New Leaders Council – New Jersey Announces 2025 Fellows Class

New Leaders Council – New Jersey Announces 2025 Fellows Class

Class of 22 Selected for Prestigious Progressive Leadership Institute 

Today, New Leaders Council New Jersey (NLC-NJ) is announcing the selection of 22 cross-sector leaders as the organization’s 2025 Class of Fellows. NLC-NJ is the statewide chapter of the nation’s largest organization that develops, connects, and uplifts inclusive, cross-industry leaders who transform our country through social and political change. NLC trains the people who change the world.

“The 2025 class is a reflection of New Jersey’s greatest strength – our diversity,” said Mayrose Wegmann, Statewide Director of NLC-NJ and Northwest Region Director at New Jersey Education Association (NJEA).  “The future of our workplaces, our movements, and our democracy is in great hands with this incoming class of changemakers. This is an incredibly talented and inspiring group of leaders.”

For 14 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 2025 Institute will launch in January and will run for six months. Each month, fellows will focus on skills building, goal setting, strategic communications, organizing, finance and fundraising, coalition building, public policy, and equity and inclusion.

The incoming class embodies the vision of a more inclusive and equitable future:

·         Half (11) identify as women

·         More than three-fourths (17) identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color

·         8 are from North Jersey, 9 are from Central Jersey, and 5 are from South Jersey

·         All 22 fellows work in the nonprofit, government, social justice advocacy, education, healthcare, labor, and political sectors.

“These Fellows represent just how deep the bench is in New Jersey,” said Rob Matos-Moran, Deputy Director of NLC-NJ and Director of Legislative Affairs to Governor Phil Murphy. “This year’s cohort is comprised of extraordinary leaders committed to strengthening their communities and driving our state forward. We warmly welcome and congratulate the 2025 Class of Fellows to the expansive NLC-NJ community.”

Alumni and supporters are invited to meet the incoming class at the NLC-NJ Winter Holiday Party at The Lobby Club on December 19, 2024 at 5:30pm. To attend, please RSVP at https://give.newleaderscouncil.org/2024WinterHolidayParty.

The new class will join the statewide chapter of more than 260 alumni and a nationwide alumni network of more than 10,000 trained progressive leaders. NLC-NJ was founded in 2011 by Justin Braz and Jackie Cornell.

Class of 2025 NLC-NJ Fellows:

1. Brianna Armstead
2. Nashia Basit
3. Quinnie Collins
4. Danielle Combs
5. Riccardo Dale
6. Will DiGrande
7. Khadija Doukali
8. Josefina Ewins
9. Aaron Haier
10. Paige Johnson
11. Aquas Kelly
12. Samual Kovach-Orr
13. Harry Lewis
14. Jordan Lewis
15. Diego Mazariego
16. Aileen Merino
17. Jasmine Metellus
18. Carolina Montes
19. Jessica Murray
20. Adrian Orozco
21. Jean-Jacques Walter
22. George Zapata

Full bios available at: https://www.newleaderscouncil.org/chapter/new-jersey/

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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.