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.

As Chief Government Affairs Officer for the New Jersey Business & Industry Association Christopher focuses on taxation, budget, economic development and workforce development. NJBIA is the largest and most impactful business association in the nation.

Prior to his current job, Emigholz worked in state government for a decade. He was the Budget Director for the State Senate Republican Office for 8 years overseeing economic, fiscal and education policy, and he also directed education policy and legislative affairs in the New Jersey Department of Education prior to that. This is his second stint at NJBIA having served for years as their workforce development and education lobbyist earlier in his career. He was also a teacher through the Teach For America program in a high school in Atlanta, Georgia, and a community liaison/volunteer coordinator for an elementary school in Baltimore City through the AmeriCorps-VISTA program.

Emigholz has a Master of Public Policy degree from Rutgers’ Bloustein School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University. He currently lives in Robbinsville, NJ with his wife and 3 children, where he is active in the community including coaching youth sports and serving on the school board to which he was elected.

For the last twenty-five years Tony has led legislative and public affairs campaigns throughout the nation. He has directed, managed, and executed a full range of government and regulatory affairs programs for large companies including Comcast, Bristol Myers Squibb, McDonalds, Verizon, LS Power, Lennar Homes, and Hudson News. He also has vast experience in managing divergent internal / external groups that include NGO’s, trade associations, CEO’s, advocacy, venders, board members, business unit leads and company leadership teams.

Tony’s New Jersey Experience includes leading the efforts for Comcast and New Jersey Business and Industry Association. He also worked for New Jersey based Bristol Myers Squibb where he led the national State Government Affairs and Alliance Development teams. Before leading teams at BMS, Tony managed the public affairs practice at Florio, Perruci, Steinhardt and Fader, where he led legislative initiates for the firm. As Vice President of Public Affairs at MWW, Tony led some of the nation’s highest profile public affairs campaigns for national and New Jersey based companies.

Tony has worked for three different Congressmen on the Hill including Congressman Charles Bennett, Congressman Earl Hutto and Congressman Robert Wexler.

At the state level, Tony worked as Chief of Staff to Florida Representative Ben Graber and led the South Carolina House Caucus as its Executive Director. Tony does have deep New Jersey political roots, leading some of the state’s toughest political campaigns that include: Senate President Sweeney (2001), Assemblyman John Burzichelli (2001), Senator Paul Sarlo (2003) and Assemblyman Gary Schaer (2005).

Tony earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida State University and a Master’s Degree from George Washington University. Tony resides in Haddonfield with his wife Deb and his sixteen-year-old son Parker. He loves watching his son play football and coaching youth football in his spare time.

Cory Booker believes that the American dream isn’t real for anyone unless it’s within reach of
everyone. Booker has dedicated his life to fighting for those who have been left out, left behind,
or left without a voice.

Booker grew up in northern New Jersey and received his undergraduate degree from Stanford
University. At Stanford, Booker played varsity football, volunteered for the campus peer
counseling center, and wrote for the student newspaper. He was awarded a Rhodes
Scholarship and went on to study at the University of Oxford, and then Yale Law School, where
he graduated in 1997.

After graduating law school, Booker moved to Newark and started a nonprofit organization to
provide legal services for low-income families, helping tenants take on slumlords. In 1998,
Booker moved into the Brick Towers housing project in Newark, where he lived until its
demolition in 2006. Booker still lives in Newark’s Central Ward today, where the median
household income is less than $15,000.

At 29, Booker was elected to the Newark City Council, where he challenged the city’s
entrenched political machine and fought to improve living conditions for city residents, increase
public safety, and reduce crime.

Starting in 2006, Booker served as Newark’s mayor for more than seven years. During his
tenure, the city entered its largest period of economic growth since the 1960s. In addition,
overall crime declined and the quality of life for residents improved due to initiatives such as
more affordable housing, new green spaces and parks, increased educational opportunities,
and more efficient city services.

In October 2013, Booker won a special election to represent New Jersey in the United States
Senate. In November 2014, Senator Booker was re-elected to a full six-year term.

As New Jersey’s junior Senator, Cory Booker has brought an innovative and consensus-building
approach to tackling some of the most difficult problems facing New Jersey and our country. He
has emerged as a national leader in the effort to fix our broken criminal justice system and end
mass incarceration, helping craft the most sweeping set of criminal justice reforms in a
generation, the First Step Act, which became law in December 2018. Booker has also worked to
reform America’s broken food system, address our nation’s nutrition crisis, and end food
insecurity.

