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.

Ray Cantor is Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer of Government Affairs of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), the nation’s largest state-level business association whose member companies collectively employ 1 million people.

Cantor, an attorney whose career has included high-level positions in the legislative and executive branches of government, a former assistant commissioner and, later, chief adviser to the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), leads NJBIA’s advocacy efforts on environmental and energy matters affecting the business community.

At DEP, Cantor oversaw the offices of Legal Affairs, Dispute Resolution, and Economic Analysis in addition to advising the DEP commissioner on policy, legal, management, and economic matters. Cantor was also responsible for policy formulation related to all DEP regulations, including site remediation, NRD, air quality, water regulation, and land-use management.

A graduate of New York Law School, Cantor began his career working at the state’s Office of Legislative Services as senior counsel in the Environment, Energy, & Natural Resources section. He later served as the Assistant Commissioner of Land Use Management & Compliance at DEP until 2002 and also worked as a project consultant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Cantor’s experience as a business lobbyist includes five years as director of Government Affairs for the Medical Society of New Jersey and then executive director of the New Jersey Apartment Association. He returned to the state DEP in 2010, where he served as chief advisor to DEP Commissioner Bob Martin for eight years.

Paul is responsible for the management and oversight of five divisions: Air Quality and Radiation, Air Enforcement, Climate and Clean Energy, Sustainable Waste Management, and Waste and UST Enforcement. He also serves as New Jersey’s state liaison officer to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is the state’s Commissioner to the Atlantic Compact Commission for Low-Level Radioactive Waste.

Paul has served as Assistant Commissioner of the program, formerly known as Air Quality, Energy and Sustainability, since 2016. Previously, he was Director of the Division of Energy Security and Sustainability, responsible for the oversight and operations of nuclear engineering, environmental radiation and X-ray compliance. He also oversaw the Bureau of Energy and Sustainability, which coordinates with the Board of Public Utilities on environmental aspects of the state’s energy portfolio, and led the Department’s sustainability initiatives.

A career DEP employee, Paul joined the department in 1987 as an engineer in the water quality program. He moved to radiation protection and release prevention in 2003, and rose to the post of Director of Environmental Safety and Health in 2010.

Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State University, as well as master’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering from Rutgers University and in homeland security from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He is a licensed professional engineer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.

Caryn Barnes has 30 years of experience in all aspects of environmental investigations, feasibility testing, NAPL, soil and groundwater remediation, soil vapor investigations and site closure. She has worked extensively in New Jersey on NJDEP and USEPA-led projects. She is a technical and regulatory expert, and is an active participant and stakeholder in the development of regulations, rules, guidance and policy. Barnes is on the forefront of investigating and remediating emerging contaminants, including PFAS and 1,4-dioxane.

As a Licensed Site Remediation Professional, Barnes has responded to Immediate Environmental Concerns, certified numerous Response Action Outcomes and has prepared numerous remediation submissions. She served as the Lead Technical Coordinator for a multi-party Superfund Site. She is actively involved in numerous professional organizations, and is an avid advocate for her clients. Barnes is President emeritus of the LSRP Association, a professional organization of over 800 members.

As the Vice President of State Programs, Zoe works to expand RPA’s presence and efficacy in each state, helping to build diverse support for policies that promote a stronger, more connected region. Zoe also leads research, planning, and advocacy activities in her home state of New Jersey, where she draws on her considerable experience in public policy and community engagement to develop and advance policies and projects that facilitate equitable, vibrant, and resilient communities.

Zoe has over twenty years’ experience in public policy at the state and federal levels. Before joining RPA, Zoe was the Director of Government Affairs for the Utility & Transportation Contractors Association where she advocated for increased federal and state investment in water and transportation systems, and for greater transparency and efficiency in public procurement. In that role, she was successful in getting language included in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that established a federal marketplace allowing states to buy and sell toll credits – a program that has the potential to generate several billion dollars in new transportation capital funding for NY and NJ.

Prior to her work in the private sector, Zoe served as Projects Director for United States Senator Cory Booker and as Senior Specialist for Transportation and Environment for US Senator Frank Lautenberg. Zoe got her start in infrastructure policy as the New Jersey Advocate for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and began her career as the Legislative Director for NJ State Senator Loretta Weinberg.

Outside of her work at RPA, Zoe is a Commissioner on the board of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which oversees the Atlantic City Expressway and Atlantic City International Airport, and a member of the board of directors for three nonprofit organizations: Downtown NJ, the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey, and Gardenship Art.

Brian Berzin is a co-founder and chief executive officer of Thea Energy, a fusion technology company leveraging simpler, manufacturable hardware and software controls to create clean and abundant energy. Since launching the company in 2022, Brian has grown the Thea Energy team to over 50 employees and demonstrated the Company’s core technologies at fusion relevant scale.

