To my NJPCC family,

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you to announce that I will be stepping down from my role as President on the Board of Directors for NJPCC, effective immediately.

It has been an absolute joy to have spearheaded this organization over the last five years and it is one of the proudest achievements of my professional career.

My history with the organization is long, and I have dedicated countless hours to ensuring the success of NJPCC and its devoted membership. I started as a Volunteer Event Coordinator in 2018 and shortly thereafter became the Chamber’s Vice President of Membership where I tripled the organization’s membership base. I was voted to become President of the Board in July of 2021, becoming the youngest-elected President of a Chamber of Commerce out of the more than 150 Chambers of Commerce in the Garden State. During my tenure, I was appointed to represent NJPCC on Governor Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council in the wake of COVID-19; assembled the largest Board of Directors in the history of the organization, as well as formed the Advisory Board and Ambassador Program; expanded into new territories of New Jersey to increase our reach; developed the New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commerce brand and implemented its rollout at the beginning of 2022; formed the NJPCC Foundation; and over the course of a year, led discussions with Governor Murphy’s office to pass the historic Executive Order No. 295 which calls for the inclusion of LGBTQ+-owned businesses in the state’s existing Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program, which will be launching in March.

Please let me say that this has been one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make and it was not made lightly.  As many of you are aware, my partner passed away last March and in June of the same year I was involved in a major motor vehicle accident when a drunk driver t-boned my car, leaving me with twelve staples in my head, a bad concussion, three fractured ribs, and three herniated discs in my spine. I am still healing emotionally, physically, and mentally after these hardships, and while I maintained a high level of involvement with NJPCC throughout the remainder of 2022, I do not feel that I allowed myself ample opportunity to recover completely. All of this has led me to the conclusion that it is in the best interest of my health and wellbeing to reduce my involvement with NJPCC.

I have made the Board of Directors aware of my decision and have offered my assistance in making the transition as smooth as possible. I will still be attending events when my schedule allows, so I do not plan on becoming a stranger. In the meantime, I will be primarily focusing on healing, channeling my energy more deeply on my career as a Certified Financial Planner, and looking into starting my own business within the coming year.

I wish nothing but success for all stakeholders of the NJPCC – members, corporate partners, Board Members, and volunteers.  As I said in my speech at our Gala and Awards Dinner in December, I think of you all as family. Thank you for allowing me to lead this organization over the last few years: your trust in my abilities is appreciated more than you will ever know. The bonds I have built will last a lifetime and I am so grateful for not only your support in my decision, but your continued friendship.