, litigation support, and business valuations. She has worked with clients in a variety of industries including closely-held businesses, real estate, and the U.S. subsidiaries of foreign banks and corporations. She has international expertise, particularly with companies headquartered in Israel. She strongly believes in working closely with business owners in a team approach. She often provides the much-needed depth at the top level to these business owners.

Ms. Roth’s expertise includes working as a neutral accountant (either court-appointed or hired as a joint expert by either parties or their attorneys). She has served as a business valuator and impartial financial consultant in issues pertaining to support and equitable distribution. She has been involved in matrimonial cases, as a certified divorce mediator, as well as shareholder disputes, corporate dissolutions, estate situations, and business acquisitions.