Brian has a diverse background as an engineer, operator, and investor, spanning deep tech, venture capital, and private equity. While at Aeterna Capital Partners, Brian grew a multi-family office investing across venture capital and private equity opportunities. Brian also has deep experience within the privately funded fusion industry, previously serving as a Vice President and Officer of General Fusion. During his time at General Fusion, Brian led various initiatives including corporate and commercialization strategy as well as engagement with capital markets.

Prior to his time at General Fusion, Brian worked within Houlihan Lokey’s Private Growth Equity Capital group, helping to grow venture-stage technology companies. Prior to his time in growth equity and investment banking, he founded two businesses focusing on switching power supplies and LED lighting technology.

Brian is a graduate of Lehigh University with degrees in Electrical Engineering and Finance. As part of the Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise, he also published research on the European sovereign debt crisis.

I have 20+ years of communications experience in a range of public relations skills/techniques in 25+ different industries. Some might call me a PR Generalist. I call myself curious, inquisitive and know I can never sit down. … I have experience in public affairs, public relations, crisis management, corporate communications, public policy, government relations, social/digital media, advocacy, external affairs, media relations, marketing, investor relations, advertising, sales and community relations with Fortune 500 corporations, public utilities, government institutions, unions, sports artists, newspapers/websites and public relations/affairs agencies.

Matt Blaine is a Partner in Davison Eastman Muñoz Paone, P.A.’s Business and Litigation Group. Matt is also the Chair of the firm’s Technology and Innovation Committee, where he spearheads the firm’s technological advancements.

Matt focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation of all types, including contractual disputes, business torts, fiduciary responsibilities, oppressed shareholder allegations, construction disputes, insurance coverage disputes, blockchain law and transactions, eDiscovery issues, intellectual property rights, consumer fraud allegations, disputes concerning real property, non-compete agreements, arbitration, bankruptcy adversary proceedings, fraudulent transfer, successor and alter ego liability and copyright infringement, among others.

• Business Law and Litigation
• Commercial Real Estate
• Employment Law
• General Counsel
• Digital Assets and Blockchain

As director of state policy solutions, Burdis manages a team of professionals who endeavor to harmonize emerging state electricity policies with wholesale market design and transmission system planning policies. His organization specifically focuses on: offshore wind development; clean energy development; resource adequacy evolution; grid modernization; and, grid security maintenance.
Before his current post, Burdis served as the business operations manager to PJM’s General Counsel / Senior Vice President of Law, Compliance and External Relations. Here he managed a portfolio on matters relating to corporate governance, regulatory filings, development of policy and messaging, and long-term corporate strategy.

Prior, Burdis served as manager of policy analysis & strategy, managing a team of economists focused on the outreach and strategy development for state government engagement; focusing on policy assessment, market design and transmission planning. Additionally, he managed PJM’s engagement with the Organization of PJM States, Inc. (OPSI) and its interaction with the company’s Executive Team and Board of Managers.

Burdis started his career as an engineer working in PJM’s markets and operations divisions.
He is a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, holds a Master of Science in Engineering from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Science from Lebanon Valley College.

Burdis started his career as an engineer working in PJM’s markets and operations divisions.

He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He holds a Master of Science in Engineering from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Science from Lebanon Valley College.

Sara Castegini joined Commonwealth Fusion Systems in 2022 and is responsible for the design and execution of the company’s public policy strategies across target geographies. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) spun out of MIT in 2018 to commercialize fusion energy on the fastest path possible and is now the largest private fusion energy company in the world with over 1000 full-time employees and more than $2 billion in private funding from the world’s leading investors in clean energy.

Prior to CFS, Sara worked as Associate Director, Government Affairs & Policy, at bluebird bio, a Boston-based global biotech company, where she was part of a team that successfully implemented new regulatory pathways for Medicare and Medicaid payments for one-time curative treatments, ultimately enabling patient access to the company’s innovative gene therapies. Before bluebird bio, Sara was with LS Cube Studio Legale, a boutique international law firm in Rome, Italy. Sara received her J.D. graduating cum laude from the LUISS Guido Carli University of Rome, Italy and was admitted to the Italian bar in 2019.

Chris Christie was inaugurated as the 55th Governor of the State of New Jersey on January 19, 2010. He was re-elected with 60% of the vote in November of 2013 and served two terms as Governor.

He was a Republican candidate for President in both 2016 and 2024.

Governor Christie was elected Chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2014, leading the organization to the election of 31 Republican Governors.

