Ballen, Maxine
Maxine currently serves as President and CEO of the New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC), an organization she founded in 1996. The NJTC, the state’s organization for technology companies, offers its membership of over 1100 companies access to the resources, financing, information and an organized technology community. Prior to founding the NJTC, Ms. Ballen founded both the Business Development & Training Center (BDTC) and the Pennsylvania Innovation Network (PIN).

Ms. Ballen has received numerous honors and awards. Most recently she was named to "Top 10 Women to Watch" (9/06) by The Star-Ledger, "Movers & Shakers" by NJBIZ (7/06) and honored by the Borough of Haddonfield during Women's History Month 2006. Other awards include Executive Women of NJ's "Salute to the Policy Makers" in 2004; Fairleigh Dickinson University's Fifth Annual Distinguished Entrepreneurial Lecturer in 2003; and Women’s Fund of New Jersey’s Women Advancing Technology award in 2002. She was also named to “Superstars of the Past 15 Years” and to “Women of Influence” in 2002, both in NJBIZ; and received Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2001 Women of Distinction award.

Ms. Ballen was elected to the NJN Foundation Board of Trustees on August 29, 2006. Back to List

Benincasa, Joseph
Executive Director of The Actors Fund, the national human service organization that helps everyone in entertainment and the performing arts. He joined The Fund in 1988.

Mr. Benincasa oversees innovative programs including comprehensive social services, health care services, employment and training, and affordable and supportive housing. The Actors Fund has headquarters in New York City, regional offices in Los Angeles and Chicago, a nursing home and assisted living care facility in Englewood, New Jersey, and supportive housing residences in New York City and West Hollywood, California.

He serves on the boards of directors of: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS; National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped; Career Transition for Dancers; Times Square Alliance; St. Peter's University Medical Center; New York Society of Association Executives (Chair); Bio-Reference Laboratories; and the Somerset Patriots, a minor league baseball team.

Mr. Benincasa graduated from St. Joseph's University, earned a M.Ed. from Rutgers University and attended the Graduate Business School at Fordham University. He is married and has three children. Back to List

Bone, Dennis
President Verizon New Jersey
Dennis M. Bone is President-Verizon New Jersey, responsible for all of Verizon's corporate interests in New Jersey.

Prior to the Bell Atlantic / GTE merger, Bone was president and chief executive officer of Bell Atlantic-West Virginia, a position he held since 1995. Prior to that, he was vice president-external affairs for Bell Atlantic-New Jersey.
Bone started his Bell Atlantic career in 1979 as an outside plant engineer for New Jersey Bell. He worked in operations, competitive assessment, rate planning and regulatory matters before being named vice president-external affairs for Bell Atlantic-New Jersey on March 1, 1993.

Bone is a 1973 graduate of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. He also has a master of business administration degree in finance and economics from Rutgers University and a Master of Science degree in counseling from The Johns Hopkins University. He also has been awarded two honorary doctorates.

Bone serves on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce (as well as its Executive Committee), the New Jersey Utilities Association, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Prosperity New Jersey and is chairman of the Regional Business Partnership and New Jersey Reads. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Newark Alliance, Liberty Science Center and the New Jersey Network Foundation. He is Chairman of the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation. He also served as the Chairman for the 2001 American Heart Association Essex County Heart Walk. Back to List

Butt, Howard
Howard E. Butt is an Emergency Response Specialist for the New Jersey State Police, assigned to the Office of Emergency Management.

He is the Citizen Corps State Point of Contact and Coordinator for New Jersey. New Jersey leads the nation in the number of Citizen Corps Councils formed to coordinate component programs of the Citizen Corps and it was the first state to achieve 100% coverage by Councils serving the entire state population. New Jersey also has the most Community Emergency Response Teams registered on the FEMA national website. All the Citizen Corps programs are active and growing in New Jersey under his direction and leadership.

