Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s (D) 433-member transition task force includes many Hudson County politicos known for their governmental and/or campaign expertise.
“Our team will hit the ground running on Day One because of everyone stepping up to create a better future for the people of New Jersey,” Sherrill said in a statement.
“This Task Force, along with our Action Teams, is a crucial step in our mission to deliver and make life more affordable in New Jersey. I am grateful to everyone volunteering their time and lending their expertise to our transition as we work to make a difference for the people we serve.”
Former Assistant State Treasurer Dini Ajmani, who recently ran for Hoboken mayor, joins the robust team, as does Elnardo Webster, a partner at Jersey City-based law firm Connell Foley.
Hudson County Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Business Opportunity Francesca Giarratana also made the cut, along with Hoboken Public Library Director Jennie Pu and Jenny Davis – chief of staff to Hudson County Executive Craig Guy.
Also named to the committee is Joe Baumann, redevelopment counsel in Hoboken, as well as counsel for the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA), along with CLB Partners Partner Jon Boguchwal and Union City Board of Education (BOE) Secretary Justin Mercado – a close ally of state Senator (D-33)/Union City Mayor Brian Stack.
Hudson County Young Democrats President Matt Hayden also enters the mix (as does his uncle Joe Hayden), as well as Bayonne Navy veteran Michael Embrich, Jersey City BOE President Noemi Velazquez, and Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norma Fernandez.
Former Union City Mayor Rudy Garcia, Friends of Liberty State Park President Sam Pesin, are also welcomed into the fold.
The transition will also receive formal input from local elected officials from both parties, and stakeholders across industry and nonprofit sectors, according to Sherrill’s team.
Those stakeholders will include leaders in higher education, hospital systems, small businesses, and those working on the ground on housing and food insecurity.