In 2017, President Donald J. Trump appointed Governor Christie as Chairman of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. The Commission issued a final report on November 1, 2017.

As Governor, he was the lead plaintiff in challenging the federal prohibition on sports gambling. His six-year fight concluded with a win before the U.S. Supreme Court in May of 2018.

Prior to his service as Governor, he was nominated by President George W. Bush and he served as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey from January 2002 to December 2008.

In 2019, he authored The New York Times best seller, Let Me Finish, about his life and his candidacy for President. In 2021, he authored Republican Rescue, dealing with his prescription for the future of the national GOP. In February, 2024 he will release his third book, What Would Reagan Do?, about Reagan’s leadership.

He is the Managing Member of the Christie Law Firm and Christie 55 Solutions, LLC in Morristown, NJ.

Governor Christie also serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Mets, appointed by owner Steve Cohen, Pacira Pharmaceuticals in Parsippany, NJ, and Saker Holdings in Middletown, NJ.

Governor Christie married his wife Mary Pat in 1986. They have four children: Andrew, Sarah Anne, Patrick and Bridget. They currently reside in Mendham and Bay Head, New Jersey.

Dr. Christodoulou has a long and distinguished career in business, academia, and philanthropy. He has provided management consulting services to various industries and has owned successful businesses in commercial print manufacturing, graphic design, the restaurant industry, and the media sector. Additionally, he has taught as an adjunct professor for 25 years, educating undergraduate and graduate business students in areas as diverse as organizational behavior, innovation, economics, and strategy development. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board at Raritan Valley Community College, the top ranked community college in New Jersey.

At the NJ Board of Public Utilities, Commissioner Christodoulou represents New Jersey as the Secretary of OPSI (Organization of PJM States); serves as Vice Chair of NARUC’s Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest. He also serves on several NARUC Committees, including: Electricity, International Relations, Nuclear Energy, Electric Vehicles Working Group, and Wildfires Advisory Group, while also serving on the Cyber Security Tiger Team and as an ambassador for new commissioners. Additionally, he sits on the Advisory Committee of New Mexico State University’s Center for Public Utilities, the Executive Committee of the National Council on Electricity Policy, University of Missouri’s Financial Research Institute, and GTI Energy’s Public Interest Advisory Committee. Commissioner Christodoulou also serves as honorary chair of the National Utility Diversity Council.

Dr. Christodoulou was invested as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2017, is the Founding Chair of the NJ Hellenic-American Heritage Commission and a global officer of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), the largest Hellenic organization in the world. He also served as President and CEO of the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey.

Commissioner Christodoulou earned his doctoral degree from Pace University in Organizational Behavior, his MBA from Fordham University in International Finance and Management, and his BA from Rutgers College in Economics and Philosophy.

Charlotte Dreizen is the Director of Sustainability & Environment at Plastics Industry Association and leads work related to plastic waste in the environment, including the association’s work on Operation Clean Sweep (OCS). OCS has more than 5,000 members in 65+ countries and empowers companies that make, move, or use plastic to prevent loss of plastic resin in the environment. Prior, Charlotte led recycling programs for the Washington, DC government and educated brands and retailers on sustainable packaging while at the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. She has a master’s degree in Urban Planning from Georgetown University and a BA in International Affairs from the George Washington University.

Caroline Ehrlich serves as Chief-of-Staff to Woodbridge Township Mayor John E. McCormac, Executive Director of the Woodbridge Township Redevelopment Agency and Director of the Division of Sustainability.
As Chief of Staff, Caroline spearheaded efforts to designate Woodbridge Township a Sustainable Jersey Community and was instrumental in creating Greenable Woodbridge – an initiative dedicated to furthering the environmental future of Woodbridge Township. Through her leadership, Woodbridge Township advanced and implemented many innovative, forward-thinking and sustainable initiatives and programs that secured the New Jersey League of Municipalities Sustainable Jersey Silver Certification Championship and Sustainability Award for 15 years, along with securing the first-ever Sustainable Jersey Gold Star Awards in Energy, Water and Health.
Caroline introduced Green Infrastructure systems where the Township invested in resiliency and system hardening as part of the overall redevelopment efforts and oversaw the implementation of programs to better manage the ways we use energy and other natural resources at work and home along with the implementation of an energy-efficient fleet of Municipal vehicles. The construction of Rain Gardens throughout Woodbridge Township has fast become a priority program as a means to control storm water run-off and flooding.