Mr. Butt also represents New Jersey in the National Emergency Management Association, Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) and is a member of the EMAC National Executive Committee, representing FEMA Region II member states and territories. He is the creator and Administrator of the New Jersey Resource Directory Database, a project to identify and catalog all emergency response resources available to respond to any disaster or emergency in New Jersey.

Mr. Butt retired as a Captain from the New Jersey State Police in 2002 after a 30 year career. He worked as a uniformed Trooper and as a Detective in various assignments while rising thru the enlisted ranks to become the Commander of the State Police Narcotics and Organized Crime Statewide Task Force and later the Executive Officer of the Identification and Information Technology Section. During his career he received numerous Commendations and Awards for his professional accomplishments and innovative leadership.

He continues to serve the State and its citizens in his current civilian position. In 2007, he was the recipient of the Former Trooper of the Year Award to recognize his numerous contributions to the state homeland security and emergency preparedness efforts.

Mr. Butt has a Masters Degree in Education, Administration and Supervision from Seton Hall University, a Bachelors Degree in Human Services from Thomas Edison State College and is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and also their Executive Management Program. Back to List

Chivukula, Upendra
Assemblyman New Jersey Legislature, District 17
Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula is the first South Asian American elected to NJ State Assembly and he is the fourth Indian American elected to the state-level office.

Assemblyman Chivukula’s committee assignments include: Vice-chairman, Commerce and Economic Development Committee;Member, Telecommunications and Utilities Committee; Member, NJ Science and Technology Commission and Member, NJ Commerce and Business Growth Commission.

He is committed to public service and currently serving as Franklin Township 5th Ward Councilman, having served as former Franklin Township Mayor. He is also a Board Member of Somerset County Affordable Housing Board of Trustees and has served on the Somerset County Cultural and Historic and Middlesex County Cultural and Historic Commissions.

Assemblyman Chivukula is Managing Director of the Antarctica Group, New York, NY and has drawn extensive technical and business experience from AT&T Bell Laboratories. Mr. Upendra has a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the City College of the City University of New York. Back to List

Christopherson, Elizabeth
Executive Director, New Jersey Network (NJN), and President, NJN Foundation
A lifelong resident of New Jersey, Elizabeth Christopherson serves with great pride as executive director of NJN Public Television and Radio, New Jersey’s public broadcasting network and only statewide television network.

With Ms. Christopherson’s leadership, NJN has strategically expanded broadcast and new media programs and services that have earned national and international recognition. She has developed partnerships and secured resources for many award winning original programs that have been broadcast regionally and nationally. Back to List

Conaway, Herb
Elected for a fifth term, Dr. Herb Conaway, a Democrat, has been serving the 7th Legislative District as their Assemblyman since January 13, 1998. In the 212th Legislature, Dr. Conaway will help lead the Democratic Majority as Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee and member of the Appropriations and Agriculture and Natural Resources Committees.

Dr. Conaway is the only member of the Legislature who has both a medical and law degree. He specializes in internal medicine and practices in Willingboro, New Jersey. Raised in Burlington County, he received his Bachelor's Degree in Politics from Princeton University and earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and his J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School, Camden.

In the Assembly, Dr. Conaway sponsored New Jersey’s Primary Seat Belt Law, expanded the list of crimes for collecting DNA samples, and added technology to New Jersey schools core curriculum standards. The Assemblyman has also introduced legislation to increase property tax rebates, expand health care access and prescription coverage, enhance consumer protection, promote nutrition in schools, and increase support for veterans. Back to List

Corzine, Governor Jon S.
Governor Jon Corzine was born on January 1, 1947, and grew up on a small family farm in the central Illinois community of Willey's Station. His father farmed and sold insurance; his mother was a public school teacher. His interest in politics was forged in his farming community. It was there that he learned the meaning of hard work and the opportunities afforded by a strong education system.

Governor Corzine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1969 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. He remained in the reserves until 1975, rising to the rank of sergeant in his infantry unit.