Booker sits on the Judiciary Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Small Business Committee.

Daniel Bryan is the President of Bryan Strategies Group. Mr. Bryan is also co owner of an economic development consulting firm, Elysian Consulting Group, alongside Joseph Kelley. Before founding BSG, Mr. Bryan was one of the chief architects of Governor Phil Murphy’s historic 2021 re-election campaign, having played a similar senior role in the Governor’s 2017 campaign. Bryan has also had several high profile government positions, including serving as Director to the Gubernatorial Transition and the Governor’s first Press Secretary in 2018.

In 2019, Bryan was promoted to Senior Advisor to the Governor for Strategic Communications, a role he served for three years. In this position, he helped shape the Administration’s messaging and communications strategy through every facet of the first term, built key relationships throughout the state, and advised on everything from the state budget to policy priorities.

Before working on the Governor’s campaign in 2017, Mr. Bryan served as Chief of Staff to Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer from 2009-2015 followed by a stint at a boutique real estate-focused public relations firm. Mr. Bryan grew up in Ringwood, NJ, and is an alumni of the University of Scranton and Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey NJ.

A life-long Jersey guy, Jack was born in Somerville and raised in the Borough of Raritan, where his grandparents immigrated 100 years ago.

He earned a degree in Accounting from Seton Hall, where he also got his MBA. Jack is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

​Jack is a successful entrepreneur and small business owner twice over, having founded two successful Main Street businesses right here in New Jersey.

​But of all the titles he’s earned, he’s most proud to be called “Dad.” He’s the father of four children, now all adults, each already accomplished in their fields.

​Jack has always believed in giving back to the community that has given him so much. In the public arena, he has served at every level of government, including the Raritan Borough Council, the Somerset County Freeholder Board, and the State Assembly – each time winning tough races, and then voluntarily term-limiting himself.

​In 2021, Jack ran for governor and re-energized the state’s Republican Party, defying media predictions and coming within a few points of knocking off the sitting incumbent governor.

​Along the way, he led the ticket to historic victories up and down the state, with Republicans picking up seven seats in the state legislature, including beating the Senate President. In helping down-ballot Republicans also win hundreds of local and county races, New Jersey Republicans had their best Election Day in 30 years.

Since then, Jack hasn’t stopped. He has continued to speak out on the challenges facing New Jerseyans, crisscrossing the state, supporting candidates, and promoting common-sense solutions to kitchen table problems.

Steven Michael Fulop is the 49th Mayor of Jersey City –  the most diverse city in the nation and the soon-to-be largest city in New Jersey.

Since Mayor Fulop took office in 2013, residents have seen seven consecutive years of stable taxes, over 300 new police officers hired,  1,500 units of affordable housing built, expanded recreation, nearly $10 million invested in parks and open space, and roughly 800 small businesses opened creating approximately 10,000 new jobs.

Under his leadership, Jersey City became the first city in the state – and the 6th city in the country – to ensure paid sick leave. Mayor Fulop pioneered new ideas for helping prisoners re-enter society; he’s passed legislation to protect small businesses; made Jersey City one of the greenest cities in the nation. He’s undertaken public safety reform, with the JCPD now seen as a model for diversity. And Mayor Fulop has led the city to record economic development that’s benefited families of all income levels.

Mayor Fulop is a first-generation American, a lifelong New Jerseyan, a Marine, and a triathlete. He grew up in a Jewish family in Edison, New Jersey, the son of Romanian immigrants. He graduated from Binghamton University in 1999 and spent time abroad studying at Oxford University. After college, he joined Goldman Sachs. On September 11, 2001, Mayor Fulop was working in lower Manhattan when he saw the first plane strike the Twin Towers. A few weeks later, he decided to put his career at Goldman Sachs on hold and joined the United States Marine Corps.

Mayor Fulop’s Unit deployed to Iraq in January 2003. There, he served as part of the 6th Engineer Support Battalion. In 2006, he completed his service to the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of Corporal.