As Executive Director of the Woodbridge Redevelopment Agency (RDA), Caroline was instrumental in drafting the Woodbridge Township Master Plan and in the designation of more than 100 Redevelopment Areas. Caroline projected the vision of The Avenel Arts Village Redevelopment Plan which led to the development of Station Lofts Village, the Avenel Performing Arts Center (APAC), and the expansion of the Avenel New Jersey Transit Commuter Train station as a full-service stop on the NJT Jersey Coast line.

Under Caroline’s leadership, the RDA partnered with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and led the way in the remediation of Brownfields sites back to productivity – the restoration of the Woodbridge Waterfront Park at the Keasbey Brownfield Redevelopment site stands as a signature accomplishment.

Additionally, Caroline and the RDA successfully attracted the development of corporate facilities, commercial, and industrial projects to include the $200 million Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) and Wellness Center at the New Jersey Transit Metropark Station in Woodbridge. The redevelopment investments under the RDA resulted in the implementation of PILOT agreements which not only created millions of dollars in recurring tax revenues, but funding which fostered a partnership with the Woodbridge Township Board of Education to improve school district facilities and infrastructure.

Has multiple years in increasingly responsible managerial positions in the private sector. This experience transitioned into governmental and regulatory affairs. Some of these positions included Confidential Aide to the President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Agency Manager for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, and others..

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.

Steve serves as Chair of the firm’s Energy, Climate Change & Public Utilities Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in public utility law, with a particular emphasis on energy regulatory matters. Since 1996, Steve has played a lead role in literally all matters of consequence before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, including the restructuring of the State’s electric and natural gas industries from a monopoly to a competitive model, utility rate and merger proceedings, energy infrastructure proceedings, and regulatory matters involving the formulation and implementation of the State’s energy policies. In these proceedings, Steve has represented the interests of large commercial and industrial establishments, independent power producers, energy service companies, renewable energy companies, and marketers of electricity and natural gas.

Steve founded and represents the New Jersey Large Energy Users Coalition, which is comprised of some of the State’s largest industrial and commercial businesses, including pharmaceutical companies and major manufacturers. Steve also founded and represents the New Jersey Distributed Generation Coalition, which is comprised of energy service companies, engineering firms, financial institutions and equipment manufacturers. Steve also represents one of the world’s largest energy service companies in the development of energy efficiency and combined heat and power projects. He also represents independent power producers and an independent transmission company in connection with the development of power plant and transmission infrastructure projects.

Steve has, for years, been actively involved in the development, refinement and implementation of the State’s energy policies. He has assisted several governors in the development of Statewide Energy Master Plans and served as Chair of the Christie Administration’s Energy Master Plan Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, whose purpose was to formulate policy regarding the future funding, administration and implementation of the State’s renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. Steve also assisted the development of the State’s first-in-the-nation Energy Resilience Bank, which has funded the development of grid-independent cogeneration facilities at numerous of the State’s hospitals. Steve has also authored or assisted the Legislature in the development of several energy bills signed into law that fostered the development of cogeneration and district energy facilities and the implementation of self-funded energy efficiency projects. He is currently pioneering the development of a broad-based energy infrastructure public private partnership initiative as part of the State’s post-Superstorm Sandy policy to enhance the resilience and reliability of its energy infrastructure.

Steve is a registered Governmental Affairs Agent (lobbyist) in New Jersey on behalf of a variety of clients that conduct business with the State. His governmental affairs practice focuses primarily on energy-related matters and government procurement issues. Steve has been involved with significant procurements by the State, including energy-related procurements, the formation of public-private partnerships, and the privatization of the State’s automobile inspection system. He also frequently represents builders and developers in disputes with utilities.

David A. Haworth focuses on environmental, products liability/toxic tort, commercial, construction, and real estate litigation and counseling. His significant environmental litigation experience includes prosecuting and defending remediation and natural resource damage claims in New Jersey and nationally under CERCLA/Superfund, the New Jersey Spill Act, the New Jersey Industrial Sites Recovery Act, and other statutes and common law.

He defends clients in a broad range of environmental issues, including PFAS-related claims. He has extensive experience with multi-party cost allocations and regularly serves as joint or common counsel for groups of parties in environmental actions.

David’s product liability and toxic tort litigation experience spans a wide variety of personal injury and property damage claims arising from environmental and workplace exposure to chemicals, from allegedly defective products and from contaminated real estate.

As a commercial litigator, David has extensive experience with disputes involving contractual breaches and general commercial issues; construction defects, liens, and sureties; builder performance; product liability; and consumer fraud litigation. He is also experienced in the litigation of real estate, engineering, and construction claims involving owners, developers, residential builders, and community associations and their professionals.

Alena Hyatt joins Parker McCay’s Municipal and Government area as an Associate. She comes to the firm following a clerkship with the Honorable Christine Orlando, Camden County Superior Court. While at the courthouse, she also had the opportunity to assist the Honorable Angelo DiCamillo and James Bucci. Alena earned her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University Law School in Camden. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing from Drexel University.