After his active duty in the Marine Corps, he began his career in finance, working as a portfolio analyst at the Continental Illinois National Bank in Chicago. He enrolled in the graduate business school of the University of Chicago in 1970, first attending classes at night. He received his MBA in 1973, and went to work at Bank Ohio, a regional bank in Columbus, Ohio.

In 1975, Governor Corzine was recruited by Goldman Sachs, the New York investment firm, and he and his family moved to New Jersey. He was named a partner at Goldman Sachs in 1980, and became chairman and chief executive officer in 1994. He left Goldman Sachs in May 1999 after successfully converting the investment firm from a private partnership to a public company.

As the chief executive officer at Goldman Sachs, Governor Corzine expanded the company's community outreach and philanthropic programs, establishing a company-wide service program in which employees volunteer on a regular basis in their communities. Also in 1997, Governor Corzine was the chairman of a presidential commission to study capital budgeting as a means of increasing federal investment in schools, technology, and infrastructure.

Jon Corzine was elected to the United States Senate in November 2000. During his time in the Senate, he focused on serving the state of New Jersey, applying his financial expertise to major economic and regulatory issues, and pushing a forward-looking, progressive agenda.

As Senator he sought new federal investments in New Jersey’s transportation network, pursued new safeguards to protect chemical facilities against terrorist attack, introduced legislation to improve access to education and healthcare, fought for stronger environmental policies, and led the effort in Congress to crack down on corporate abuse.

In 2005, Jon Corzine announced his candidacy for the governorship of New Jersey, promising to bring the same business practices and integrity that helped him run Goldman Sachs to state government. He built his campaign around his comprehensive ethics proposal, revamping the state’s property tax system, building a stronger economy, and improving education and healthcare. Jon S. Corzine was sworn in as New Jersey’s 54th Governor on January 17, 2006. Back to List

DeAngelo, Wayne
Wayne DeAngelo is running for New Jersey General Assembly as a Democrat representing the 14th Legislative District. An active leader in local and regional labor union organizations, Wayne serves as the President of the Mercer County Building Trades.

Wayne became a journeyman electrician with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 269 after graduating from Hamilton Township ’s Steinert High School in 1983. He worked his way through the ranks of IBEW Local 269 to become assistant business manager, a post he held since 1999. As a leader of IBEW Local 269, Wayne led the implementation of one of the state’s largest solar panel systems to encourage energy independence and promote use of alternative sources of energy.

While serving on Hamilton Town Council, including a year as president, DeAngelo pushed for the creation of Pedophile-Free Zones to protect children from predators while at school or at play in a community park. He also worked to reform local government by banning nepotism in hiring, and requiring developers to disclose campaign contributions. DeAngelo serves as a member of the Township’s Planning Board, and was previously a member of the Hamilton Township Zoning Board of Adjustments to prevent over-development of our communities.

Currently, Wayne is a member of the board of trustees of the Mercer County ARC, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Hamilton Elks Club # 2262, and a youth soccer coach for the Hamilton Wildcats. He previously sat of the Board of Trustees of the United Way of Mercer County. Back to List

DiGregorio, Deb
Deb Di Gregorio founded Camarès Communications in 1982 as a marketing communications company which is strictly focused on marketing technology companies. Over the years, the company has worked with major corporations: AT&T, IBM, Sanofi and growth companies as well as start ups and major publishing conglomerates like CMP.

Camarès founder, Deb Di Gregorio was inducted into the New Jersey Advertising Hall of Fame in 2003 for her work promoting technology companies in the state for more than two decades. She is also an Advisory Board Member with Fairleigh Dickenson University Rothman Institute. Deb received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Contemporary Arts at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Back to List

Dominguez, Carlos
Senior Vice President Office 05 the Chairman and CEO, Cisco
Carlos Dominguez is a Senior Vice President and full-time spokesperson in Cisco's Office of the Chairman and CEO, John Chambers. His close relationships with worldwide communications providers, including cable, mobile operators and content providers give him a unique perspective on how the Internet is changing, and how technology and trends, such as video and social networking, are impacting our lives at work and at home.