Ginger Gold Schnitzer is the Director of Education and Strategic Initiatives at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. In this role, she oversees all educational initiatives across the Institute, aligning the scholarship and practice of teaching politics with Eagleton’s core mission and values. Her responsibilities include directing the Undergraduate Associates and Graduate Fellows programs, enhancing the professional development of faculty, and developing assessment systems to measure the impact of educational programs. Schnitzer is also dedicated to expanding the Institute’s research and educational projects.

Prior to joining Eagleton, Schnitzer was the Executive Director of the Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership, Director of the Master of Public Administration Program, and an Associate Professor at Saint Peter’s University. Before entering academia, Schnitzer was the Director of Government Relations for the New Jersey Education Association, where she served as the chief lobbyist and political strategist for one of the nation’s largest school employee unions.

A long-time resident of Plainsboro, New Jersey, Schnitzer was elected and served for three terms on the Plainsboro Township Committee. She has also held local leadership roles as president of the Plainsboro Public Library Foundation and vice-chair of the Plainsboro Township Zoning Board. Schnitzer was a member of the 2008 Electoral College.

Schnitzer holds a B.A. in political science from Rutgers University-Douglass College and is a proud alum of the Eagleton Undergraduate Associates Program. She also has a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, and a Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

A private investor, consultant, and opinion contributor, Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff’s public career includes service as NJ State Treasurer, NYS Tax and Finance Commissioner, NYC Finance Commissioner, and an elected member of the New York City Council.

Prior to entering public service, Sidamon-Eristoff was an associate at the law firm of Webster and Sheffield, specializing in federal and state income tax planning and compliance. His consulting work in tax administration included short-term assignments for Chemonics International in the Republic of Georgia for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Sidamon-Eristoff currently serves on the boards of Tax Analysts, Phipps Houses, the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, and the Point O’Woods Foundation. He is a former trustee of Scenic Hudson, the St. Bernard’s School, Phipps Community Development Corporation, and the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. He is a member of the New York City Bar’s Committee on State and Local Taxation. He is also a former President of the North East States Tax Officials Association, board member of the Federation of Tax Administrators, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee.

A native of New York City, Sidamon-Eristoff earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in politics from Princeton University and a juris doctor degree cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. He holds an LL.M. in Taxation from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and an Advanced Professional Certificate in Information Technology from New York University.

Bill Spadea is an entrepreneur, media personality, father, husband and vocal advocate for working and middle class families. Spadea is the top morning drive talk show host in New Jersey on 101.5 FM. For seven years he hosted a successful show on FOX TV, “Chasing News with Bill Spadea”. He’s done a little bit of everything over his 25-plus year career, serving as a political strategist, analyst, candidate for office and business executive. He also regularly hosts music festivals and comedy shows in the New York/New Jersey area.

Before getting into media, he served as an executive in the real estate industry for 18 years, coaching, recruiting and selling. He is currently a licensed broker in several states, including New Jersey, Washington and Massachusetts, working with a national real estate company.Following the show on FoxTV, Spadea launched and continues to manage budget and production for a film company which sold their latest movie “Psycho Storm Chaser” to LifetimeTV.

​​​He took on a three-term Democratic House incumbent in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District in 2004. Highlights of the campaign included a 200-mile walk through all 44 towns in the district, knocking on 16,000-plus doors and beating expectations as the top Republican challenger in New Jersey.

​Most recently, Spadea founded and serves as the head of the “Common Sense Club” which advocates and mobilizes people to support policies which help small businesses and families through smart, fiscally responsible management in government, education that does away with radical political agendas which characterize many public schools today, and support for civil, economic and medical liberty. He is also the honorary chairman of “Elect Common Sense”, a New Jersey Political Action Committee supporting Common Sense candidates that continues to be the fastest growing Conservative PAC in recent years with an average donation of $11.13.

​He graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in history in 1991. Upon graduation he enlisted in the Marines and received an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps Reserves after serving eight years. Bill has been married 29 years to his wife Jodi and resides in Princeton, NJ. Their son, Michael, is an honors student at San Diego State University. Their daughter Elizabeth graduated from the University of the Arts in London and has launched a successful career as a producer and brand manager in the UK

Sean M. Spiller, a high school science teacher in the Wayne public schools, is president of the New Jersey Education Association. Spiller was elected NJEA president in 2021, his term beginning on Sept. 1. Prior to his 2013 election to NJEA secretary-treasurer, Spiller served as an executive board member of the Passaic County Education Association (2005-2013). He also served as president (2007-2013) and negotiations team member of the Wayne Education Association. At NJEA, he was the chair of the Congressional Contact Committee, a member of the Urban Education Committee and an ethnic minority-at-large representative to the Delegate Assembly.

