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Third Annual NJ Pathways Summit

  • June 04, 2025
Agenda
Summit Speakers

Details

Registration
  • In Person
  • June 04, 2025
  • $49.00
  • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
    1000 Boardwalk
    Atlantic City, NJ 08401
  • [email protected]
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NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities Summit
June 04, 2025

NJCCOS Highlights (14)

Driving innovation in education, expanding equitable access to career pathways, and fostering stronger collaboration between industry and academia are essential to ensuring all students and workers thrive in today’s globally competitive and technically evolving economy. Join us on June 4, 2025, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City for the 3rd annual New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Summit, where we will continue to shape the future of education and workforce development in our state. 

Through the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative (NJ Pathways), New Jersey is at the forefront of a national movement to align academics with workforce needs, ensuring that students and workers have access to industry-driven training and credentials necessary for them to thrive in the workforce. This ongoing transformation is built on a commitment to collaboration among high schools, colleges and universities, industry, labor unions, community-based organizations, the public workforce system, state government, and other stakeholders. 

Join us for a full day of insights from national experts, engaging discussions with thought leaders, innovative solutions, and student perspectives that will elevate education and workforce development in New Jersey. Together, we will explore cutting-edge trends, share best practices, and reimagine how we prepare all learners for success in an economy that demands adaptability, innovation, and lifelong learning. 

Because when We Educate, Innovate, and Elevate Together… We Create NJ Pathways for All!

WHO ATTENDS | This is your opportunity to join together to help create a more prosperous and equitable New Jersey:

  • Community College Presidents & Trustees
  • Executive College Staff
  • College Faculty
  • Community Leaders
  • Philanthropic Leaders
  • Industry Leaders
  • Labor Union Leaders
  • Government Officials
Become A Partner

Summit Speakers

AARON FICHTNER, PHD

President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges

Catherine Starghill

CATHERINE STARGHILL, ESQ

Vice President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges and Executive Director, New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce & Economic Development

Chris Emigholz

Chief Government Affairs Officer, New Jersey Business and Industry Association

Dr. Ashish D Borgaonkar

Assistant Professor, Engineering Education and Director, NCE Grand Challenges Scholars Program, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Dana Castro

Senior Director, Heath Insurance Management Systems Society Institute

Senator Joseph Cryan

Chairman, NJ Senator Committee on Higher Education

Christopher Emigholz

Chief Government Affairs Officer, New Jersey Business and Industry Association

Dr. Matthew Hale

Department of Political Science and Public Affairs, Seton Hall University and President, New Jersey Big Data Alliance

John Harmon

Founder, CEO, and President, African American Chamber of Commerce of NJ

Rachel Kahn, EdD

Senior Director, Community College Growth Engine, Education Design Lab

Michael Macklin

Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Solutions, Colorado Community College System

Michelle Van Noy

Director & Associate Research Professor, Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, Education and Employment Research Center (EERC)

Tim Sullivan

CEO, NJ Economic Development Authority

Jennifer Thornton

Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer, The Business-Higher Education Forum

Agenda

June 04, 2025

Breakfast Buffet (7:30am) 
 
Opening Remarks (9:00am)

  • Catherine Starghill, Esq., Vice President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges and Executive Director, New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce & Economic Development

  • Tim Sullivan, CEO, NJ Economic Development Authority

  • Senator Joseph Cryan, Chairman, NJ Senator Committee on Higher Education

  • Chris Emigholz, Chief Government Affairs Officer, New Jersey Business and Industry Association

 
Pathways in Practice: Student Impact & Project Innovation (9:30 AM)
  • Health Information Management Systems Society
  • NJ Big Data Alliance – Data Science Degree Programs Alignment and Articulations
  • Essential Learning, General Education, and Career Competencies Collaborative
  • Geographic Information Systems Certificates Development
  • Electric Vehicle Internship and Faculty Development Pilot
 
Pathways Projects Networking (11:00 AM)
 