Dominguez has been with Cisco since 1992. He has played a key role in multiple segments of the company's business, and most recently led its service provider business. From 2004 to 2008, he led Cisco's Worldwide Service Provider Operations group, playing a key role in building the strategy for the business and doubling service provider sales from $3.7 billion to $7.7 billion. Service providers now represent approximately 46 percent of Cisco's overall business.

Before becoming a senior vice president, Dominguez was Vice President for U.S. Service Provider Sales, leading the sales teams for all U.S. communications providers. He grew the business from $500 million to over $2.5 billion. Prior to that, he led Cisco's enterprise line of business in the northeastern United States and established Cisco in a number of strategic markets such as financial services in New York City, media, government and pharmaceuticals.

Prior to joining Cisco, Dominquez held management positions at Timeplex, Inc. in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, and at New Jersey Bell / Bell Atlanticom in Newark, New Jersey.

Recently he was-named one of the top 50 Hispanic executives in the United States by Hispanic Engineering and Information Technology magazine. He serves on the Board of Directors of Communities in Schools of New Jersey, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping high risk children in school: NACME (National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering and the YMCA of Greater New York.

Dominguez was born in Cuba and attended the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. Back to List

Eakeley, Douglas
Chair, NJN Foundation Board of Trustees
A former Rhodes Scholar and graduate of Yale Law School, Mr. Eakeley served as First Assistant Attorney General of the State of New Jersey. In 1993 he was appointed by President Clinton to the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation, which he chaired until April 2003. In 1997, he received the John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association Section of Litigation. Mr. Eakeley was recognized as a 2005 New Jersey Super Lawyer in the Business Litigation section of the publication. He was also listed among the Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America in the general commercial litigation section of the publications.

Mr. Eakeley has been a Trustee of the NJN Foundation since 1993 and currently serves as Chair of the NJN Foundation. Back to List

Goldberg, Veronica McTernan
Veronica McTernan Goldberg, a resident of Hunterdon County, works primarily with non-profit institutions. She is however president of two family foundations.

She serves as a director at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and is a founding member and a past president of the NJPAC Women's Association. She is a board member of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and serves on the executive board.

Ms. Goldberg has been an NJN Foundation Trustee since 1997, is chair of the NJN Community Advisory Board and co-chair of the Education Sector Group for New Jersey Connected. Back to List

Grant, David
President & CEO Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
David Grant assumed executive leadership of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation in 1998. He is responsible for development and evaluation of programs in the Foundation’s five areas of giving in New Jersey: education, environment, arts, welfare of animals, and local Morris County projects.

David spent his professional career before Dodge as an educator. In 1983 he and his wife, Nancy Boyd Grant, co-founded The Mountain School of Milton Academy, a semester-long, interdisciplinary environmental studies program in Vermont for high school juniors. From 1994 to 1998 David was a national consultant to schools and leader of workshops on topics of curriculum and program design, professional development, assessment practices and school climate.

His public service includes having been Town Moderator of Vershire, Vermont and a Board Member of the Vermont Council for the Humanities. He is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and a member of the Board of Directors of the Surdna Foundation in New York City.

David’s avocation since 1976 has been performing as Mark Twain in a one-man theatrical show, including, in 1982, a performing/lecture tour around the world.

David holds an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Michigan and was graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in English. Back to List

Herrmann, Rick
Manager US Public Sector Initiatives, State, Local, Education, and Advocacy, Intel Corporation
Rick Herrmann has been with Intel for 18 years. During this tenure Rick has managed Intel’s North American Channels Marketing Group, The High Performance Computing Program Office, and a Worldwide Government Digital Inclusion Program that built public private partnerships in 60 countries. He is currently leading a U.S. strategic team for Intel which helps educators, technology advocacy groups, policy makers, and State IT professionals to craft and implement high impact programs and technology solutions. Rick holds Master’s Degrees from Pepperdine University in Technology Management and George Washington University in International Science and Technology Policy. Back to List

Horrigan, John
Associate Director, Research
Research Areas: social and economic impact of Internet on communities and cities, broadband trends and impacts, adoption of new technologies, and online communities.

