Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill on Friday announced her transition teams as she prepares to take over the office from Gov. Phil Murphy calling it an "ambitious and collaborative initiative to chart a bold course for New Jersey’s future and ensure the Governor-elect’s commitment to hit the ground running on Day One priorities."
The first phase of this initiative is comprised of 10 Action Teams to be led by New Jersey and national experts.
They include members with diverse and distinguished experience and were developed with input from experts in the state and across the country.
“We’re bringing together experts and everyday New Jerseyans alike on a mission to deliver — by driving down costs starting with electric bills, improving state services and accountability, and protecting our kids. These teams will embody the spirit of collaboration, creativity, and action that New Jerseyans expect from their next governor,” Sherrill said. “I want to thank all of the volunteers investing their time to ensure my administration can hit the ground running when we take office in January.”
“Mikie Sherrill was elected with a mandate to lower costs and these action teams are getting right to work to help us hit the ground running on Day One,” said Lieutenant Governor-elect and Transition Chair Dale Caldwell. “We are grateful to everyone stepping up and lending their expertise and I look forward to working with them as we fight to make a real difference for the people of New Jersey.”
The transition’s policy process will consist of three key components: 1) the Action Teams being announced today 2) an Interdisciplinary Advisory Task Force to be announced soon and 3) Public Engagement through a survey for the people of New Jersey. Governor-elect Sherrill’s approach to transition policy marks a different kind of leadership in Trenton — one grounded in collaboration between government and a diverse array of sectors, a “get to yes” mentality, and a relentless focus on affordability and the cost of living.
In addition to these three components, the transition will seek formal input from local elected officials, and stakeholders across industry and nonprofit sectors, such as leaders in higher education, hospital systems, small businesses, and those working on the ground on housing and food insecurity. The Action Teams will consider all of the feedback and provide recommendations to Governor-elect Sherrill on enacting her agenda, with a focus on how we can all come together as New Jerseyans to lower costs and tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead of us.
NJBIA Chief Government Affairs Officer Christopher Emigholz will serve on the "Saving You Time and Money: Getting Government to Work for New Jerseyans" Action Team.
"I am excited to be a resource for Governor-elect Sherrill and her transition team by bringing NJBIA’s prior work and expertise on government efficiencies and process reforms that can make the state more responsive to the needs of all of our taxpayers," Emigholz said.
"NJBIA is passionately dedicated to public service and improving our great Garden State, and I am thrilled to be able to represent the business community and serve our state with this opportunity.”
- Making Energy More Affordable and Reliable
- Kids Mental Health and Online Safety
- Lowering Housing Costs and Expanding Homeownership
- Transportation and Infrastructure Innovation
- Fiscal Responsibility and Government Accountability
- Delivering a Strong Education for New Jersey Children
- Affordable Healthcare: Addressing Washington’s Medicaid Cuts
- Driving New Jersey Forward: Economic Development and Innovation
The Action Teams will meet regularly to address well-defined questions and engage directly with key stakeholders — from small businesses and commuter roundtables, to conversations with parents and students.
Sherrill also announced an Interdisciplinary Advisory Task Force that "will bring together voices from across New Jersey — representing labor, business, veterans, the environment, healthcare, education, and more," and also invited direct public participation through a statewide Transition Survey.