Spiller’s focus as a leader, throughout his service for NJEA, has been on helping members become more involved at the community level in confronting the intersection of challenges that affect public education and school employees, students, and their families. He sees the burdens placed on families with student debt, limited access to health care and underfunded communities as critical issues. As NJEA
president, he aims to strengthen public education in New Jersey by confronting systemic racism, and building equity for social, economic, gender and sexual identity, and racial justice.

Spiller is continuing his career of public service by running for Governor of New Jersey. NJEA PAC has endorsed him in the 2025 democratic gubernatorial primary. Spiller believes, “Public education is the foundation of a strong economy and a thriving democracy.” His victory next year will help secure a brighter future for NJEA members, our students and our state.

Spiller and his wife Lauren, also a public school teacher and NJEA member, live with their two children in Montclair where he previously served on the township council as well as a term as mayor. He is also a member of the Montclair Business Improvement District, a member of the Montclair NAACP, the League of Women Voters and many other local groups and organizations.

Steve Sweeney was New Jersey’s longest-serving Senate President and is regarded as one of the most influential legislative leaders in New Jersey history. After losing his 2021 reelection bid, Sweeney accepted Rowan University’s invitation to launch a public policy center dedicated to developing bipartisan and pragmatic long-term solutions to New Jersey’s most pressing issues. He will chair the policy center’s advisory board.

Sweeney, a Democrat, served from 1997 to 2010 on the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders–the last 12 years as director. He represented the 3rd Legislative District, which includes portions of Gloucester and Cumberland counties and all of Salem County, for 20 years in the New Jersey Senate, including a record 12 years as Senate President.

An ironworker by trade, Sweeney serves as general vice president of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, overseeing union locals in New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania. He entered public service after his daughter was born with Down syndrome, determined to make a difference in the lives of those with disabilities. As a freeholder, Sweeney oversaw the development of a special school for autistic children and also became a strong advocate for regionalizing and sharing services.

In the Senate, Sweeney passed a series of reforms designed to save New Jersey’s severely underfunded pension system. He also authored the 2% cap on local government spending that helped cut projected property tax increases in half, and sponsored legislation increasing the minimum wage, requiring earned sick leave and creating New Jersey’s Paid Family Leave program for all New Jersey residents.

Sweeney sponsored S2, “The School Funding Reform Act,” that eliminated longstanding inequities in the school funding formula and the Vocational Education Bond Act to expand workforce training. He pushed through legislation to encourage K-12 and countywide school regionalization, which was a major recommendation in the “Path to Progress” report issued by the 2018 Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup he created.

He sponsored the nation’s first Offshore Wind Act in 2010, led negotiations to bring a manufacturing facility for turbine platforms at Paulsboro and the New Jersey Windport to Lower Alloways Creek, and sponsored legislation to protect New Jersey’s three nuclear power plants in Salem County from closing

Sweeney fought for the successful merger of the state’s medical schools with their research universities to increase R&D funding. He was a staunch proponent of Rowan University’s unique affiliation with county colleges in Gloucester, Burlington and Cumberland counties, and helped Rowan obtain the state funding needed to become just the second university in the nation with two medical schools and a veterinary school.

Richard T. Thigpen was named senior vice president for Corporate Citizenship in July 2018. Mr. Thigpen also is chair of the PSEG Foundation. He is responsible for supporting areas of the business that are impacted by public policy through advocacy, including federal, state and local government affairs, sustainability, charitable activities, and corporate social responsibility. Mr. Thigpen is a member of PSEG’s Senior Executive Team.

Mr. Thigpen joined PSEG in March 2007 as vice president for State Governmental Affairs, PSEG Services Corp. He has been a public affairs consultant since 1999 and was a co-founding partner of 1868 Public Affairs, which provides lobbying, strategic planning, public relations and government relations services to clients in New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C.

