Get to know us

Our Team

Board of Trustees

 

Paulette Brown, Esq.
CHAIR
Founder & Principal MindSetPower LLC; Past President American Bar Association & National Bar Association

Robin A. Lenhardt, Esq.
VICE CHAIR
Professor, Georgetown Law Center

B. John Pendleton, Jr., Esq.
SECRETARY
Executive Vice President of Legal & Corporate Affairs, PARTS iD, Inc.

Kenneth Y. Tanji
TREASURER
Executive Vice President and CFO, Prudential Financial, Inc.

Douglas S. Eakeley, Esq.
Alan V. Lowenstein Professor of Corporate and Business Law, Rutgers University School of Law

John J. Farmer, Jr., Esq.
Director of Eagleton Institute of Politics, University Professor of Law, Justice Alan B. Handler Scholar, Director of Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience at Rutgers University

Paul J. Fishman, Esq.
Partner, Arnold & Porter

Michael D. Francis, Esq.
Managing Member, Safety First Systems

Jerome C. Harris, Jr.
President, The Harris Organization, LLC

Ryan P. Haygood, Esq.
President & CEO, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice

Rev. Timothy Adkins-Jones, Ph.D.
Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Newark

Sandra King
Public Television Journalist, 26-time Emmy Award winner, “Due Process”

Dr. John H. Lowenstein, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, New York University

James McQueeny
Communications, Government Affairs Adviser

Diana DeJesus-Medina
Chief of External Strategy and Affairs, LatinoJustice PRLDEF

Patricia Nachtigal, Esq.
Formerly Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Ingersoll-Rand Co. Ltd.

Darrell K. Terry, Sr.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey

Martin Vergara II
Managing Director Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Morgan Stanley

Justin White
Founder & CEO @ LTMA Capital

Dr. Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Ph.D.
Chair, Women’s & Gender Studies, New Jersey City University

 

Emeriti

The Honorable Dickinson R. Debevoise (Trustee Emeritus)*

Zulima V. Farber (Trustee Emerita)

Of Counsel, Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Nicholas deB. Katzenbach (Trustee Emeritus)*

Roger A. Lowenstein (Emeritus)

Founder, Los Angeles Leadership Academy

Theodore V. Wells, Jr. (Emeritus)

Partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

*In Memoriam

Job Openings: Do Social Justice with Us

Democracy and Justice Policy Analyst

The Democracy and Justice Policy Analyst will specifically work to advance issues of voting rights restoration and a broader civic engagement for the formerly incarcerated. This person will help with policy and advocacy strategies and public education campaigns, in addition to leading coalitions of impacted persons, helping convene community meetings, and participating in conferences. Through this work, the Policy Analyst will cultivate relationships with leading community leaders, lawyers, government officials, academics, impacted persons and communities, and organizing/advocacy experts.

Responsibilities include:

  • Develop and conduct original research, reviews of existing research, and draft policy analysis, reports, letters, testimony, and advocacy materials pertaining to issues of democracy and justice and other issues, as appropriate, particularly as they affect communities of color and individuals and communities impacted by incarceration in New Jersey.
  • Research and draft op-eds, online articles, opinion pieces, reports, testimony, and advocacy materials pertaining to legislation, proposed administrative rules and regulations, and government policies and practices affecting the Institute’s civic engagement work.
  • Monitor local, state, and federal legislation and new developments and research in democracy and justice, especially those affecting communities of color and formerly and presently incarcerated individuals, and advise the team on these developments.
  • Organize, supervise, and lead coalitions of impacted persons that advance the civic engagement and voting rights work of the Institute, such as by promoting voter registration drives and building a base of supporters for legislative advancement.
  • Work with local, state, and national partner organizations and individuals to advance the Institute’s mission, engage on shared priorities, and exchange knowledge and information in support of the Institute’s programs and initiatives.
  • Attend coalition meetings and conferences and participate in in-depth briefings pertaining to Institute priority issues.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with impacted persons inside and outside of the prison system, including those who are currently incarcerated, those who are formerly incarcerated, and those who are out on parole or probation.
  • Engage in public speaking, including with the media and at conferences for expert and lay audiences.
  • Work in collaboration with Institute attorneys and staff, coalition members, and community partners on issue-based campaigns.
  • Help organize policy roundtables and convenings exploring civic engagement issues.
  • Work with Institute legal and programs team to develop and incubate policy and advocacy initiatives as prototypes.
  • Assist with the integration of litigation, legislative initiatives, policy goals, public education, and targeted campaigns among the programs team.