FULL POLICY ACTION TEAMS, CO-CHAIRS, AND MEMBERS
Making Energy More Affordable and Reliable
- Allison Clements, Co-Chair
- Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Co-Chair
- Stefanie Brand
- Bhavini Doshi
- Joe Egan
- Christina Farrell
- Lisa Garcia
- Mike Hellstrom
- Monica Martinez
- Ari Matusiak
- Allison McLeod
- Katie Mettle
- Babatunde Odubekun
- Tim Profeta
- Maria Robinson
- Shaun Sullivan
- Anjuli Ramos Busot
Saving You Time and Money: Getting Government to Work for New Jerseyans
- Lt. Governor-elect Dale Caldwell, Co-Chair
- Tatjana Kunz, Co-Chair
- Amar Bhardwaj
- John G. Donnadio
- Michael Drulis
- Chris Emigholz
- Priya Narasimhan
- Dr. Randal Pinkett
- Lilia Rios
- Thomas Russomano
- Esther Suarez
- Evan Weiss
- Nina Wells
- Jerry Zaro
- Maurice Zekaria
Lowering Housing Costs and Expanding Homeownership
- Julia Gordon, Co-Chair
- Lopa Kolluri, Co-Chair
- Baye Adofo-Wilson
- Catherine Best
- Mike Cerra
- Mike DuHaime
- Christiana Foglio
- Ronald Glover
- Danny Gonzalez-Bosques
- Adam Gordon
- Ryan Haygood
- Diane Johnson
- Jim Johnson
- Taiisa Kelly
- AJ Luna
- Bill Matsikoudis
- Chang Suh
- Sarah Rosen Wartell
- Andre Williams
Delivering a Strong Education for New Jersey Children
- Bette Simmons, Co-Chair
- Meghan Tavormina, Co-Chair
- Steve Beatty
- Karen Bingert
- Lisa Feinstein
- Alexandra Figueras-Daniel
- Jenn Higgins
- Bob Kim
- Harry Lee
- Thomas Macagnano
- Gillian Ober
- Tahina Perez
- Jonathan Pushman
- Ramon Rivera
- Peter Rosario
- Dr. Connie Sanchez
- Colleen Schulz-Eskow
- Winifred Smith-Jenkins
- Paula White
Affordable Healthcare: Addressing Washington’s Medicaid Cuts
- Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Co-Chair
- Heather Howard, Co-Chair
- Kathy Ahearn-O’Brien
- Phil Bak
- Catherine Bennett
- Rosalee Boyer
- Bill Colgan
- Carmine Deo
- Danny Gonzalez-Bosques
- Dr. Jessica Israel
- Raquel Mazon Jeffers
- Cory Neering
- Javier Robles
- Magda Schaler-Haynes
- Linda Schwimmer
- Dr. Stephanie Silvera
- Steven Tully
- Eva Turbiner
Kids Mental Health and Online Safety
- Kathryn Edin, Co-Chair
- Rishi Bharwani, Co-Chair
- Julie Borst
- Rose Brown
- Luis Diaz
- Ebony Grace
- Ramon Hache
- Leslie Huhn
- Katie Katz
- Shilpa Kulkarni
- Dominique Lee
- Amy Lombardo
- Joann McEniry
- Rev. Danté Quick
- Adam Renteria
- Laura Fenster Rothschild
- Dr. Aakash Shah
- Ameer Washington
Transportation and Infrastructure Innovation
- John D. Porcari, Co-Chair
- Jean Roehrenbeck, Co-Chair
- Zoe Baldwin
- Tiffany Bohlin
- Samuel Delgado
- Eileen Della Volle
- Samuel Donelson
- Cedrick Fulton
- Brett Harwood
- Robert Hickman
- Bob Medina
- Ron Sabol
- Mike Sweeney
- Ray Vigil
Fiscal Responsibility and Government Accountability
- Justin Dews, Co-Chair
- Eddie Donnelly, Co-Chair
- Luis Alamo
- Kathleen Frangione
- Bob Garrenger
- Tonya Hodges
- Mina Hsiang
- Everett M. Johnson
- Sohail Khan
- Deena Leary
- Mark Magyar
- Andrea Martinez-Mejia
- Heather Pierce
- Mike Ranger
- Don Travisano
- Elizabeth Wilkins
Jobs, Opportunity, and Prosperity for All
- Patricia Campos Medina, Co-Chair
- Carl Van Horn, Co-Chair
- Aymen Aboushi
- Julio Aponte
- Carmen Cusido
- Rev. Eric Dobson
- Morganne Dudzinski
- Barbara George Johnson
- Kiran Handa Gaudioso
- Maria Heidkamp
- Ana Maria Hill
- Janelle Jones
- Dee C. Marshall
- Evelyn McGee Colbert
- Luz Mendez
- Ayo Sanderson Wilson
- Amol Sinha
- William Sproule
- Charles Wowkanech
Driving New Jersey Forward: Economic Development and Innovation
- Secretary Gina Raimondo, Co-Chair
- Ralph W. Tejeda, Co-Chair
- Hazel Applewhite
- Jimmy Bellas
- Chrissy Buteas
- Jeff Cantor
- Elisa Charters
- Lucy Del Gaudio
- Anna Dulencin
- Mike Egenton
- Celeste Fernandez
- Debbie Hart
- Don Katz
- John W. Kennedy
- Lloyd D. Levenson
- Diana Rogers
- Vaishant Sharma
- Lori Wood Montague
