The Associated Builders and Contractors, New Jersey Chapter (ABC-NJ) is proud to announce the addition of Samantha DeAlmeida to the team. Samantha will serve as Second Vice President and Governmental Affairs Liaison.

Samantha is a seasoned public affairs professional, with more than 10 years of experience in issues advocacy, politics, policy, and state government. Her professional background also includes strategic communications and public relations.  She is a graduate of Monmouth University with master’s degrees in both homeland security and public policy, and a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Before joining the ABC-NJ team, Samantha served as the New Jersey government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, where she worked with both sides of the political spectrum to achieve legislative support for the organization’s key initiatives, resulting in several bills being signed into law by Governor Murphy.   Prior to that, Samantha served as deputy director of government relations and policy for the New Jersey Hospital Association, and as a policy analyst for the New Jersey State Legislature.

Samantha is widely recognized as one of New Jersey’s most influential young professionals. She has been named to Insider NJ’s 2019 Insider 100 Millennials, The Right Women to Watch, and was recently a nominee for the Monmouth County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious ATHENA award for women’s leadership.

“I am honored and excited to join the ABC-NJ team, and to get to work making a difference for the outstanding merit-shop contractors and workers throughout New Jersey,” DeAlmeida said. “The work ABC-NJ performs is important for the many men and women whose livelihood depends on equitable legislation in the construction industry.  I want to help ensure they have a level playing field with rules that do not impose unreasonable and unfair terms and conditions on our member contractors.”

“Samantha is an accomplished, hardworking professional with the innate ability to influence legislation and strengthen grassroots political activism,” said ABC-NJ President, Sam Fiocchi.  “There is no doubt that at all times she will put our members’ interests first, and will certainly be a great addition to the ABC-NJ team.  We look forward to Samantha making an immediate impact on our industry.”

Samantha also works as an adjunct political science professor at Brookdale Community College and serves as the director for a 501 c(3) nonprofit that provides equine-assisted therapy to veterans with PTSD.  In her free time, Samantha enjoys riding her horse, Stella, and taking care of her pony named Diva and goat named Phil.  She resides in Brick, New Jersey.

About Associated Builders and Contractors: ABC is a national association representing 21,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms in 69 Chapters across the United States. Our membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors of the industry. ABC-NJ is the industry’s liaison to federal, state, and local governments and the public at large. For more information, please visit our website at www.abcnjc.org.