Building the Future Together: A Conversation with NJ Pathways Partners (11:30AM)
  • John Harmon, Founder, CEO, and President, African American Chamber of Commerce of NJ
  • Dr. Ashish D Borgaonkar, Assistant Professor, Engineering Education and Director, NCE Grand Challenges Scholars Program, New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • Dr. Matthew Hale, Department of Political Science and Public Affairs, Seton Hall University and President, New Jersey Big Data Alliance
  • Dana Castro, Senior Director, Heath Insurance Management Systems Society Institute
  • Joseph DeMarco, Director of Apprenticeship, Laborers International Union of North America – New Jersey Construction Craft Laborer Apprenticeship Program
 
Micro-Pathways, Macro Impact: Reimagining Access, Equity, and Employability (Lunch 12:45 PM)
  • Keynote Speaker:
    Rachel Kahn, EdD, Senior Director, Community College Growth Engine, Education Design Lab
  • Keynote Speaker:
    Michael Macklin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Solutions, Colorado Community College System
 
Bridging Business and Education: Building Inclusive Pathways for Economic Growth (2:30 PM)
  • Keynote Speaker:
    Jennifer Thornton, Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer, The Business-Higher Education Forum
 
Pathways Projects Networking (3:30 PM)
 
Designing for Impact: Research Insights at the Nexus of Education and Employment (4:00 PM)
  • Keynote Speaker: 
    Michelle Van Noy, Director & Associate Research Professor, Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, Education and Employment Research Center (EERC)
 
Closing Remarks (4:45 PM)
  • Catherine Starghill, Esq., Vice President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges and Executive Director, New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development
  • Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D., President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges
The 3rd Annual NJ Pathways Summit Focuses on How We Can Innovate, Educate, and Elevate Pathways for All: 
  1. Innovate education and workforce strategies to align with industry needs and emerging career pathways.
  2. Educate students and workers by embedding industry-recognized credentials in all training and academic programs.
  3. Elevate collaboration between academia, workforce leaders, and employers to create equitable opportunities for all.
Untitled design (21)

Meet National and State Experts

Join us on June 4, 2025, for a full day of insights from national and state experts, where you’ll hear their innovative approaches to creating equitable education and training pathways.

Together, we’ll explore how our state can Innovate, Educate, and Elevate to build an education infrastructure that empowers all students and workers to succeed in a dynamic economy—Because when We Educate, Innovate, and Elevate Together… We Create Pathways for All!

Event Registration

Please use our official Eventbrite registration page to register yourself and any other individuals you are planning on registering. You will be able to add multiple attendees during one session.

Register Now

Accommodations at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Note: Room Block is Open Until Sunday May 18, 2025

To reserve a room for the conference,  you will need to book your hotel room directly through the Hard Rock’s website with this link.

You can also inquire about a reservation by calling 1-609-449-1000.

Reservations for rooms accessible to guests with disabilities may be made in the same manner.

Directions & Parking

1900 Pacific Ave.
Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401

Google Map Directions

The Hard Rock offers a self-park garage for all attendees, the parking rate is updated weekly. We recommend calling the hotel the week of your reservation to confirm the price of parking. The parking fee is to be paid at the time of arrival. The garage is located on Pacific Avenue, stretching from Virginia Avenue to S. Pennsylvania Avenue.

Here is a map of the Hard Rock Atlantic City. The event will take place on the 2nd Floor Meeting Level. Registration will be in the Seminole Ballroom.

FAQs

Where do I register for a room?

Click Here

PLEASE NOTE: The NJ Pathways Summit is a part of a larger three-day New Jersey Community College Opportunity Summit (NJCCO Summit), taking place at the Hard Rock from June 4-6, 2025. If you’re registering for the NJCCO Summit, you don’t need to register for the NJ Pathways Summit (it’s included on Day 1).
 
To register for the full 3-day NJ Community College Opportunity Summit (which includes the NJ Pathways Summit on Day 1), Click here.

Where do attendees park?

Click Here

We understand that circumstances may change, and we strive to accommodate attendees to the best of our ability. Please review our refund policy outlined below.
 
For tickets that were paid through Eventbrite, a refund of the full registration fee will be given for cancellations made by May 12, 2025. To cancel your registration and request a refund, log into Eventbrite, go to tickets, find your order you want refunded, then select “Request a Refund”.
 
The following applies for all attendees: badge sharing, splitting and reprints are strictly prohibited.
 
NJCCC regrets that refunds will not be given for no-shows. NJCCC is not responsible for any change/cancellation charges assessed by airlines, travel agents, hotels or other vendors.