Pursuing a career in law was not always Alena’s plan. Fresh out of undergrad she worked at two large law firms, first in recruiting and professional development and then in marketing operations. As she learned more about the work the attorneys did on behalf of their clients, Alena decided to make a switch and prep for law school. Her decision proved successful and once she started studying law she became enamored with it. During law school she founded the Business Law Association, where she helped plan multiple collaborative events, became the technology editor of the Rutgers Business Law Review, and traveled to the Dominican Republic where she helped build a house for a family in need in between her classes on non-profit law. She received the Dean’s Pro Bono Publico Award for Exceptional Service for her volunteer work in children’s justice, estate planning, entrepreneurship, bankruptcy, and wrongful convictions.

Alena is an avid horseback rider. She also enjoys reading, cooking, and running with her rescue dog Elvie.

Daniel Kennedy oversees the daily operations and programs of the association. A registered legislative agent, Dan works in consultation with the officers and board of trustees to carry out the association’s mission. He frequently meets with and testifies before New Jersey legislative committees and regulatory agencies on matters of importance to the industrial and commercial real estate development industry.

Robert Kopp is a climate scientist who serves at Rutgers University as a Professor in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences and as Co-Director of the University Office of Climate Action. He also directs the Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub, a National Science Foundation-funded consortium that advances coastal climate adaptation and the scientific understanding of natural and human coastal climate dynamics. He is also a director of the Climate Impact Lab, a multi-institutional collaboration of more than two dozen economists, data scientists, climate scientists, and policy experts, working to bring Big Data approaches to the assessment of the economic risks of climate change. Professor Kopp’s research focuses on understanding uncertainty in past and future climate change, with major emphases on sea-level change, the interactions between physical climate change and the economy, and the use of climate risk information to information decision-making. He has authored over 120 scientific papers, as well as popular articles in numerous venues. Professor Kopp is a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2021 Sixth Assessment Report and of the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s 2017 Fourth National Climate Assessment. Professor Kopp received his Ph.D. in Geobiology from the California Institute of Technology and his undergraduate degree in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago. He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, a past Leopold Leadership Fellow, and a recipient of the American Geophysical Union’s James B. Macelwane medal

Matt Leggett is a partner in the firm’s Public Policy and Law practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Matt served as minority Chief Counsel for the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He managed the legal, policy, and communications teams which developed and implemented the strategic plan of the committee agenda. Before this, Matt had served as majority chief counsel for the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

In both of these jobs, Matt was responsible for overseeing committee staff, preparing for hearings, coordinating media strategies, and participating in the regulatory process. He provided legal counsel, advice, and legislative solutions to the Ranking Member and Chairman of the respective committees, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, members of the committees, Senate Republican leadership, and other Senate offices. He directed committee hearings and Senate consideration of more than 65 presidential nominations in the energy, environment, natural resources, and transportation space. Matt also ensured compliance with Senate, committee, and Republican conference rules. He devised rules-based strategies to pass legislation, process nominees, defend committee jurisdiction, and advocate before the Senate Parliamentarian. Additionally, he managed oversight and investigation activities, while also serving in an official role at committee business meetings.

Matt led his committees’ legislative activities on the Senate floor relating to the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. He oversaw bipartisan enactment of an environmental innovation package to promote carbon capture and sequestration technologies, reduce diesel emissions, and phasedown hydrofluorocarbons. In addition, he managed committee passage of bipartisan infrastructure legislation to reauthorize the federal highway program and support the build-out of hydrogen, natural gas, and electric vehicle fueling infrastructure. The America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act served as the basis for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Brian O. Lipman, Esq. serves as the Director for the Division of Rate Counsel, a position he has held since November 8, 2021. The Division of Rate Counsel represents the interests of consumers of regulated electric, natural gas, water/sewer, telecommunications, cable TV service, and insurance (residential, small business, commercial and industrial customers).

Rate Counsel’s mission is to make sure that all classes of utility consumers receive safe, adequate and proper utility service at affordable rates that are just and nondiscriminatory. Rate Counsel is a member of several state utility policy making groups and also represents consumers in setting energy and telecommunications policy that will affect the provision of services into the future. The New Jersey Legislature charged Rate Counsel with being “devoted to the maximum extent possible to ensuring adequate representation of the interest of those consumers whose interest would otherwise be inadequately represented in matters within the jurisdiction of the Division of Rate Counsel.” The Division’s website is http://www.nj.gov/rpa/

Brian has been with Rate Counsel since August, 2013. He has over 18 years of experience practicing law in New Jersey.

