Today, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) announced Marcia Marley as the new Chair of the NJPP Board of Trustees. Marley succeeds Jun Choi, former mayor of Edison, who served as Chair since 2016. Jon Shure, NJPP’s founder and inaugural President, is the new Vice-Chair of the Board.

“I am honored to chair the Board of NJPP, the state’s most influential and successful progressive ‘think-and-do tank,’” said NJPP Board Chair Marcia Marley. “I look forward to working with our outstanding new President, Brandon McKoy, and Board Vice-Chair Jon Shure to achieve the organization’s mission of economic prosperity and justice for all. In this period of unprecedented inequality, NJPP’s research and leadership have never been more relevant or necessary.”

Marcia Marley, who most recently served as the Secretary of NJPP’s Board of Trustees, brings a breadth of experience in grassroots organizing and economic research to her new role. Marcia is the founder and President of BlueWaveNJ, a Montclair-based grassroots organization that advocates for progressive public policy, and has a PhD in economics from the University of California – Berkeley. Marcia previously taught macroeconomics at New York University and authored research papers on wealth and income inequality. She has served on NJPP’s board since 2013.

“NJPP is incredibly fortunate to have Marcia Marley leading the Board,” said NJPP President Brandon McKoy. “Marcia is one of the sharpest minds in New Jersey politics and has a proven record of success in nonprofit leadership. I look forward to working with Marcia and Jon in our shared pursuit of a state government that puts the needs of the many before those of a chosen few.”

Jon Shure founded NJPP in 1997 and served as the think-tank’s President until 2009. He then became the Director of State Communications for the DC-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Missouri, Jon started his career as a reporter and transitioned to government, serving as Communications Director to Governor Jim Florio. He returned to NJPP’s Board in 2018 and currently works as a Senior Director at Taft Communications in Lawrenceville.

“I’m proud of all that NJPP has accomplished through 22 years of promoting economic justice,” said NJPP Board Vice-Chair Jon Shure. “I’m prouder still to reconnect under the leadership of Brandon and Marcia at a time when so many hardworking people in New Jersey still struggle to build a future.”

Founded in 1997, NJPP is a non-profit, nonpartisan research organization that promotes policy solutions to advance economic, social, and racial justice.