Payment in full is required at the time of registration, with the exception of New Jersey’s Community College attendees. If this applies to you, please reach out to your president’s office prior to registering for further instructions.

You will receive an email confirmation of your registration from Eventbrite (please add [email protected] to your safe senders list). If you have not received a confirmation within 10 business days after registering, please contact [email protected].

Registration, attendance at and participation in NJCCC events constitutes an agreement by the registrant to the use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee’s image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions and audiotapes of such events and activities by NJCCC and other third parties, including but not limited to the venue. Registration for this event may include technology that monitors your activities throughout the conference, such as session attendance and booths visited.

Please email Lauren Purnell ([email protected]g) if you have any dietary restrictions.

Please email [email protected] if you have any further questions about the NJ Community College Opportunity Summit.

Dr. Ashish D Borgaonkar,

Assistant Professor, Engineering Education and Director, NCE Grand Challenges Scholars Program, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Education

Ph.D.; New Jersey Institute of Technology; Environmental Engineering; 2011

Awards & Honors

2024 Advisor of the Year, NJIT Highlander Awards

2021 Sauk K. Fenster Innovation in Engineering Education, Newark College of Engineering, NJIT

2018 Excellence in Teaching Award – Outstanding Contribution to Teaching at NJIT, New Jersey Institute of Technology

2016 Excellence in Instruction by an Adjunct Professor, New Jersey Institute of Technology

2010 Excellence in Instruction by a Teaching Assistant, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Dana Castro

Senior Director, Heath Insurance Management Systems Society Institute 

Dana Castro is the senior director of the HIMSS Institute, which convenes members to accelerate and advance outcomes that realize the full health potential of every human, everywhere. She canvasses geographic adversities that, if digitally reformed, can transform lives for under-represented and marginalized populations. She is cross-trained in healthcare and education technology. The Institute prioritizes projects that consciously, systemically and sustainably make a collective impact in health equity, workforce sustainability, environmental sustainability, and person-Enabled care. She was appointed by the governor of New Jersey to serve as a member of the Office of Innovation’s Future of Work Accelerator program, and is a member of the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities: Aligning Education to Build an Innovative Workforce, bridging Industry with Community Colleges. She volunteers with HIMSS’s nonprofit members, including advising GlobalRise, an NGO working to design a digital food and health system connecting mountainous small-holder farmers to local markets using drones. She serves on the Host Committee of Maya’s Hope, which works to improve the quality of life of orphaned, impoverished and special-needs children in Ukraine and the Philippines.

Senator Joseph Cryan

Chairman, NJ Senator Committee on Higher Education

Mr. Cryan was elected to the Senate in November 2017. He previously served in the Assembly from 2002-2014, where he was Majority Leader from 2010-2012. 

He resigned from the Assembly after he was elected sheriff of Union County in 2014. Since his election to the Senate, he has worked as Executive Director of the Middlesex County Utilities Authority. He also served on the New Jersey Democratic State Committee as its vice chair from 2001-2005, and chair from 2006-2010. 

The senator has been honored and recognized by many organizations throughout his career. Mr. Cryan was also the first general chairman of the Union County Saint Patrick’s Day Parade committee and is the standard bearer of the Cryan Association, an Irish-American civic charitable civic organization. 

He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Belmont Abbey College. 

Senator Cryan resides in the Township of Union with his wife Kathy and daughter Katie Peterson. He also has a son, John, and daughters Megan Bell and Hannah Peterson. 

Christopher Emigholz

Christopher Emigholz

Chief Government Affairs Officer, New Jersey Business and Industry Association

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Christopher “Chris” Emigholz is Vice President of Government Affairs covering taxation, budget, and economic development, of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), the nation’s largest state-level business association whose member companies collectively employ 1 million people.   

Prior to this current job, Emigholz worked in state government for 10 years. He was a budget director for the State Senate Republican Office for 8 years and directed education policy and legislative affairs in the New Jersey Department of Education prior to that. This is his second stint at NJBIA having served for years as their workforce development and education lobbyist earlier in his career. He was also a teacher through the Teach For America program in a high school in Atlanta, Georgia, and community liaison/volunteer coordinator for an elementary school in Baltimore City.  