Prior to joining Rate Counsel, Brian was a Deputy Attorney General with the State of New Jersey for ten years. The last two years, he was the Assistant Section Chief for the Division of Law’s Public Utility Section, responsible for representing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in numerous jurisdictions including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal District Court, the Office of Administrative Law and other administrative forums on behalf of the BPU. During his tenure at the Attorney General’s Office, Brian represented numerous state agencies in a diverse set of cases including mortgage fraud, election law and civil rights matters litigated before various state and federal courts and agencies. Before joining to the Attorney General’s Office, Brian worked in private practice, representing private and public sector clients in labor, employment and other commercial matters. Brian has taught several classes for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute and taught as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law.

Brian has a B.S. in political science from The American University and graduated with honors from Rutgers School of Law-Camden.

Bob Martin is a senior executive with vast experience in both the public and private sectors working with and running large and complex organizations. Extensive skills and experience managing, transforming and consulting to companies and government organizations. His abilities include strong analytical, strategic, leadership, people management and development, financial, and regulatory skills. Bob has strong sector knowledge in the utility & energy industries, government, health insurance, and manufacturing & distribution.

Bob’s work at Christie 55 Solutions has included working with clients on:

• Renewable Energy Strategy (Offshore & Onshore Wind, Solar, Battery Storage and Hydrogen)
• Business Strategy and Growth
• Sports Betting
• Regulatory & Permitting Strategy at the State and Federal levels
• Land Use Strategy
• Environmental Strategy
• Fossil and Nuclear Power Generation
• Electric Power Transmission
• Infrastructure and Engineering

Bob served as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection under Governor Christie from 2010 to 2018, managing over 2,800 professionals and a multi-million dollar annual state budget and other federal and state resources. He effectively implemented DEP’s mission to protect the air, water, land and natural and historic resources of the state. He has deep knowledge and expertise in state and federal environmental and land use laws and regulations, and working with numerous federal agencies and departments. Bob also played a key leadership role under Governor Christie in coordinating the State’s preparation and response, and long-term rebuilding from natural disasters, especially for Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Prior to public service, Bob was a Partner at Accenture LLP with over 25 years of experience consulting to a broad variety of businesses and industries, and trusted advisor to senior executives to help them achieve their vision and create value. He has extensive skills and experience in all aspects of business and management consulting, including business strategy and planning, business transformation and operations reengineering, IT strategy, systems implementation and change management.

Bob has extensive international experience including living and working in the UK for 5 years, and doing significant consulting work throughout Europe and Canada. He has demonstrated expertise in all the key aspects of the utility industry, including electric generation, electric & gas transmission, and electric, gas and water distribution operations. Bob has a BA in Economics & Sociology from Boston College and an MBA, concentrating in Finance & Investments, from the George Washington University.

Richard S. Mroz, Esq. has a long and distinguished career in law, government, business, and public service. His experiences as a regulator, lawyer, lobbyist, banker, corporate director, consultant and thought leader have focused on numerous issues, including energy and utility regulation, energy markets, the evolving grid, cybersecurity, water and wastewater policy, as well as infrastructure development and financing for various industries. Mr. Mroz is the former President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), serving as Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer of the Agency, and acted as the Chief Energy Officer for New Jersey.

Mr. Mroz has held various national and regional leadership positions, including serving as Chairman of the Critical Infrastructure Committee for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), where he advanced efforts addressing cybersecurity and infrastructure improvements in the electric, gas, water and telecommunications industries. He was NARUC liaison to the Electric Sector Coordinating Council (ESCC), as well as a member of the NARUC Electricity Committee, Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues and Nuclear Waste Disposal, and a member of the NARUC Board of Directors. He was Chairman of the Organization of PJM States, Inc. (OPSI), the official organization designated by the states to interact with the regional grid and transmission organization, and a member of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Advisory Council.

Mr. Mroz was appointed by the Secretary of Energy to be a member of the USDOE Electric Advisory Committee, which provides advice to the Department on programs and priorities on issues of the evolving grid, distributed energy resources, and reliability of the electric system, and is a member of the Smart Grid Subcommittee and Subcommittee for Defense Critical Facilities.  He is a member of the New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities Advisory Council, and a Distinguished Corporate Fellow to the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University.

For over two decades Mr. Mroz served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, a congressionally chartered wholesale bank, with assets over $100 Billion, and which provides funding to member financial institutions in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. He has served on the Bank Executive, Corporate Governance, Compensation, Audit, and Congressional & Regulatory Affairs Committees, and currently is Chairman of the Housing Committee. His work with corporate governance issues continues with his active involvement with the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) where he serves on the Board of Directors for the NACD New Jersey Chapter having been Chairman of the Programs Committee and currently the committee for Director of the Year Awards in good governance.