 

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.
  • Formerly incarcerated.
  • Ability to work effectively with diverse coalitions and community groups, and to work across political ideology, race, ethnicity, socio-economic circumstances, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.
  • Passion for, and knowledge of, racial and social justice, and a familiarity with the work and mission of the Institute.
  • Outstanding research, writing, and oral communication skills; superior attention to detail; ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously; good problem-solving skills and a positive, professional attitude with excellent judgment, flexibility, determination, and grace in a fast-paced office.
  • Integrity, honesty, and a balanced, non-partisan approach.
  • Ability to work effectively in a collaborative context and participate in teams, including a willingness to circulate widely, communicate openly, listen well, and learn from others.
  • Excellent judgment and follow through.
  • Ability to think creatively and develop new and innovative litigation, policy, and advocacy strategies

 

For more information on this job opportunity, click here.

Please email your cover letter, college transcripts, resume, two professional writing samples on which you are the primary author, and three professional references to recruitment@njisj.org. Please submit your application materials via Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF. Include all attachments in a single email stating, in the subject line, “Democracy & Justice Policy Analyst.”

Communications and Marketing Intern

The Institute seeks a dedicated, highly qualified individual for a paid communications & marketing internship. The ideal candidate for this position will have a deep commitment to social justice work and familiarity with social media, media relations and journalism. Please submit inquiries or applications (including a cover letter, resume, three references and a writing sample) to recruitment@njisj.org.

Communications & Marketing Internship Overview

The Communications & Marketing Intern will report to the Communications and Design Manager and the Communications & Digital Media Manager. The role will provide support to the Communications & Marketing team and its work across each of the Institute’s programs as well as the team’s overall branding and promotional efforts. Specifically, the Intern will take on the following roles and responsibilities, with support from supervisors:

  • Create and implement a social media campaign across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube with an eye toward reaching a younger audience.
  • Assist in organizing the Communications SharePoint folders, including uploading photos and videos.
  • Attend and support Institute events.
  • Participate in Institute meetings and other collaborative activities.
  • Assist in organizing advocacy platform’s email and campaign database.
  • Assist in organizing press lists in Cision.
  • Compile and distribute press clips, including updating the Institute’s website media page.
  • As needed, help draft and proofread collateral materials such as fact sheets, brochures and web content, as well as press releases and email blasts.
  • Assist graphic designer with material creation.

For more information about the position, please click here.

Director of People Operations (HR)

The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice is seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of
People Operations to lead the HR function in our mission-driven organization. This role plays
a crucial part in supporting our cutting-edge racial and social justice work, advocating for
systemic reform in economic justice, criminal justice reform, and democracy and justice.

Responsibilities include:
1. Strategic HR Leadership:

  • Develop and execute HR strategies that support the organization’s overall
    business objectives.
  • Provide guidance to senior management on HR-related issues and contribute
    to organizational decision-making.
  • Responsible for the management of the department; will include one direct
    report.

2. Talent Acquisition and Management:

  • Oversee the recruitment process, ensuring the organization attracts and
    retains top talent.
  • Implement effective onboarding programs and talent development initiatives.
  • Foster a performance-driven culture through goal setting, performance
    evaluations and career development.

For more information about the position, including the full list of responsibilities, please click here.