Emigholz has a Master of Public Policy degree from Rutgers’ Bloustein School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University. He currently lives in Robbinsville, NJ with his wife and 3 children, where he is active in the community including coaching youth sports and having been elected to the school board. 

Dr. Matthew Hale

Department of Political Science and Public Affairs, Seton Hall University and President, New Jersey Big Data Alliance

Dr. Hale is currently an Associate Professor and MPA Program Chair for the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at Seton Hall University. His research focuses on the intersection of media and technology and the public and nonprofit sectors. His articles have appeared in Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership, The International Journal of Press Politics, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Mass Communication Society, and the Stanford Law Policy Review.

Dr. Hale is always working with several students on a number of different research project. Most recently, he received a grant from the John Logan Family Foundation for a project entitled “Nonprofit Investigative Journalism: A Snap Shot of Content and Reach”. This project will examine the types of investigation conducted by nonprofit news organization like, Pro Publica and New Jersey’s own NJ Spotlight. This research will also examine how those investigations become part of public policy conversations and debates.

Dr. Hale is a frequent media commentator and pundit on New Jersey and national politics. He is a regular guest on a number of New Jersey television shows including NJTV’s For the Record and News 12 New Jersey’s Power and Politics. He has also appeared on CNN, Fox News, CNBC and number of local broadcast television stations in the New York and New Jersey area. Dr. Hale’s op-ed articles appear in many newspapers including the Record and New Jersey Star-Ledger. In addition, he has a regular column for InsiderNJ called “A View from the Middle”

At Seton Hall, Dr. Hale has taught many courses in the M.P.A. program including the Ethics of Big Data, Environment of Public Service, Public Policy Analysis, Public Sector Leadership, Public Sector Ethics, Financial Management and Budgeting, Research Methods, and Strategic Management and Governance. His interest in politics precedes his academic life. Dr. Hale worked as an aide to California Senator Barbara Boxer and in the press and candidate advance operations for several local, state and national political campaigns.

Dr. Hale recently served as president of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC). In that capacity he successfully led an effort to develop and international accreditation process for programs in Nonprofit Management, increased the size of the organization by 10% and oversaw the implementation of 2 successful academic conferences. Hale is currently the Vice-President of the New Jersey Big Data Alliance (NJBDA). This coalition of over 15 college and universities in New Jersey, works to develop New Jersey’s cyber infrastructure and make sure that state can be competitive in the new “big data” economy.

John Harmon

Founder, CEO, and President, African American Chamber of Commerce of NJ

Dr. John E. Harmon, Sr. IOM has served as the Founder, President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ), since 2007. In this role he has the responsibility of establishing, implementing and executing the mission, as well as the fiduciary oversight and governance of AACCNJ in accordance with its Bylaws. In addition, he works to identify strategic partnerships in both the public and private sector to connect AACCNJ members and supporters to resources and opportunities to grow and sustain their goals and objectives. Moreover, Harmon serves as an advocate on behalf of the 1.1 million African American residents and the over 70,000 black owned businesses statewide to ensure that policy at the municipal, county, and federal level provides fairness, equity and access to a level playing field in the market place.

Harmon is the former President and CEO of the Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce (MTAACC). Under his guidance, MTAACC grew its membership substantially, forged alliances with business associations/organizations and government, and forged strategic partnerships in the public and private sectors to benefit African American businesses throughout New Jersey.

Rachel Kahn, EdD

Senior Director, Community College Growth Engine, Education Design Lab

Rachel is delighted to bring her background in higher education administration, workforce development, and project management as well as her love for relationship building and storytelling to the Education Design Lab as Senior Director of the Community College Growth Engine (CCGE). 

Rachel began her career in higher education in 2014, and has since held a variety of administrative roles with several higher education institutions. It was during her time serving as the Director of Career Services for Unity College that Rachel discovered her passion for connecting students to gainful employment, and focusing on the outcomes of higher education.  She continued fostering that passion in a cross-functional capacity in the roles of Chief Advancement Officer and Chief of Staff at Unity College as the College leaned heavily into focusing on student outcomes through the lenses of student-centered design and equity. 

Just prior to joining the Lab, Rachel served as the Dean of Workforce and Professional Solutions at Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC). Rooted in her personal mission to help address inequities in access to higher education, the community college setting allowed her to engage in work that directly addressed the needs of New Majority Learners. It was here that Rachel first connected with the Lab while leading EMCC’s participation in the BRIDGES Rural project, geared towards strengthening the capacity of rural community colleges to serve as critical economic growth engines for their learners and communities. 