John B. Horrigan studies the online behavior of broadband internet users and consumers of other leading edge information technology. He also leads Pew’s research on the internet's impact on people’s social networks and news gathering habits. He has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars, including appearances at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Economic Forum, the Associated Press Broadcast Advisory Board, and the Federal Communications Commission. Horrigan is also Chairman of the Board of the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference . He was program committee chair for the conference in 2004 and 2005.

Prior to joining the Pew Internet & American Life Project, Horrigan was a staff officer for the Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy at the National Research Council. He has also served as press secretary to U.S. Congressman Jake Pickle. His past research has focused on technology and telecommunications policy, including work on universal telephone service, state and local telecom policy, and U.S. R&D policy.

Horrigan received his Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Texas at Austin and his B.A. in government and economics from the University of Virginia.

Apart from his responsibilities at Pew, Horrigan has taught as an Adjunct Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin’s Washington Campus, the Archer Center. John and his wife Lisa live in Baltimore. Back to List

Lawson, John
President and CEO Association of Public Television Stations
John Lawson is president and CEO of the Association of Public Television Stations—until this Friday, March 14! As CEO of APTS, he helped lead public television through a digital transition that greatly expanded its capabilities and distribution. During his seven years as CEO, APTS persuaded Congress to provide over $3.6 billion in funding for public broadcasting, including new funding for digital conversion, education and homeland security.

Lawson also negotiated landmark agreements for the distribution of public television’s new digital channels. A 2005 agreement with the cable industry remains the most extensive in the history of television broadcasting for the carriage of multiple digital programming streams. It was followed by agreements with Verizon and DIRECTV, which combined with cable, ensure that 77 million households—over 200 million subscribers, will receive public television’s digital content.

Beginning March 24, Lawson will begin his duties as Executive Vice-president for Policy and Strategic Initiatives with ION Media Networks. ION is the nation’s largest television broadcasting company with 60 television stations. In his position, Mr. Lawson will lead public policy strategy for ION’s broadcast, digital and mobile television initiatives. He also will play a leading role in new content alliances and business development, including deployment of a commercial mobile video service by the first quarter of 2009.

Lawson has served on two FCC advisory committees on homeland security, one for media providers and one for the mobile telecommunications industry. He also served on the board of the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training. In 2007, he was elected to the executive committee of the founding board of the Open Mobile Video Coalition.

Before becoming CEO of APTS in 2001, Lawson founded and managed Convergence Services Inc., a consulting and lobbying firm that focused on educational technology. In the late 1980’s, Lawson served as director of public information at the South Carolina ETV Network, where he won national awards for promotion and programming.

Lawson holds BA and MA degrees in International Studies from the University of South Carolina. Back to List

Levine, Arthur
President, The Woodrow Wilson Foundation
Arthur Levine is the sixth president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. Before his appointment at Woodrow Wilson, he was president and professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also previously served as chair of the higher education program, chair of the Institute for Educational Management, and senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Dr. Levine is the author of dozens of articles and reviews. His most recent book is When Hope and Fear Collide: A Portrait of Today’s College Student (with Jeanette S. Cureton). Among other volumes are Beating the Odds: How the Poor Get to College (with Jana Nidiffer); Higher Learning in America; Shaping Higher Education’s Future; When Dreams and Heroes Died: A Portrait of Today’s College Students; Handbook on Undergraduate Curriculum; Quest for Common Learning (with Ernest Boyer); Opportunity in Adversity (with Janice Green); and Why Innovation. Back to List

Levine, Eric
President, The Levine Group, LLC
Eric Levine is president of The Levine Group, LLC, a private security firm headquartered in Cranford, New Jersey. Founded in 2007, the client-focused organization provides a wealth of personal and asset protection services to companies and individuals.