These appointments and leadership positions continue an accomplished career in legal affairs and public service. Governor Christie Whitman appointed Mr. Mroz to be Chief Counsel after serving in various positions in her Administration. Of particular note, President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Mroz to the Commission on White House Fellows in 2007. In 2012, Governor Chris Christie appointed Mr. Mroz as a Commissioner of the Delaware River & Bay Authority (DRBA), a congressionally chartered bi-state transportation agency operating facilities, including the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the Cape May- Lewes Ferry.

Before becoming President of the NJBPU, Mr. Mroz worked in private practice as a lawyer and lobbyist. He was a founding Managing Director of Archer Public Affairs in Trenton, New Jersey and was Of Counsel to the Archer & Greiner law firm. For many years in the private sector, Mr. Mroz provided advice to clients in numerous industries and concentrated on governmental relations, regulatory affairs, business development and issues management. He also provided strategic counsel and advice for project development and financing, as well as corporate external affairs. He has represented clients in the energy, utility, transportation, financial services, real estate, healthcare, human services, pharmaceutical, and gaming and entertainment industries.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Mroz has provided both representation and personal service to several professional and community organizations. He has been co-counsel and legislative agent to the New Jersey Conference of Mayors and was a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law. Mr. Mroz is a frequent commentator for programs on television and radio and internet on issues such as cybersecurity and resilience of critical infrastructure and emerging energy issues. He was Chairman of the Board of the Volunteers of America of the Delaware Valley and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Alliance for Action, and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

Active with his college alma mater, Mr. Mroz served for many years on the Board of Directors of the University of Delaware Alumni Association and served as the Association President. He holds a B.A. from the University of Delaware and his J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law.

Cynthia Niemeyer is a policy advisor for domestic natural gas markets at the American Petroleum Institute (API). She leads API’s initiatives on natural gas and power markets, engaging with federal and local regulators to address load growth and ensure grid reliability. Prior to joining API in 2024, Cynthia was a senior research associate with ClearView Energy Partners and spent over six years with Chevron as a facilities engineer. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas. Cynthia is also a licensed professional civil engineer in the state of Texas.

Grace serves as General Counsel and EVP of Government Affairs at Solar Landscape, the leading commercial and community solar developer in the United States. Most recently she was a Partner at McCarter & English, LLP in the Government Affairs and Energy & Environment practice groups. Previously she served as Chief of Staff at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities during the Murphy Administration and was responsible for the development and implementation of policy and day-to-day management of the agency. Grace chaired the 2019 State Energy Master Plan Committee. She began her career as the Legislative Liaison at the BPU. Active in state and local politics, she is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Law – Newark. She has a Master’s Degree from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers and an undergraduate degree from Rutgers College, and was affiliated with the Eagleton Institute of Politics as a graduate fellow and undergraduate associate.

Matt Schwall is the Director of Regulatory Affairs for Alpha Generation, LLC. He joined the company in 2021 and is responsible for regulatory, government and market affairs in the various local, state, and federal jurisdictions in which the company’s assets are located. Additional responsibilities include coordination of project development activities surrounding the company’s renewable and energy storage portfolios.

Prior to joining AlphaGen, he worked for the Independent Power Producers of New York representing merchant generators concerning the development of public and regulatory policies related to the market design and rules affecting the wholesale electric power system in New York. Mr. Schwall has previously worked for various offices within the New York State Assembly and holds an M.S. in Global Energy Management from the University of Colorado Denver Business School and a B.A. in Political Science from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the University at Albany, New York.

Kenneth J. Sheehan, Counsel in the Firm’s Newark Office, brings significant experience in both the public and private sectors, with a broad and deep knowledge of the legal and policy foundations of both the regulated utility industry as well as the new Green Energy economy. Having served in significant roles at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, as well as with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the New York Department of Public Service, Ken’s experience covers the legislative, regulatory, and litigation elements of energy, water, telecommunications, clean energy, and solid waste. Ken has successfully brought and defended matters before State and federal regulatory agencies as well as the New Jersey Courts, including trial level, appellate level, and New Jersey Supreme Court, as well as before numerous federal Circuit Courts and an amicus brief before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ken has represented clients seeking approvals at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, assisted in the drafting and defense of legislation including NJ’s Solar Act, the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act, and the Long-Term Capacity Acquisition Pilot Program. He is currently General Counsel for both the New Jersey Utilities Association and the New Jersey Energy Coalition. Likewise, Ken has represented some of the largest public and private utility companies in the State and has successfully negotiated multi-billion dollar matters on behalf of the State.