This engagement with the Lab seamlessly paired Rachel’s professional background with her personal mission in a way that was enlightening.  Now, as a member of the Lab, Rachel is excited to support CCGE and effect large-scale change in the name of equitable education solutions in a sustainable way. 

Michael Macklin

Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Solutions, Colorado Community College System

Michael Macklin joined the Colorado Community College System in 2018 and serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Solutions. In his role, he works to coordinate academic affairs and workforce development initiatives across CCCS, interfacing with state agencies, philanthropic organizations, colleges, and corporate partners. His current efforts are focused on the intersection of business and education, overseeing career-connected learning opportunities, apprenticeships, and customized workforce training that upskills new and incumbent workers.

Prior to joining CCCS, Michael spent ten years at Colorado State University. He started his career in student affairs as a graduate program recruiter and moved to academic affairs in online and professional education as the Director of Professional and Noncredit Programs, where he launched Colorado State University’s digital badge program.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado State University and a master’s degree from Colorado State University Global in organizational leadership and change management.

Michelle Van Noy

Director & Associate Research Professor, Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, Education and Employment Research Center (EERC)

Michelle Van Noy is the Director of the Education and Employment Research Center at the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She has more than 20 years of experience conducting research on education and the workforce focused on credentials, community colleges, and connections between higher education and the labor market. She is currently leading studies on technician education and economic development, state noncredit education data, non-degree credential quality, and student decision making about programs and careers.

Before joining EERC, Dr. Van Noy conducted research at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Mathematica Policy Research. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology and education from Columbia University, a M.S. in public policy from Rutgers, and a B.A. in psychology and Spanish from Rutgers.

Tim Sullivan

CEO, NJ Economic Development Authority

Tim Sullivan currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), a role he has had since February 2018. As a member of Governor Murphy’s Cabinet, Tim oversees the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth and making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. 

During his tenure, Tim has led NJEDA’s transformation into a comprehensive economic development organization dedicated to implementing Governor Phil Murphy’s vision for a stronger and fairer New Jersey. Tim has overseen the creation of new programs that drive New Jersey’s innovation economy, strengthen emerging and historic sectors, support small businesses, and cultivate equitable community development.  

Under his leadership, the NJEDA has led the development and implementation of more than 15 programs created under the Economic Recovery Act of 2020 ranging from real estate development to film industry support, provided more than $700 million in COVID-19 relief to small businesses impacted by the pandemic, facilitated the construction of the NJ Wind Port and growth of a robust offshore wind industry in New Jersey, launched the ground-breaking New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Fund, programmed $150M in support for main streets and small businesses, invested in economic security through programs recognizing maternal and infant health, child care, and food security as economic enablers, and helped municipalities revitalize brownfields and other underused spaces into valuable community assets. 

Tim most recently served as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), where he oversaw State tourism and branding, brownfield redevelopment, transit-oriented development, and waterfront initiatives. Tim previously served as Chief of Staff to the New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, focusing on transportation and transit-oriented development, brownfield redevelopment, waterfront and maritime/port redevelopment, public and affordable housing policy, small business support, infrastructure finance, and public/private partnerships. 

Prior to joining city government in 2010, Tim worked at Barclays Capital as Chief of Staff to the Head of Global Investment Banking. He began his career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers in 2003 as a healthcare banker, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions for leading companies in the managed care, biotechnology, and healthcare services sectors. 

Tim is native to Bergen County and is a graduate of Georgetown University. 

Jennifer Thornton

Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer, The Business-Higher Education Forum

Jennifer Thornton is the SVP and chief programs officer for the Business-Higher Education Forum where she engages business and higher education in the development of strategic partnerships to meet workforce needs. In this role, she works with BHEF members to improve alignment between business and higher education, developing partnerships that foster diverse, highly skilled graduates with emerging skills in digital technologies.

