Dr. Robert A. Altenkirch is Chair of the Newark Downtown Core Redevelopment Corporation, and the President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Dr. Altenkirch has served on a number of commissions and boards of the city of Newark and the State of New Jersey, including the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation, and Chair of University Heights Science Park. Dr. Altenkirch has also served as dean of the College of Engineering and Architecture at Washington State University and vice president for research at Mississippi State University (MSU). From 1988 to 1995, he was dean of the College of Engineering at MSU. He also served as professor and chair of mechanical engineering at the University of Kentucky.

East Ward Newark Councilman Augusto Amador has an outstanding record of public service and prides himself on his dedication to his constituents. Councilman Amador began his professional career with the Public Service Electric & Gas Company in 1969 and presently holds the position of Performance Administrator at this major public utility company. In 1981, he gained firsthand experience working with the City of Newark when he was appointed to serve on the Newark Parking Commission. By 1993, Councilman Amador would go on to win his first elected position on the Newark Board of Education as the first Portuguese-American to ever serve in the City of Newark. In 1997, he was appointed to the position of Deputy Mayor.

Council Member At-Large Carlos M. González is a dedicated leader with an international background in the financial and legal sectors who is committed to public service and community development. Beyond his inspiring educational and professional accomplishments, Councilman González is well traveled with experiences in several countries including France, Holland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, and Singapore, along with eleven countries in Central and South America and most of the Caribbean nations. Sworn into office on July 1, 2006, as a Council Member-At-Large, Mr. González is proud to serve the diverse communities of Newark.

Michele T. Ralph-Rawls serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer for the City of Newark. Ms. Ralph-Rawls is responsible for managing all personnel units, as well as functioning as the liaison for the State of New Jersey’s Department of Personnel (NJDOP). Prior to joining the city of Newark’s administration, Ms. Ralph-Rawls was the Director of Human Resources for Merck & Co., Inc., in Rahway, New Jersey. Ms. Ralph-Rawls is not a stranger to Newark, as she started her career in Newark as Director of Employment and Training for the City of Newark in 1986. She is a graduate of St. Peter’s College and received her MBA from Fairleigh Dickenson University.

Karen McLane Torian joined the NHA in 2000 as the Director of the Division of Economic and Community Development. In July 2006, she was named Chief Asset Development and Preservation Officer at the Newark Housing Authority (NHA) and is responsible for managing construction and development activities for the NHA. In this position, traditional housing roles such as modernization, development and redevelopment come under Ms. Torian’s purview. She is responsible for the development and management of the NHA’s strategy to replace its aging stock (sixty years or older) with an aggressive plan to upgrade, modernize or redevelop the remaining stock. In addition, she manages the NHA’s acquisition of properties and development of its redevelopment lands.

Dr. Zachary Yamba, recently the longest serving president in New Jersey’s higher education system, was appointed the fifth president of Essex County College in May 1980. Affiliated with the college for more than three decades, Dr. Yamba joined the ECC faculty when the college opened in 1968 and served as Director of Humanities and Dean of Faculty prior to his appointment as president.