New Leaders Council – New Jersey Announces 2024 Fellows Class
New Leaders Council – New Jersey Announces 2024 Fellows Class
New Leaders Council – New Jersey Announces 2023 Fellows Class
Class of 20 Rising Stars Selected for Prestigious Progressive Leadership Institute
Today, New Leaders Council New Jersey (NLC-NJ) is announcing the selection of 20 rising leaders as the organization’s 2024 Class of Fellows. NLC-NJ is the statewide chapter of the nation’s largest organization that develops, connects, and uplifts inclusive, cross-sector leaders who transform our country through social and political change.
The 2024 class will be representative of our great state’s diversity.
- 85%identify as BIPOC
- 70%work in the industries of nonprofit, government, education, healthcare, or politics
- 40%identify as women
- 40%identify as LGBTQIA+
“I feel incredibly proud as we announce this incoming class that is made up of enormous talent,” said Mayrose Wegmann, Statewide Director of New Leaders Council – New Jersey and Northwest Region Director at New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). “The 2024 class of Fellows is a wonderful reminder that progressive change is on the horizon. This class embodies the promise of this country – a thriving democracy where all people can achieve the American dream. This class is made up of champions for immigrant rights, women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and the promise of quality public education. Together, this class will drive this state to achieve social, racial, and economic justice for all.”
For 13 years, NLC-NJ has run a Fellowship Institute that provides intensive leadership development and meaningful connections with other changemakers across issues, industries, and identities. The 2024 Institute will launch in January and will run for six months. Each month, fellows will focus on skills building, entrepreneurial goal setting, strategic communications, organizing, finance and fundraising, coalition building, public policy, and equity and inclusion.
“With the 2024 Fellows cohort, NLC-NJ continues to build the progressive bench throughout the Garden State,” said Rob Matos-Moran, Deputy Director of NLC-NJ and Senior Legislative Aide to Governor Phil Murphy. “This year’s cohort will bring together exceptional changemakers to collaboratively cultivate the skills and connections necessary to take their work to the next level. We congratulate & welcome the 2024 Class of Fellows to the vast NLC-NJ network.”
NLC-NJ invites all alumni and supporters to meet the incoming class on December 14, 2023, at our annual holiday party and fundraiser. It will be held at Jimmy’s American Grill from 6-9pm. To attend, please RSVP at this link.
NLC-NJ was founded in 2011 by Justin Braz, Chief of Staff and Assistant Commissioner for Transportation Policy at New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and Jackie Cornell, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. This class will join the statewide chapter of more than 240 alumni and a nationwide alumni network of more than 10,000 trained progressive leaders.
Class of 2022 NLC-NJ Fellows
Abdurrahman Ajeigbe, Manager for Policy & Advocacy at Braven
Mussab Ali, former President of the Jersey City Board of Education, Truman Scholar, and Harvard Law student body co-president
Ryan Berger, Vice President of MDA Public Affairs
Angel Boose, Associate Director of Communications at New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)
Kat Cruz, fundraising and development at NJPBS
Alexander J. Diaz, Rhodes Scholar and Senior Manager at Google.org (Google’s philanthropic arm for social good and crisis response)
Suchir Govindarajan, Special Assistant to the Secretary and Policy Analyst at the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
Thyquel Halley, Administrative and Communications Coordinator at Rutgers University-Newark Humanities Action Lab and CEO and founder of TMH Collectives LLC
Eash Haughton, Senior Associate at Kiivit and Black Caucus Vice Chair for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee
Larry Holman, community organizer, Board Treasurer and Director of Community at Tha Block Trenton
Chané M. Jones, Esq., Founder of Black Girl in the Legal World and Assistant Corporation Counsel at City of Newark
Quinton Law, Moorestown’s Deputy Mayor and NJ Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
Angelita Martinez, mechanical engineer and Digital Communications Director for the NJ Young Democrats
Vivi Martinez, Member Empowerment Manager at New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice
Elisabeth Yucis, Associate Director of Professional Development, and Instructional Issues at New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)
Sarah Jane Merritt, Le Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef and Director of Operations for a Democratic PAC
Kaylin Nguyen, strategic analyst and product owner for Sallie Mae’s Digital Experience
Adam Sheridan, union organizer and Associate Director of Government Relations at New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)
Lawrence Teijido, Esq., Labor Attorney at Antonelli, Kantor, and Rivera
Charisse N. Watts, Outreach Advisor for U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, specializing in African American Affairs, Housing, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, FEMA and Law Enforcement issues
Full bios are available at https://www.newleaderscouncil.org/chapter/new-jersey/
NLC-NJ Board of Directors:
Mayrose Wegmann, NLC-NJ Statewide Director and NJEA Northwest Region Director
Rob Matos-Moran, NLC-NJ Deputy Director and Senior Legislative Aide to Governor Phil Murphy
Jose Calves, Attorney at Brown and Connery and Vice President of Hispanic Bar Association of NJ
Intashan Chowdhury, Borough Administrator at Borough of Prospect Park
Anthony Covington, Microsoft Global Client Executive and Rutgers University Board of Governors
Erik Cruz, Policy and Advocacy Manager at New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice
Ruth Delgado, Digital Media Manager at America’s Voice
Fatima Heyward, Director of National Corporate Partnerships at Teach for America and President of New Jersey Young Democrats
Madelaine Hicks, Labor and Employment Attorney at Antonelli, Kantor, and Rivera
Kaylee McGuire, Deputy Commissioner at Department of Human Services
Victoria Pacheco, Labor Representative at JNESO, The professional Health Care Union
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New Leaders Council is a 501c3 and is the leading training program for rising generation progressive leaders. NLC equips its leaders with the skills to run for office, manage campaigns, create startups and networks of thought leaders. NLC leaders take their activism back into their communities and workplaces to impact progressive change. To learn more, please visit www.newleaderscouncil.org.