Previously, Jennifer was the director of workforce initiatives for the Greater Washington Partnership, where she led the formation of the Capital CoLAB, one of the nation’s foremost collaborations between academia and business. She developed deep partnerships with university and business leaders to design industry-recognized digital technology credentials and supported their launch in universities throughout the Capital Region. Prior to joining the partnership, Jennifer managed initiatives for the Pew Charitable Trusts focused on identifying business-led strategies to increase youth employment and assessing states’ use of data analytics to inform budget and policy decisions. Before Pew, Jennifer spent nearly two decades in workforce policy and leadership in Washington state, where her roles included chief administrative officer of WorkForce Central, senior research analyst for the House of Representatives’ Higher Education Committee and Technology & Economic Development Committee, and workforce education program administrator for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy analysis from Cornell University and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D.

President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges

Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D. is the President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, a nonprofit organization, enshrined in state law, that supports and strengthens the state’s 18 community colleges. 

Fichtner served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development from September 2016 to January 2018. He joined the Department in 2010, serving as Assistant Commissioner for Labor Planning and Analysis and Deputy Commissioner.

Before joining state government,  Fichtner  was the Director of Research and Evaluation at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. Fichtner earned a Ph.D. in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers University, a master’s degree in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s degree in History from Vassar College.

Catherine Starghill

Catherine Starghill, ESQ

Vice President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges

Executive Director, New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce & Economic Development

Starghill was on the list of New Jersey’s 25 Most Influential African Americans by South Jersey Journal in 2017 as one of the “State’s leaders who stand head and shoulders above others and boldly reflect the rich diversity and excellence of the African American community throughout the Garden State.”   

As Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships for NJCCC, Starghill leads the statewide coalition of partners for the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative aligning education to the needs of the workforce to build a stronger economy.  

Starghill was named Deputy Commissioner of the NJDOL in October 2016. As Deputy Commissioner, she led many of the Department’s program areas including Research and Information, Income Security, and Labor Standards and Safety Enforcement. She started with the NJDOL in 2012, previously serving as Executive Director of Workforce Operations and Business Services where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the One-Stop Career Centers and the integrated business outreach of workforce field staff with other state and local workforce partners. In that role, she was responsible for more than 300 employees and a $45 million budget.  

Prior to joining the NJDOL, Starghill was the Acting Director of the Division of Housing and Community Resources and Equal Employment Opportunity Officer at the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Much of her state government career was spent as the expert on the Open Public Records Act on the Government Records Council and the Privacy Study Commission.   

Before joining the public sector, she spent many years in the private sector, working in Tax and Legal Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers and on the Corporate Finance Staff of Ford Motor Company.  

Starghill simultaneously earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Accounting from the University of Michigan. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School and a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.  

She was married to the late Rev. Dr. Britt A. Starghill and is the mother of two children, Britt Andrew, and Brie Alexandra. 

Michele Siekerka

President & CEO, NJ Business and Industry Association

Michele N. Siekerka Esq., president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), leads the nation’s largest, most influential employers’ organization, advocating on behalf of New Jersey’s large and small businesses for policies that will make New Jersey more affordable and regionally competitive.

Siekerka came to NJBIA in 2014 from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), where she served in the critical position of Deputy Commissioner, following her service as Assistant Commissioner for Water Resources Management. During her time at DEP, Siekerka was a principal player in the state’s charge to restore New Jersey after Superstorm Sandy with the responsibility of coordinating funding, outreach, and resources for rebuilding environmental infrastructure.

An attorney by trade, Siekerka’s background includes serving as the president and CEO of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, senior legal counsel and vice president of Human Resources with the Automobile Association of America, and as a partner in a Mercer County law firm.

Siekerka is the cofounder and cochair of Opportunity New Jersey. She also serves on the boards of directors of Investors Bancorp, Choose New Jersey, the New Jersey Innovation Institute, Junior Achievement of New Jersey, and Young Audiences of NJ.

Siekerka’s leadership has been recognized through her inclusion in Power and Policymaker list rankings by Insider NJ, Politicker NJ, and NJBIZ, as well as being cited as one of the 17 People to Watch in 2017 by the Bergen Record. She was also among NJBIZ’s 2015 Best 50 Women in Business.

A Robbinsville resident, Siekerka earned a BA in Political Science and German from Rutgers University and a JD from Temple University School of Law.

NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities Summit

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Event Has Passed

Date:

June 04 2025

Time:

Beginning at 8:00am EST

Location:
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
1000 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Registration QR code

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