Prior to founding The Levine Group, Mr. Levine served as Vice President and Chief Security Officer with Prudential in Newark, New Jersey. Before joining Prudential, Mr. Levine was employed by the United States Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security as a Special Agent. His responsibilities included strategic and tactical development of physical and data security programs both domestically and internationally, personnel protective details, multi-agency investigations, and security briefing programs for staff and U.S. citizens. Mr. Levine was also responsible for Embassy security in Tel Aviv, Israel and Kathmandu, Nepal. In addition to his long-term assignments, Mr. Levine has worked on projects in more than 40 international locations including Mexico, Brazil, China, Japan, the Philippines, Argentina, and South Korea.

In recognition of his security and counter-terrorism expertise, Mr. Levine has served on numerous public and private sector groups including New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s Homeland Security and Public Safety Policy Transition Group, the State of New Jersey Infrastructure Advisory Committee where he chaired the Financial Services Sector, and the State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Security Advisory Council. Back to List

Liroff, David
Senior Vice President, System Development and Media Strategy, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
David B. Liroff joined CPB in April, 2007, after having served as vice president and chief technology officer at the WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts. Liroff joined WGBH in 1979, and during his tenure with the station had senior management responsibility for broadcasting, local program production, creative services, membership, major gifts and capital campaign fundraising, and for national "how-to" program production. Most recently at WGBH, Liroff had been responsible for production services, engineering, information technology, telecommunications, and audience research, and he had senior management responsibility for overseeing WGBH's transition to digital production and broadcasting.
While at WGBH, Liroff had served on the boards of the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), American Public Television (APT), Public Interactive (PI), and the Northeast Document Conservation Center. He also served on the Public Broadcasting Service Technology and Distribution Committee and was a member of the Association of Moving Image Archivists.

Liroff holds a Ph.D. in radio, TV and film from Northwestern University, a master's in speech and theater from Brooklyn College/City University of New York, and a bachelor's in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Back to List

Ott, Cynthia
Executive Director, Video Network Services Planning, Verizon
Cynthia Ott, Executive Director, Video Network Services Planning, is responsible for planning Verizon’s video network infrastructure and video services, as well as managing Verizon’s multi-million dollar video capital budget. She is also responsible for network services development, and managing both Core and Fiber to the Premises network provisioning, inventory and engineering support systems. Most recently, Ms. Ott was responsible for planning and implementing the High Definition Video-on-Demand and Ad Insert capabilities on Verizon’s video platform in 2007.

Prior to her current assignment, Cynthia served as Director-Data Network Planning, and led all planning activities associated with the growth and evolution of the data backbone, including the design and planning of a new backbone infrastructure to support Verizon’s high-speed Fiber to the Premises and Video-on-Demand initiatives.

Cynthia received an MBA from Boston University in 2000 and a BS in Computer Science from Plattsburg University of New York. Back to List

Purcell, Carolyn
Carolyn Purcell is a director in the State and Local Government (SLG) sub-vertical consulting practice within a global Public Sector industry vertical. The SLG team works with the top thought leaders in state and local government to develop business solutions that improve service delivery to constituents and employees.

Before joining Cisco, Purcell served nine years as Texas' Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR). While Texas' CIO, Purcell reduced DIR's reliance on general revenue through innovative funding strategies and operational efficiencies. She has extensive experience successfully creating and managing cross boundary projects and operations using multiparty funding and shared resources.

Currently, Purcell is engaged with the city of San Francisco, California, through Cisco's Connected Urban Development, a program to develop a blueprint for cities and countries to reduce carbon emissions through IT strategies and products. She has worked with the City of Boston on its plan to deploy wireless mesh across the city. She is now working with the state of West Virginia on the deployment of universal broadband, and transformation in education and health care, and with the city of Seattle on their fiber-to-the-home initiative.

