FOR RELEASE: CONTACT:
August 16, 2018 Truscha Quatrone
Office: (973) 541-9595
Email: Truscha@emergenj.org

EMERGE NEW JERSEY ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD CHAIR

Emerge New Jersey is proud to announce the appointment of Shawn Kathryn Laurenti of Morristown as the new Board Chair of Emerge New Jersey, an organization dedicated to training and increasing the number of Democratic women to run successfully for public office in the State of New Jersey.

Shawn Laurenti, is a founding member of the Emerge New Jersey organization which was formed in 2012. She is also the founder and President of Laurenti Consultants, LLC in Morristown, New Jersey, offering strategic advisory services in state and local government affairs, community relations and business consulting. Previously, Shawn was Director of Government and Community Relations for The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and has a 30 year history of holding numerous positions providing strategic government relations to the Executive and legislative branches of New Jersey government. She has also worked in the private sector as an Association Manager/Government Affairs Specialist in New Jersey’s third largest government affairs firm where she has represented the Public Sector Managers Association and the New Jersey Orthopedic Society. She has also spent nearly a decade in development and real estate, working in various capacities. Shawn holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University and an undergraduate degree in Public Administration from Georgetown University.

“It is an honor to step into the role of Boar Chair of such an amazing organization,” said Laurenti. “I look forward to working alongside such an impressive group of women to ensure New Jersey elects more women in elected office in 2018 and 2020.”

Shawn Laurenti replaces Celia M. King, who served as the Board Chair from 2015 to 2018. Celia King presently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Leadership Newark, Inc., a organization committed to fostering and developing the skills and public policy knowledge base of citizens committed of the City of Newark. Prior to assuming her Emerge New Jersey Chair position, she worked in the field of healthcare as an administrator for more than 10 years. She is an expert in healthcare planning and total quality management, specifically for urban communities and underserved populations. Celia is also a former Councilwoman from Maplewood, New Jersey, serving from 1994-2002. During her tenure she served in the capacity of Vice Mayor from 1997-2001. She holds a Master’s degree from Milano The New School University for Management and Urban Policy and completed her undergraduate studies at Syracuse University.

“Emerge New Jersey will remain forever grateful to Celia King for her tireless commitment and pioneering work as Emerge New Jersey’s first Board Chair. During her tenure, Emerge New Jersey graduated five classes of young Democratic women all dedicated to running for elected office. We look forward to working with Celia in different capacities in the future but remain thankful for Celia’s dedication to Emerge New Jersey.”