NJPSA Legislative Conference March 23, 2018

Biographies

Keynote Presenters strategy development and execution, organizational and operational change management, emergency Jared Maples, Director, operations response, internal security investigations Office of Homeland Security and and personnel protection in high threat environments. Preparedness Director Maples was fortunate to travel around the world on behalf of the US Government, including Jared Maples was sworn in as Director many deployments to areas of active hostilities. of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) on January In 2014, Director Maples was appointed to the Board 16, 2018. In his role, he serves as the federally of Trustees for the Government Employee Voluntary designated Homeland Security Advisor (HSA) to Investment Fund. As a Trustee, Director Maples and the Governor and is the Cabinet-level executive the rest of the Board maintain exclusive responsibility responsible for coordinating and leading New for the investment of nearly $300 million in assets Jersey’s Counterterrorism, Cybersecurity, and across Growth, Aggressive, Index, and Income funds. Emergency Preparedness efforts. Director Maples serves as Chair of the NJ Domestic Director Maples joined NJOHSP in January 2016 as Security Preparedness Task Force (DSPTF) and is Director of the Division of Administration. The Division an Executive Member of the NJ Joint Terrorism Task of Administration encompasses all information Force (JTTF), Philadelphia Joint Terrorism Task Force technology and security, human resources, facilities (JTTF), the Port of NY/NJ Area Maritime Security management, and financial activities for the Office, Committee (AMSC), and the Oyster Creek Safety including oversight of millions of dollars in federal Advisory Panel. Additionally, Director Maples is Co- homeland security grant funding. Chair of the Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission and serves on the National Governors Prior to joining NJOHSP, Director Maples spent Homeland Security Advisors Council (GHSAC). over a decade at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a variety of leadership roles and previously Director Maples holds an MBA from Georgetown worked at the US Department of Defense in the University, a Bachelor’s degree from Villanova Office of the Secretary of Defense. As a seasoned University, and an Associate’s degree from Valley intelligence officer, his career focused on executive Forge Military College.

NEW JERSEY PRINCIPALS AND SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION 1 Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., SAM ensures university products are manufactured under President and CEO fair labor standards. An 18-year resident of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Ms. Lampitt was elected to the Cherry Hill Described by NBC as the “prodigy” of drug Township Council in 2003 after serving on the township politics and policy, Kevin A. Sabet, PhD, is Zoning Board. She and her husband, Charles, have an author, consultant, former advisor to three U.S. pres- two children, a daughter, Ilene, and a son, Andrew. As idential administrations, assistant professor, and serves a candidate for Assembly, the Assemblywoman volun- as the President and CEO of SAM (Smart Approaches teered to take part in the “Fair and Clean Elections” pilot to Marijuana Action), which he founded with former program, which is intended to rid the election process Congressman Patrick Kennedy in 2013. He has stud- of the influence of special interest money. She was part ied, researched, written about, and implemented drug of the first campaign team in state history to qualify as policy for almost 20 years. He has worked in the Clinton “clean candidates” under the program. (2000), Bush (2002-2003) Administrations, and in 2011 he stepped down after serving more than two years as the senior advisor to President Obama’s drug control Assemblywoman (D-27), director, having been the only drug policy staffer to have Assembly Education Committee ever served as a political appointee in a Democrat and (Vice Chair) Republican administration. He has appeared since at the Aspen Ideas and New Yorker festivals, on the Or- Assemblywoman Mila Jasey has served ganization of American States blue ribbon commission in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2007, advising hemispheric drug policy, and in hundreds of where she represents the 27th Legislative District forums and discussions promoting the ideas outlined in which includes parts of Essex County. The Assembly- his first book, Reefer Sanity: Seven Great Myths About woman serves on the Assembly Education Committee Marijuana, published by Beaufort. He has been featured as Vice Chair, the Assembly Higher Education Com- on the front page of the Times and in virtually mittee as Chair, the Housing and Local Government every major media publication and news channel on the Committee as Vice Chair, and the Joint Committee on subject of drug policy. the Public Schools, where she chairs the Subcommit- tee on School Choice. She is a member of the Depart- ment of Education’s Council on Equity and Diversity. Legislative Panel Prior to becoming an Assemblyperson, Mila served on the consolidated South Orange/Maplewood Board of Education for three terms. She also served as a mem- Assembly Education Committee ber of the Essex Regional Services Commission, Es- sex County School Boards Association, and the New Jersey School Boards Association. Assemblywoman Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt Jasey is one of only two nurses in the Legislature. Ja- (D-6), Chair, Assembly Education sey holds a BA degree in History from Barnard College Committee and an MS in Nursing from Pace University. She is a Assemblywoman thirty-year resident of South Orange. has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 10, 2006, where she represents the 6th legisla- Assemblyman Ralph Caputo tive district which includes parts of Burlington and Cam- (D-28), Assembly Education den counties. In