A native Texan, Purcell graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English, and from the University of Texas at Austin with an MBA. Back to List

Sarlo, Paul
Assistant Majority Leader, New Jersey Senate Democrat of District 36
Senator Paul A. Sarlo was sworn into the New Jersey Senate on May 19, 2003 following his selection by members of the 36th District Democratic County Committee to fill an unexpired term. Mr. Sarlo was elected to a full term on November 4, 2003. Mr. Sarlo, the Senate’s Assistant Majority Leader, serves as Chairman of the Legislative Oversight Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Law, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee and a member of the Judiciary and Budget & Appropriations Committees, respectively.
Prior to his Senate service, Mr. Sarlo served in the General Assembly, having been elected in 2001. The senator has been the mayor of the Borough of Wood-Ridge since January 2000 and served on the Borough Council from 1995-2000.

As a legislator, Mr. Sarlo has been the prime sponsor of over 80 bills which have been signed into law. He was a prime sponsor of legislation which increased charity care funding for hospitals, established a transportation planning district in the Meadowlands region, and criminalized the illegal trafficking and distribution of prescription drugs. He also sponsored laws dealing with ethics reforms, energy efficiency, environmental protection, homeland security and consumer protection.

Mr. Sarlo, a licensed Professional Engineer, licensed Professional Planner, and a certified Municipal Engineer, holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. During his career, he has overseen over $150 million in construction projects and has managed a union workforce of over 200. He was the project manager of the award-winning Routes 4 and 17 interchange in Paramus, which was completed two years ahead of schedule.

He and his wife, Concetta, are the parents of two sons, Anthony Joseph, born in 2000 and Michael Paul, born in 2004. Back to List

Searson, Michael
Executive Director, Center for Innovative Education, Kean University
Dr. Michael Searson is a Vice-President of the International Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education; founding chairperson of the SITE SIG on Games & Simulations; an Apple Distinguished Educator; liaison to the National Technology Leadership Summit, held each fall in Washington, DC. He has directed or co-directed a number of national or state funded grant projects, many of which focused on educational technology. He established one of the first university-based 1-1 laptops initiatives in Perth Amboy, NJ. Currently, he works on a number of projects using emergent media in collaborative environments with P-12 schools, not only throughout New Jersey, but also with international partners.

Dr. Searson holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Cognitive Psychology and Child Development from Rutgers University, and an M.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the City College of New York. During his 25 years at Kean, he has acted as the chairperson of the Early Childhood department, Executive Assistant to the President, and Acting Dean of the College of Education. Back to List

Simpson, Mark
President and CEO, Triveni Digital
As founding President of LG Electronics Research Center of America (LGERCA), which later became Triveni Digital, Mark Simpson has extensive experience building and leading teams to develop cutting-edge embedded systems and professional Software products.

Prior to Triveni Digital, Mark was the Director of the Seattle Advanced Technology Group for Adobe Systems. Prior to Adobe, he led the Networked LaserWriter development team for Apple Computer, which launched Apple’s innovative Color LaserWriter in 1995, and before that was Engineering Manager at Xerox where he led the imaging team for Xerox’s highly successful Docutech product line. Mark holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Logic and an M.S. degree in Computer Science degrees from Cornell University. Back to List

Stanley, Ellis
Director of Western Emergency Management Services
Mr. Stanley’s 32+ years of work experience in emergency management began as Director of Emergency Management for Brunswick County, North Carolina in 1975. While in Brunswick County he was selected as the First Fire Marshal for the jurisdiction as well as served as Fire and Rescue Commissioner. There Mr. Stanley was very involved with hurricane planning and response as well as having developed one of the first fixed nuclear facility plans in the nation following Three Mile Island.

Mr. Stanley was appointed in 1982 as the Director of the Durham-Durham County Emergency Management Agency where he worked very close with the world’s largest research park in the North Carolina Triangle area and was heavily involved with hazardous materials planning.

In 1987 Mr. Stanley was appointed by the Governor of Georgia as the Director of the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency. While in Atlanta, Mr. Stanley had extensive experience in major event planning (1988 Democratic National Convention, 1995 Mandela visit, and the 2006 International Olympic Games).

