MAPIS2025 Speaker Bios

MAPIS2025 Speaker Bios

MAPIS2025 Speaker Bios & Lunch Table Assignments

 

Dr. Janelle Alexander

  • Janelle Alexander is the assistant vice president of the Student Access Program at Rowan University, where she is committed to providing a supportive environment for all students. Prior to this position, she was the Inaugural Director, Department of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Washington Township (NJ) Schools. Dr. Alexander earned her BA at Rowan University and her MA at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She returned to Rowan to earn her PhD in Education, Disability Studies.

During lunch, join Dr. Janelle Alexander, alongside Dr. Brett Pulliam, at Table 1.

Hon. Chris Christie

  • Chris Christie served as the 55th governor of the State of NJ from 2010-2018. In 2013, he was elected chair of the Republican Governors Association. Prior to his governorship, he was the United States Attorney for the District of NJ, a Morris County Commissioner, and a lobbyist for the firm Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci. In 2016 and 2024, he was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He teaches politics at Yale University, is a regular contributor on ABC News, and a prolific author. Christie earned his BA at the University of Delaware and his JD at Seton Hall University.

US Rep. Herb Conaway

  • Congressman Herb Conaway represents NJ’s 3rd District in the United States Congress. Rep. Conaway earned his BA at Princeton University, and then a medical degree at Jefferson Medical College and a JD at Rutgers Law School - Camden. He also served in the Air Force, where he rose to the rank of captain. For 25 years, he served in the NJ Legislature, where he chaired the Health Committee and served on the Budget Committee and the Military & Veterans Affairs Committee.

Mike DeLamater

  • Mike DeLamater is president and CEO of Market Street Strategies, a full-service government relations, business development, and political consulting firm. He has over 10 years’ experience working at the highest levels of government, campaigns, and public affairs in New Jersey. His involvement also includes local elections and serving the Bergen County Young Democrats. DeLamater earned his BA at Rutgers University.

During lunch, join Mike DeLamater at Table 2

Ben Dworkin, Ph.D.

  • Since 2018, Benjamin Dworkin has served as the founding Director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship (RIPPAC). He is responsible for positioning the Institute at the nexus of applied politics and the issues of the day.  Prior to launching the Institute at Rowan, Dworkin spent 10 years as Director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.  He earned his MA and PhD in political science at Rutgers University.  His BA is from Princeton University. 

Kate Gibbs

  • Kate Gibbs is the newly appointed executive director of the NJ Republican State Committee. She is a top official in the Operating Engineers Local 825, and a former Burlington County Commissioner. She also previously served on the board of Kitchen Table Conservatives, now known as Change NJ. Gibbs earned her BA at American University and her MBA at Drexel University.

During lunch, join Kate Gibbs at Table 3.

Fatima Heyward

  • Fatima Heyward was recently elected president of the Young Democrats of America and has been president of the New Jersey Young Democrats since 2019. She is an Executive MBA Candidate at Howard University, as well as Director of National Corporate Partnerships at Teach for America. Previously, she served as the Reproductive Justice and Community Partnerships Manager at Planned Parenthood Action Fund of NJ, where she focused on increasing community impact. She was appointed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to the Amistad Commission. Heyward earned her BA from Rider University.

During lunch, join Fatima Heyward at Table 4.

Paul Josephson

  • Paul Josephson is a constitutional and regulatory litigator with decades of experience in the transportation, infrastructure and real estate sectors. He solves complex business problems for CEOs, elected officials, and agency heads. A partner at Duane Morris, he previously served as Chief Counsel to the Governor of NJ and as counsel to Gov. Phil Murphy’s campaign. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and George Washington University Law School.

During lunch, join Paul Josephson at Table 5.

Ed Kaczmarski

  • Ed Kaczmarski has spent most of his career at the Office of US Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-1). Today he is the Deputy Chief of Staff after previously serving as Legislative Director, Communications Director, and Legislative Aide. He also spent two years as a policy analyst for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. He earned his BA at James Madison University.

During lunch, join Ed Kaczmarski at Table 6.