Previously, Mr. Thigpen was an associate at the New York law firm of Thacher Proffitt and Wood in the mortgage-backed securities practice group (1988 to 1990), district director for U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (NJ-10) (1990 to 1996) and executive director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee (1996 to 1999). He has served as a political analyst for New Jersey Network and as an academic associate for PublicMind, Fairleigh Dickinson University Polling and Survey Research Institute. Mr. Thigpen was a former assistant to the president of the NAACP State Conference for Public Affairs. Currently, he is incoming chair of Alliance to Save Energy, as well as a member of the boards of the Regional Plan Association, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, Public Media NJ Inc. (NJ PBS), New Jersey Business & Industry Association, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark Public Radio, Inc. (WBGO), and the Donald M. Payne Global Foundation. He is also chair emeritus of the American Association of Blacks in Energy national board and serves as a visiting associate at the Rutgers University Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Mr. Thigpen holds a Doctor of Law degree from Columbia University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Brown University.

An Emmy award-winning journalist, Briana Vannozzi serves as the anchor for NJ Spotlight News, the newsroom of NJ PBS. She’s worked in several capacities since joining the news division in 2012, as interim anchor and senior correspondent after years of general assignment reporting as a multimedia journalist. Vannozzi began her television journalism career by cutting her teeth on New Jersey State House politics for New Jersey Network News, and later as a news radio correspondent at FM News 101.9 covering crime and politics in New York City. Her work has taken her to national presidential nominating conventions, Capitol Hill, up and down the East Coast and every corner of the Garden State. She’s interviewed every New Jersey Governor dating back to Jon Corzine and moderated numerous political debates and forums. Her work has also earned awards from the NJ Society of Professional Journalists and the Philadelphia Press Association. A Burlington County native, she’s honored to be serving, covering and raising her family in her home state.

Alexandra Wilkes is an attorney and a full-time communications consultant, servicing political entities at the national and state level. Wilkes formerly served as Senior Vice President at America Rising Corp. She was the Executive Director of America Rising PAC for the 2018 cycle. Wilkes previously served as National Chairman of the College Republican National Committee. She was the first female elected to this position in the organization’s 125+ year history. In 2017, Wilkes was named as a co-recipient of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s “Ally of the Year.” In 2014, she was designated as an RNC “Rising Star” and was the recipient of the RNC’s Jeane Kirkpatrick Award. Wilkes is an alumna of The Catholic University of America, where she graduated from the University Honors Program magna cum laude, and of Seton Hall University School of Law where she served as President of the Seton Hall Law Federalist Society. She is licensed to practice law in her native Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia.

Peter Connolly is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP), a role he assumed in June 2023 after serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO) since August 2022. With over 40 years of experience in the Aerospace and Defense industry, Peter has held key leadership positions at DRS Technologies, including Vice President of Business Development, International Programs, and General Manager of Avionics.

Peter’s dedication to manufacturing is evident in his long-standing service on NJMEP’s Board of Trustees, where he has been a member since 2008 and Chairman for over 12 years. He is also a Trustee for the New Jersey Junior Achievement and the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence (FORME).

A graduate of Glassboro State College (now Rowan College of Southern New Jersey), Peter holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a focus on medieval history. He is also a recognized community leader, serving as a Trustee of the Oakland Education Foundation and the Oakland Fathers Club. Peter resides in Oakland, NJ, with his wife Cathy and their two daughters.

Peter’s leadership is marked by his expertise in operations, business development, and strategy. His commitment to supporting New Jersey’s manufacturing sector is unwavering, and under his guidance, NJMEP continues to drive innovation and economic growth through key initiatives. Most chiefly of these, Peter has pioneered workforce development and access to advanced manufacturing training through The Future Makers & Creators Tour and through critical investments like NJMEP’s brand new state-of-the-art mobile training RV—initiatives that have been making waves across New Jersey as they make training and exposure to manufacturing careers more accessible.

Peter has also made strides in better supporting the South Jersey Manufacturing sector, by  providing access to training programs through the NJMEP Mobile Training Center and by also providing special support for South Jersey manufacturers—most notably, through events at local breweries in the region and a legislative meeting at Rowan College of Southern New Jersey that brought together state, education, and industry partners to collaborate, and at the 12^th annual ‘MADE in New Jersey’ Manufacturing Day where South Jersey manufacturers will have access to special discounts, and programs.