Mr. Stanley was appointed in 1997 as Assistant City Administrative Officer for the City of Los Angeles and in 2000 as the General Manager of the Emergency Preparedness Department for the City of Los Angeles until his retirement in 2007. Mr. Stanley joined Dewberry, LLC in November 2007 as Director of Western Emergency Management Services. Back to List

Verplanck, Joan
Joan Verplanck is president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, a 97-year-old Trenton-based business advocacy organization. Since her election in 1995 as the chamber's first female president, Joan has represented the business community on a wide range of critical issues, most notably those involving the port and education. She was a founding member of Nation'sPort in 1996, and continues to serve on its Executive Committee.

Joan was instrumental creating the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which was established to build a highly qualified workforce through innovative collaborations with K-12 education and the workforce training and preparation system. An officer of the foundation, she provides guidance and resources that enable programs that motivate students to be better prepared for college and life (LearnDoEarn.org) and that improve employment opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities. Several programs of the Foundation had won national acclaim and are being used or replicated by organizations around the country.

Joan ranked No. 58 on the 2007 Politics NJ Power List, which lists the state's 100 most influential. She was named one of the state's ten most powerful women in business by the Star-Ledger in 2006 and 2002. In 2004, she was named by New Jersey Monthly magazine as one of five "business power players." She is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Lewis R. Applegate Outstanding Business Leader Award by the New Jersey Society for Environmental, Economic Development (NJ SEED), the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award for Women of Vision (WPC), and the Virginia Apgar Award (March of Dimes).

Joan was appointed by Acting Governor Richard Codey to the New Jersey Employment Security Council. She serves on the executive committee of the U.S. Chamber Foundation and Nation'sPort. She served on the Economic Development Authority Board and the Board of Elizabethtown Water Company until its sale to Thames Water UK in 2000. She has served on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was the first woman to chair the National Board of Trustees of the Institutes for Organization Management, a continuing education program of the U.S. Chamber.

Prior to accepting her position with the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, Joan spent eight years as the first female president of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and ten years managing chambers of commerce in Rhode Island. Back to List

Wells, Nina Mitchell
Nina Mitchell Wells was sworn in as New Jersey's 32nd Secretary of State on January 17th, 2006. Since taking office, Secretary Wells has focused on promoting arts education, bolstering cultural participation and raising awareness about the Department of State’s wealth of diverse programs and services.

Prior to Secretary Wells’ appointment, she was President of the Schering-Plough Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Schering Plough Corporation and the Vice-President of Public Affairs at Schering-Plough Corporation. Her career began as a lawyer and public servant, serving as Assistant Corporation Counsel in the City of Newark’s Law Department specializing in chancery law and serving as the legal advisor to the Newark Central Planning Board and the Newark Real Estate Commission. Secretary Wells’ was tapped by Governor Jim Florio, to head the Division of Rate Counsel for the Department of the Public Advocate. During her tenure as the Rate Counsel, she was responsible for challenging all regulated utility rate filings in the State of New Jersey. Secretary Wells also practiced corporate law for many years with several major corporations including New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, Bell Communications Research, Inc. and The CIT Group.

During her illustrious career, Secretary Wells has worked to enhance educational opportunities for the students of New Jersey as Assistant Dean and Director of the Minority Student Program and Financial Aid at Rutgers University Law School. She has also served as a member of the board of trustees on numerous secondary and collegiate institutions, cultural foundations, community support and revitalization organizations and various philanthropic causes.

In 1996, Secretary Wells, received the “100 Most Influential” New Jerseyans Award, and continues to be recognized throughout the state as an innovator with unwavering determination and personal integrity. She is committed to continuing he Department of State’s mission to enrich the quality of life of all New Jersey’s citizens through the arts, history and culture of New Jersey.

Secretary Wells and her husband, Ted Wells, Esq. reside in Livingston, New Jersey and have two grown children, Teresa and Phillip. Back to List