Sean Kennedy

  • Sean Kennedy heads the New Jersey team at global IT and business consulting services firm CGI, where he leads 250 employees in the New Brunswick office. Previously, Kennedy worked at his alma mater, Rowan University, as vice president of government affairs and corporate partnerships. He is also the president of the Burlington County Board of Taxation and chairman of the Board of Trustees at Rowan College of Burlington County.

During lunch, join Sean Kennedy at Table 7.

Laura Matos

  • Laura Matos is a partner at MAD Global Strategies who offers an in-depth understanding of the intersections of government and the private sector, as well as public education and advocacy efforts. Matos worked in the New Jersey Governor’s Office for eight years for Governors McGreevey, Codey, and Corzine, in various roles with oversight of a vast array of public policy issues across the Executive Branch. Laura also serves as a member of the Democratic National Committee, as Chair of the NJ Pinelands Commission, and as a Board member for Latina Civic Action.

During lunch, join Laura Matos at Table 8.

Hon. Julio Mendez

  • Judge Julio Mendez was a NJ Superior Court judge until he retired in 2022 after serving the New Jersey judiciary in various courts for over 20 years. He spent two years in the Criminal Division before becoming Presiding Family Law Judge, and in 2011 became the first Hispanic Assignment Judge in the state. Most recently, Mendez was a Senior Contributing Analyst for the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. Mendez earned his BA in Political Science from Rowan University and his JD from Rutgers Law School – Camden.

During lunch, join Hon. Julio Mendez at Table 9.

Matt Mowers

  • Matt Mowers is the president of Valcour, a global strategy firm. In his prior role as senior White House advisor at the US Department of State, he worked on issues ranging from defeating ISIS to delivering humanitarian aid to Venezuelans. He also served as an adviser to the US delegation to the United Nations General Assembly. Mowers was a senior campaign official and transition team member in the Trump-Pence campaign. He received his BA from Rutgers University.

During lunch, join Matt Mowers at Table 10.

Donna Mullins

  • Donna Mullins is Chair of Winning Strategies Washington, a full-service lobbying firm. She has nearly four decades of experience navigating Washington, DC, on behalf of constituents and clients. She is a senior-level strategist with expertise in crisis management and Executive “C Suite” management.  Her past work includes stints as the Chief of Staff to a US Senator, as well as for two senior members of the House Appropriations Committee.

During lunch, join Donna Mullins at Table 11.

Rajiv Parikh

  • Rajiv D. Parikh, founding Partner at PEM Law, is a highly acclaimed litigator, crisis manager and counselor. He is one of only a handful of lawyers in the nation to handle complex election-related litigation.  His clients include the NJ Democratic State Committee and the Democratic National Committee, along with candidates for local, state and federal office, including Gov. Phil Murphy, for whom he was transition counsel.  He received his BA and JD from Rutgers University.

During lunch, join Rajiv Parikh at Table 12.

Hon. Patrick Murphy

  • Patrick Murphy began serving his country in the Army at age 19, went on to become the first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress, and later served as the Under Secretary of the Army. Currently he is a Wharton Business School lecturer, an Emmy Award-winning producer and chairman of Hilco Global’s Geopolitical Unit, one of the largest merchant banks in the world. Murphy earned his BA at King’s College and his JD at Widener University.

Sam Parkinson

  • Sam Parkinson serves as Senior Advisor and Political Director for US Senator Chris Coons (DE), advising on strategy, outreach, and political engagement. He began his career in the South Dakota State Legislature before working on statewide campaigns and rising through the ranks of the South Dakota Democratic Party, serving as both Finance Director and later Executive Director. He went on to serve nationally as Western Regional States Director and Deputy Executive Director for the Association of State Democratic Committees at the Democratic National Committee. Parkinson earned his BA at University of South Dakota.

During lunch, join Sam Parkinson at Table 13.

Grace Power

  • Grace Power is General Counsel and EVP, Government Affairs for Solar Landscape, a leading developer of community solar projects on commercial and industrial rooftops in the United States.  Previously, she was a partner at the McCarter & English law firm.  In prior positions, she was VP of Regulatory Affairs for HomeServe USA and Chief of Staff for the NJ Board of Public Utilities.  Ms. Power is also a board member for the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey.  She received her BA and MA from Rutgers University and her JD from Rutgers Law School.  

During lunch, join Grace Power at Table 14.