In kind, Peter has also championed the continued support of New Jersey veterans through the New Jersey Defense Manufacturing Community Consortium, and also Women in Manufacturing, through certain key initiatives like the Rising Stars Award (given out at ‘MADE in NJ’ Manufacturing Day) and the annual Women in Manufacturing Luncheon, now boasting over one hundred attendees in its third iteration.

Professional Engineer and Professional Planner

Montecalvo & Bayshore Family of Companies, Vice President of Engineering and Redevelopment. Working directly with Company owners Frank and Valerie Montecalvo on planning, engineering, and development of new and redevelopment projects.

Professional Engineer in NJ and 6 other states and NJ Professional Planner with a BS in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College.

Prior experience as COO of a major NJ construction, mining, and asphalt manufacturing firm, principal of a NJ based regional consulting engineering firm, and principal of a family owned NJ general contracting company. Independent director of a NJ paving and asphalt manufacturing company. Tinton Falls NJ resident, married with 2 children and 4 grandchildren.

Trustee:

• New Jobs PAC

Member:

• Utility and Transportation Contractors Legislative Committee
• NJ Asphalt Pavement Association Environmental Committee
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• National Society of Professional Engineers
• Past Chairman New Jobs PAC
• Past President NJ Asphalt Paving Association
• Past President Monmouth County Society of Professional Engineers

Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, IOM, is the CEO and executive director of the New Jersey Society of CPAs (NJCPA). Previously, she was executive director of BKR International’s Americas Region, where she was responsible for overseeing the implementation of all strategic efforts for BKR accounting and business advisory member firms in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to serving the accounting profession, AJ worked for a range of associations including Vizient, the nation’s largest healthcare performance improvement company, where she supported members with complex benchmarking needs. She has more than 20 years of wide-ranging global experience working for nonprofits and professional and trade associations. AJ was elected to the boards of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) in 2024 and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce in 2023. She was a member of BKR’s Center of Excellence Advisory Board and is on the boards of the Community Foundation of New Jersey , Together for Youth, and Junior Achievement of New Jersey. In addition, was recognized among the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting (2023) and has received numerous honors and recognition including being named No. 1 on NJBIZ’s Accounting Power 50 list in 2023, an honoree on its list in 2024, and one of its 2023 People to Watch in Finance. She was also named one of ROI-NJ’s ROI Influencers: People of Color 2023. She served on the University of Chicago’s Alumni Board from 2021-2023 where she graduated with a master’s in administration and policy. She also completed the Senior Management Program in Business Management at University of Chicago/IE School of Business and holds a certificate in Management Accounting for Leaders.

Dean J. Paranicas recently retired after 13 years as the president and chief executive officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), which serves as the trade association for the leading research-based biopharmaceutical and medical technology companies in New Jersey.  In that role, he was a forceful champion for the state’s life sciences community, a pillar of New Jersey’s economy.

Prior to joining HINJ, Mr. Paranicas was Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Public Policy for BD, a leading global medical technology company based in New Jersey.  Starting at BD in 1981, he previously served in various legal roles, and also as Director, Corporate Development and Strategic Investments, as Director, Investor Relations, and as Vice President, Investor Relations and Public Affairs.

Mr. Paranicas began his career as an associate attorney with McCarter & English, LLP in Newark, New Jersey.  He earned a B.A. Degree With Honors from Rutgers College, Rutgers University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.  He earned a J.D. degree from Rutgers-Newark School of Law, where he was an Editor of the Rutgers Law Review.

Mr. Paranicas is a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) and the Coalition to Protect Patient Care.

He is a former member of the Board of Directors of NEHI – The Network for Excellence in Health Innovation and a former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for New Jersey Public Broadcasting.  He also is a former member of the Rutgers University Board of Governors and the Rutgers University Foundation Board of Directors, and is a former Chair of the Rutgers University Board of Trustees, where he is now a Trustee Emeritus.

David is the Co-Chair of Stevens & Lee’s State and Local Tax Group. He focuses on representing clients in complex state tax controversies during audits, before administrative boards and in courts across the country. David also provides sophisticated multistate tax advice to his clients regarding their business operations, assists with navigating the state tax implications of corporate mergers and acquisitions and consults with clients and their lobbyists on pending state tax legislation and regulations.