addition to serving as Assembly Educa- Committee tion Chair and as Vice Chair of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, she also serves as Deputy Assemblyman Ralph R. Caputo has Speaker. The Assemblywoman was born in Natick, served in the New Jersey General Assembly since Massachusetts and graduated from Johnson & Wales January 8, 2008, where he represents the 28th University with a degree in Culinary Arts and Manage- Legislative District which includes parts of Essex ment. She has worked at the University of Pennsylvania County The Assemblyman, in addition to serving on the for 25 years, and currently is the General Manager for Assembly Education Committee, also serves as Chair Dining and Conference Services. She has served on a of the Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee and number of steering committees on the campus, working on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools. Prior on the Committee for Manufacturer Responsibility, which to joining the Assembly in 2008, Mr. Caputo served on the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 2 2003 to 2011; he also served Republican in the General Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso Assembly from 1968 until 1972. Mr. Caputo received (R-13), Assembly Education a B.A. from Bloomfield College with a major in history Committee and education, and was awarded a M.A. from Seton Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso has Hall University in Educational Administration. He also represented the 13th Legislative District in the New attended Newark State College (now Kean University) Jersey General Assembly since 2018. In addition to and received a graduate certification (Supervisor) in serving on the Assembly Education Committee, the education. After college, he began his career as an Assemblywoman serves on Human Services and Law elementary school teacher in Newark. Between his and Public Safety Committees. Ms. DiMaso previously stretches in elected office, he was an urban education served on the Monmouth County Board of Chosen specialist for the State Department of Education, an Freeholders (2012-2018) and as mayor of Holmdel advisor to the State Commissioner of Education, and Township (2006-2010). The Assemblywoman was a northern area chief for the Title 1 Office. He served raised in Staten Island. She graduated from St. John’s as a superintendent for Essex County schools, an University, earning a bachelor of science degree with assistant superintendent of Essex County Vocational a major in in management, and was awarded a juris Technical Schools, and an associate superintendent for doctor degree from St. John’s University School of the Orange Board of Education. Beginning in 1983, he Law in 1987. She moved to Holmdel with her family worked as a marketing executive for several Atlantic City in 1993. DiMaso graduated in 2004 from the Christine casinos - Trump Castle Hotel and Casino, the Tropicana Todd Whitman Excellence in Public Service Series, a Casino & Resort Atlantic City, and the Showboat Atlantic program designed to foster public service by women. City. Formerly a long-time resident of Belleville, he is now a resident of Nutley. He is married to Celeste and has two grown children. Assemblyman (D-36), Assembly Education Committee Assemblyman Joe Danielson Assemblyman Gary Steven Schaer (D-17), Assembly Education has served in the New Jersey General Committee Assembly where he represents the 36th Legislative Assemblyman rep- District, which includes parts of Bergen and Passaic resents the 17th Legislative District, which includes Counties, since 2006. Mr. Schaer is the first Orthodox parts of Middlesex and Somerset Counties. He has Jew in the . He currently serves served in the New Jersey General Assembly since as a deputy speaker, as Vice Chair of the Appropriations October 16, 2014. In addition to serving on the Assem- Committee and as a member of the Education and bly Education Committee, he serves on the Oversight, Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees. Reform and Federal Relations Committee as Chair and He previously served as Chairman of the Budget as a member of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee. The Assemblyman grew up in Pennsauken Committee. A lifelong resident of Franklin Township, Township. He attended American University, majoring in Somerset County, New Jersey, Danielsen is an IT con- political science. In addition to serving in the Assembly, sultant and owner of Network Blade LLC. He is a veter- Mr. Schaer serves on Passaic City Council (since an of the United States Army Reserve, having served in 1995), including serving as Council President off-and- the 78th Div. Reserve TNG from 1982-1991, as well as on since 1997. He has been a Director of Passaic’s a volunteer fire fighter for 22 years. He was as a mem- Urban Enterprise Zone since 2002. He served as ber of the Franklin Township Fire District No. 1 Board of a Commissioner on the Board of Education for the Fire Commissioners from 2000 to 2006. From 1997 until Passaic County Technical Institute from 1999 to 2003 2010, Danielsen served on the Franklin Township Plan- and was a Commissioner on the Passaic Housing ning Board, including a stint as vice chair for several of Authority from 1992 to 1996. The Assemblyman is those years. He is the head of the Franklin Township Trustee of St. Mary’s Hospital. Schaer has worked in Municipal Democratic Committee. Danielsen received the financial services industry for over 20 years. He is an A.S. in Marketing, Art, and Design from Middlesex an Investment Consultant and Vice President at Ryan County College and a B.A. in Visual Arts from Rutgers Beck & Company. A resident of Passaic, he is married to University. The youngest of nine children, he remains a Donna and has three children. resident of Franklin Township with his wife Christine and their three children. 