Andrew Sinclair is a State Government Relations Advisor at ExxonMobil – one of the largest publicly traded international energy and petrochemical companies in the world.  Based in Washington DC, Andrew manages the company’s relationships with governors and legislatures in 11 states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region. He is recognized for designing and executing innovative advocacy strategies for challenging issues including mitigating the impact of climate change, lowering emissions and eliminating plastic waste.  In addition, Andrew was selected for a special yearlong expat assignment in Guyana to support the public and government affairs team in the world’s fastest growing energy project.

Prior to joining ExxonMobil in 2017, Andrew held various public and government affairs roles in New Jersey including as a lobbyist with Princeton Public Affairs Group and business developer with Millennium Strategies. He also served as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Transportation under Governor Christine Todd Whitman.

John G. Valeri Jr. is a Member and Practice Group Leader of CSG’s Environmental Practice Group. John has more than 30 years of experience providing advice regarding state and federal environmental laws and regulations, including obtaining permits and approvals involving multiple environmental media for complex projects. He provides strategic policy advice on major state and federal legislative and regulatory initiatives, and he regularly appears before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Administrative Law and in appeals before the New Jersey Superior Court. John also represents public utilities and renewable project owners and operators before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. In addition, John negotiates environmental agreements and provides strategic policy advice on major state and federal legislative and regulatory initiatives. John previously served as Associate Deputy General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel at the USEPA, and Counselor to the Administrator under former Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. John also served as Senior Assistant Counsel for Governor Christine Todd Whitman, and Chief of Staff to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. John was appointed as a member of the New Jersey Clean Air Council by Governor Chris Christie in 2015 and served as the Chair from 2018-2021.

Michael Van Brunt is currently VP Environmental and Sustainability at Reworld, where he is responsible for corporate sustainability strategy and reporting and environmental compliance, permitting, and monitoring. He leads Reworld’s lifecycle analysis team and is a licensed professional engineer with over twenty years of experience in industry and consulting. He is current the board chair of the Circular Economy Coalition.  He earned a B.S. and Masters in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from Cornell University.

Neil Yoskin is Of Counsel in the firm’s Environmental department. His practice includes all aspects of Environmental, Land Use, Natural Resource, and Redevelopment Law. He provides advice and representation to a wide range of clients including businesses, industry organizations, municipal governments, banks, financial services companies, and private property owners. He has litigated matters related to wetlands, waterfront development, public access, port facility sighting, endangered species, solid waste licensing, and groundwater pollution in state and federal courts. Neil also regularly represents clients before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and local agencies throughout New Jersey.

Ted Zangari is a Member of Sills Cummis & Gross, a commercial law firm with offices in New Jersey. Mr. Zangari’s law practice is multipronged. He chairs the Firm’s Real Estate Department as well as its Redevelopment Law, Outside General Counsel, and Public Policy/Governmental Affairs Practice Groups. As chair of the Firm’s cross-disciplinary Redevelopment Law Practice Group, he captains a team of the Firm’s attorneys on brownfield, transit-oriented, central business district and waterfront redevelopment projects as well as adaptive reuse projects at obsolete or vacant corporate campuses and shopping centers. As leader of the Firm’s multi-disciplinary Outside General Counsel Practice Group, Mr. Zangari coordinates attorneys from across the Firm who work in teams on behalf of middle market, privately held companies in lieu or in close support of in-house counsel. His law practice focuses primarily on complex business transactions with an emphasis on commercial leasing, acquisition, disposition and financing transactions for owners, asset managers and tenants of industrial, office, retail and multi-family properties across the country.

In addition, as chair of the Firm’s Public Policy/Governmental Affairs Practice Group, Mr. Zangari, a registered state governmental affairs agent, assists developers, hospitals, banks, casinos, public utilities and other regulated industry clients in the ways that government and business intersect on a broad range of legislative and regulatory matters. In a ranking of “politically influential law firms” by politickernj.com, the Firm was ranked number one among Am Law 200 law firms in New Jersey, and Mr. Zangari was described as someone who is “well liked by insiders on both sides of the aisle.”

Mr. Zangari serves on the Sills Cummis & Gross Management Committee. Among his many other academic, civic, charitable and professional activities, he serves as an Officer and Trustee of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce (Secretary); is a founding member of the Rutgers University Center for Real Estate, where he serves on the Center’s Executive Committee; is a member of the Board of Trustees of George Washington University’s Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis; has served as an Officer of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and currently serves on its Legal Advisory Council; and serves as General Counsel of the MXD (Mixed-Use) Section of the New Jersey Builders Association.