With nearly 30 years of experience in state tax, David brings to his clients an extensive knowledge of state tax law, strong relationships with state revenue departments, a track record of successfully litigating state tax cases and a deep understanding of procedural and strategic aspects of handling complex state tax audits and appeals. David has extensive experience in all areas of state taxation including state corporate income, sales and use, personal income, utility, insurance company and realty transfer taxes. He also advises clients on tax incentives, unclaimed property and unemployment compensation issues. David has handled audits, administrative appeals and litigation across the country and in states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

David is a frequent national speaker on multistate tax topics for many organizations, including the Council on State Taxation, the New York University Institute on State and Local Taxation, the Institute of Professionals in Taxation, the Tax Executives Institute, the Practicing Law Institute, the Georgetown Advanced State and Local Tax Institute, the Wall Street Tax Association – State and Local Tax Committee, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

David is a member of the American Bar Association’s State and Local Tax Committee, a member of the advisory board for the New York University Institute on State and Local Taxation, a founding committee member for the Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s Income Tax Schools and has served as a member of New Jersey’s Corporation Business Tax Study Committee. He also is a member of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s and New Jersey Business and Industry Association’s Joint State Tax Committee and frequently contributes to those organization’s legislative and regulatory efforts.

Additionally, David has published state tax articles in State Tax Notes, the American Bar Association’s The State and Local Tax Lawyer and Commerce Clearing House’s State Tax Review and he is frequently contacted by news organizations to comment on emerging state tax issues.

Aura Dunn was initially selected to the New Jersey Assembly in 2019, and a year later won the special election in the 25th Legislative District, breaking New Jersey’s history for the most votes in an (more than 64,000) Assembly race.

Assemblywoman Dunn has gone on to win two more election cycles and is now serving her fifth year in the legislature. In this short time, she has become known as an effective legislator and problem-solver who always puts people over politics. She is a fierce defender of children and families and parental rights.

Dunn serves on the Assembly Budget and Children, Families & Food Security Committees. Dunn holds the Assistant Whip Leadership position in the Republican Caucus and is appointed to the Human Relations Council and Women’s Re-entry Commission. She also is a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Legislative Disability Caucus.

She joined the Assembly after a 30-year career in public service. She was the District Director for 12-term Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen from 2016 to 2019, a budget analyst on education policy for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee from 1997 to 2000, and a policy advisor for the House Veterans Affairs Committee. She also represented America’s Public Television Stations, Sesame Street, and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood before Congress and the White House.

One of Assemblywoman Dunn’s proudest accomplishments from her time on Capitol Hill was her work on the Campus Crime Disclosure Act, better known as the Clery Act. The landmark legislation requires colleges and universities to issue on-campus crime statistics and security information.

Dunn currently serves as a board member of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation. Dunn served on the boards of Morris Habitat for Humanity and Morris County Mental Health Addictions Services. She volunteers as a JBWS-certified domestic violence crisis response team member for local police departments. Since 2010, her family has hosted a New York City child each summer through the Fresh Air Fund program.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University. Dunn also holds a certificate in Mediation.

​A Record of Accomplishment

• 2024 New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Woman of Inspiration Award
• 2024 Association of Schools & Agencies for the Handicapped Legislator of the Year Award
• 2023 League of Conservation Voters Legislator of the Year Award
• 2023 Good Grief Community Advocate Award
• 2022 NJ YMCA Alliance Legislative Champion for Youth Development
• 2022 Veterans Advocate of the Year, Morris County American Legion
• 2022 Woman of Excellence, National Foundation for Women Legislators
• 2021 Morris County NAACP Community Service Award

Assemblymember Roy Freiman (D- Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblyman Roy Freiman has been serving in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 2018, and is currently Deputy Majority Leader, representing the 16th legislative district in Central Jersey.

His dedication to the needs of his constituents is reflected in his active participation on several committees; as the Chair of Financial Institutions and Insurance, Vice-Chair of Oversight, and member of the Budget Committee. He was previously the Chair of the Agriculture Committee where he focused on the critical need of preserving New Jersey’s farmland, open spaces, and food insecurity.

His education and professional experience has bolstered his effectiveness as a legislator. Roy holds a B.S. in Business & Economics from The State University of New York at Oneonta and he previously held leadership positions with Prudential Financial. He brings a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise to his role, preparing him to help improve New Jersey’s financial position. He has demonstrated a commitment to improving the state’s economy for hard-working families and businesses.