3 Assemblyman Senate Education Committee (D-16), Assembly Education Committee Senator Patrick Diegnan Assemblyman Andrew P. Zwicker is an American physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Senator Patrick Diegnan represents the Laboratory, and a member of the New Jersey 18th Legislative District in Middlesex General Assembly representing the 16th Legislative County. Born in South Plainfield, New District, which includes parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Jersey as the youngest of seven children, he worked Middlesex and Somerset counties, since January his way through Seton Hall University and Seton Hall 2016. In addition to the Assembly Education Law School to become an attorney in private practice. Committee, the Assemblyman also serves on the Senator Diegnan began representing the 18th Regulated Professions Committee and as Chair of District as Assemblyman in 2002. He served seven the newly formed Science, Innovation and Technology consecutive terms in the General Assembly (2002- Committee. Mr. Zwicker was born in 2016) also serving in the leadership positions of and was raised in Englewood, New Jersey. He Deputy Speaker (2008-16) and Parliamentarian graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in 1982 (2006-2016). As Chairman of the Assembly Education and went on to achieve his B.A. in physics from Bard Committee, Diegnan sponsored significant legislation College in 1986. He received his M.A. and Ph.D., impacting our schools including the TEACH NJ Act both also in physics, from Johns Hopkins University involving revisions to the evaluation and tenure in 1992. Zwicker’s post-doctoral work focused on process, and school security legislation. fusion energy research at the Princeton Plasma In 2016, Diegnan was sworn in as State Senator to fill Physics Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the vacancy left by the confirmation of Senator Peter and internationally. Assemblyman Zwicker has been Barnes as a Superior Court Judge. Currently, Patrick the head of the Science Education Department of the serves as Chair of the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory since 2003, Committee, Vice Chair of the Senate Law and Public where his work is focused on creating innovative Safety Committee and as a member of both the opportunities for students of all backgrounds to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and engage in scientific inquiry. His research is centered the Joint Committee on the Public Schools. on plasmas as an educational tool and new methods The greatest joy in Senator Patrick Diegnan’s life is of science communication. At Princeton University, Dr. his family. He and his wife Anita have been married Zwicker is a part-time lecturer in the Writing Program for 40 years. They have two children and three and a faculty advisor for freshmen and sophomores grandchildren. in Rockefeller College. Dr. Zwicker has served on several national committees on education, is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. The American Senator Samuel D. Thompson (R- Association of Physics Teachers has named him to 12), Senate Education Committee its list of 75 leading contributors to physics education. He is currently the Editor of the APS Forum on Senator Samuel D. Thompson has Physics. Additionally, he is a past member of the APS served in the since Committee on Education. Assemblyman Zwicker January 2012, representing the 12th Legislative resides in the Kingston area of South Brunswick district, which includes parts of Burlington, Township with his wife, Barbara Golden, who teaches Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. Prior second grade in Hillsborough Township, along with to redistricting in 2011, he served in the General their family, and their rescue pitbull-boxer mix, Rocky. Assembly from 1998, representing the 13th district. He currently resides in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey and is married to the former Jacqueline P. Haycock. In addition to serving on the Senate Education Committee, the Senator serves on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, the Budget and Appropriations Committee, and the State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee. Senator Thompson was born in Mobile, Alabama and attended public schools 4 in Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas. He reached John Mooney (Moderator) the rank of Specialist Third Class while serving in John Mooney is founding editor and the U.S. Army from 1955 through 1957. He received education writer for NJ Spotlight, an a B.S. in 1960 from the University of Arkansas in online news and information service chemistry and mathematics and was awarded a Ph.D. covering public policy in New Jersey funded by a in 1965 from Louisiana State University in physical Knight Community Information Challenge award to chemistry. The Senator worked as a research the Community Foundation of New Jersey. He has chemist at duPont and J.P. Stevens and Company covered education in the state for more than 15 years, and was employed by the New Jersey Department working at The Star-Ledger, The Bergen Record and of Health from 1972-1994 as a chemist and director The New York Times before launching NJ Spotlight in of clinical laboratory improvement service. He served 2010. In only its second year, NJ Spotlight won a 2011 on the US Armed Forces Epidemiological Board Online Journalism Award for General Excellence from from 1983-1990. He was appointed by Governor the Online News Association, the international trade Whitman to serve on the Governor’s Education Task group for digital news. Mooney speaks regularly at Force in 1994 as Co-Chair. He served on the NJ conferences and other events on topics ranging from Turnpike Authority from 1994-1997 as director of education policy to non-profit media. communications and formerly as director of planning, analysis and government relations. Thompson has served on the New Jersey Advisory Council on Elder Care since 1998, the Continuing Care Advisory Council from 1998-2002 and on the New Jersey State Council for Adult Literacy Services from 2000-2002.

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