Dr. Brett Pulliam

  • Brett Pulliam is the assistant vice president of the Pathway Program at Rowan University, where he is a champion for first-generation students. Previously, he worked as the Executive Director for Educational Opportunity and Student Success programs at Stockton University. He earned his BA at Bloomfield College and earned both his MA and EdD in higher education administration and leadership fields from Seton Hall University. 

During lunch, join Dr. Brett Pulliam, alongside Dr. Janelle Alexander, at Table 1.

Sue Ramanathan

  • Sue Ramanathan has served as a trusted advisor to principals in Congress and the US Dept of Homeland Security (US DHS) for over twenty years. She provides strategic guidance to clients with a focus on homeland and national security.  During the Obama Administration, Sue served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US DHS Office of Legislative Affairs and as Counselor to the Secretary.  She attended Rutgers University for her undergrad and law degrees, and received an MA from Georgetown Law School.

During lunch, join Sue Ramanathan at Table 15.

Christina Renna

  • Christina Renna has served as president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern NJ for 5 years, where she leads a nine-person, all-female team in advocating for its members and the business community, with a focus on the particular needs of businesses in southern New Jersey. Renna was included in the NJBiz Power 100 for 2025. She joined the Chamber in 2007 as Director of Government Affairs before being tapped by Gov. Chris Christie to serve in his administration. She returned to the Chamber in 2014.  Renna received her BA from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and her MPA from Villanova University. 

Chris Russell

  • Chris Russell continues to serve as the top campaign advisor to New Jersey’s 2021 and 2025 Republican gubernatorial nominee, Jack Ciattarelli. As the head of Checkmate Strategies, he is also a key advisor to members of Congress, Republican organizations, state legislators, and elected officials at the county and local level.  An award-winning direct mail consultant, Chris has won over 30 industry accolades for his creative work.  He is a graduate of Temple University and currently serves as a member of its Political Science Alumni Advisory Board.

During lunch, join Chris Russell at Table 16.

Eric Shuffler

  • Eric Shuffler is a founding partner at River Crossing Strategy Group, where he applies his tactical and substantive expertise to solve complex governmental issues. Previously, he served as counselor, chief policy adviser and speechwriter to New Jersey Governors Jim McGreevey and Dick Codey. Shuffler also served as Chief of Staff at the New Jersey Department of Transportation and was the Director of the New Jersey Office of Recovery and Victim Assistance after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Shuffler spent ten years in Washington, DC, with his last position being Chief of Staff to United States Senator Bob Torricelli. He graduated from the University of Michigan and cum laude from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.

During lunch, join Eric Shuffler at Table 17.

Christine Stearns

  • Christine Stearns serves as the Chief Government Relations Officer for the NJ Hospital Association, where she spearheads policy development and advocacy efforts in Trenton and Washington DC and manages NJHA’s relationships with external public affairs consultants. She was previously with Gibbons PC, where she was the director of government affairs and the administrative director of the firm’s Trenton office. She also served as the vice president of health and legal affairs at the NJ Business & Industry Association. She has a BA, MA and JD from Rutgers University.

During lunch, join Christine Stearns at Table 18.

Theresa Vaccaro

  • Theresa Vaccaro is one of the nation’s most effective Republican operatives. She worked for Chris Christie, Mitt Romney, and Rodney Frelinghuysen before becoming Executive Director of the NJ Republican State Committee. She was Tom Kean Jr.’s campaign manager in 2020 and served briefly as Doug Steinhardt’s campaign manager in the 2021 gubernatorial race. Vaccaro spent the 2022 cycle as a Regional Political Director for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and was part of the team that picked up five House seats in New Jersey and New York. She is now the NRCC’s Political Director.

During lunch, join Theresa Vaccaro at Table 19.

Frank Vespa-Papaleo

  • Frank Vespa-Papaleo is the Fair Lending Director at the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where he helps ensure fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory access to credit. He previously served as Executive Director of the NJ Division on Civil Rights, Senior Counsel to the NJ State Public Advocate, and as Chief of Enforcement for HUD’s Region 2 Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.  He is a graduate of Northwestern University and Boston University’s School of Law. 

During lunch, join Frank Vespa-Papaleo at Table 20.