When he’s not working, you’ll likely find him with his wife and two dogs, wearing his Crocs, and optimistically cheering for the Mets!

State Senator Vin Gopal was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2023 with more than 60% of the vote in a landslide election in what is considered one of New Jersey’s most politically competitive districts. Senator Gopal has championed legislation to provide aid for education and local businesses; provided property tax rebates for taxpayers, seniors and veterans; made life more affordable for seniors; make mental health services more accessible, improved public safety and teared down barriers to employment and services for members of the disabilities community – with dozens of his bills signed into law.

During his first two terms in the Senate, Senator Gopal served on a number of committees in leadership positions – including, Co-Chair of the Legislative Manufacturing Caucus, Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Vice-Chair of Senate Transportation, Vice-Chair of Senate Tourism and as a Member of the Senate Health Committee. Senator Gopal currently chairs the Senate Education Committee and serves as Senate Majority Conference Leader. He also serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Gopal is the first South-Asian American to be elected to the Senate in New Jersey history.

A dedicated volunteer who works with many nonprofit organizations to assist people in need, Senator Gopal is also the Founder and President of the Vin Gopal Civic Association, a 501c(3) organization dedicated to helping Monmouth County charities and individuals in need. His community contributions as a volunteer include serving as a past Board of Trustees Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth County, and he served for many years as a volunteer first responder and EMT. He is also a former Adjunct Professor at Monmouth University and is currently the co-chair of the Monmouth University School of Civil Discourse.

An entrepreneur, Senator Gopal has started and built several businesses and is currently a business consultant and coach. Senator Gopal has served on the Board of Directors for the Northern Monmouth County Chamber of Commerce, and as President of the Hazlet Township
Business Owners Association. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, he created a districtwide organization of business, community, church, and nonprofits leaders to address the challenges of the coronavirus to the local economy.

Born in Neptune Township and raised in Monmouth County, Senator Gopal holds a Masters in Public Administration from Rutgers University and a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University. He resides with his wife, daughter and puppy in Long Branch.

Michael L. Testa Jr.’s family has deep roots in South Jersey and Cumberland County.
On his father’s side, his great-grandparents emigrated from Italy to secure a better future for their children and themselves.

His grandfather became the first elected Mayor of the City of Vineland and later became a Judge, despite not even speaking English until 1st grade. Michael’s father went on to start and build their family law firm.

On his mother’s side, his grandparents were Polish Jews who met in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II and were rescued by Allied soldiers. After the war, they came to the United States, where the Senator’s mom was born. They settled in Buena and ran a family chicken farm.

Sen. Testa is a graduate of Villanova University School of Law and received his Masters Degree at Temple University Beasley School of Law. He and his wife Julie live in Vineland with their three children, Eva Marie, Sarah, and Tripp. He returned to his roots in Vineland and joined his family’s law firm as a defense attorney and is a partner with his father.

Sen. Testa was a former Board Chairman of the Vineland Downtown Improvement District/Main Street Vineland, is a proud lifetime member of the Greater Vineland Chapter of the NAACP, the past Board President of the Vineland Regional Dance Company, and Past Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem counties.

In 2019, Sen. Testa was elected to the New Jersey State Senate to represent the First Legislative District. He won his second term as a New Jersey Senator in 2021 by a historical margin, and repeated that victory for his third term in 2023.

During the 2020 COVID Pandemic, Sen. Testa dedicated his time to assisting the families of the First Legislative District. With his teammates, Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan, the LD1 staff helped well over 6,000 residents to receive unemployment and disability benefits and assisted with other issues from the MVC, Treasury, Licensing, and many others.

In his third term, Senator Testa continues work on enhancing the state environment to foster and support business growth and expansion, protect parental rights for their children in education and health, improve veteran benefits in the state, promote tourism and shore economy, as well as preserving marine life and the fishing industry. His opposition to the wind turbine project has been openly public and is ongoing. Senator Testa started his 5th year on the Senate Budget and Appropriation Committee and his 4th year on the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2024. As the Co-Chair of the NJ Manufacturing Caucus, he remains a champion for revitalizing and re-energizing manufacturing and small business in South Jersey.

Senator Testa continues to practice law while balancing his numerous responsibilities in the Senate. In 2024, Senator Michael Testa was named the Senate Republican Whip.