Leadership

LeRoy Jones

Chairman of the Essex County Democratic Committee

LeRoy Jones serves as the current Chairman of the Essex County Democratic Committee. Prior to his chairmanship, LeRoy Jones joined 1868 Public Affairs after a distinguished career as a State Legislator, County Freeholder and municipal government administrator. He served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly – including two years as Deputy Minority Leader – where he worked on the Appropriations, Regulatory Oversight, Solid Waste and Recycling, Financial Institutions and Local Government committees, as well as the Assembly Task Force on Foreign Banking and Task Force on Business Retention and Expansion. He also served on the State House Commission.

As a two-term Essex County Freeholder, Mr. Jones served as Chairman of the Budget Committee, on the Minority Affairs Committee and on the Essex County Planning Board. He served as the City Administrator of East Orange for seven years where he was responsible for developing the city’s $100 million operating budget, served as the chief liaison between the Mayor and Council and managed the city’s ten department heads. He also served in various positions at PSE&G in his professional career, including Business Development Manager, Director of Workforce Diversity and Public Affairs Manager. Prior to that he worked for AT&T Corp. as a Senior Accounting Specialist, Assistant Manager for Corporate Taxes and Internal Auditor.

ANNETTE BEASLEY

Secretary

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Michael J. Parlavecchio

Parlimentarian

Michael J. Parlavecchio brings wide ranging experience in municipal law and governmental affairs, as well as a solid background in civil and commercial litigation, insurance defense and coverage cases. Mr. Parlavecchio offers innovative, practical counsel and support to both his public and private sector clients.

Mr. Parlavecchio has represented clients in litigation alleging Civil Rights violations, the Law Against Discrimination and Conscientious Employee Protection Act claims in both state and federal courts. Mr. Parlavecchio also has a history of providing guidance and solutions in the areas of Local Public Contract Law, “Pay to Play issues, the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, public financing and local taxation to public bodies in the State of New Jersey.

Sarah E. Jones

Parlimentarian

Sarah E. Jones is a Government Affairs Manager at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. In this role, she represents Horizon BCBSNJ before the New Jersey Legislature and various New Jersey departments and agencies. Prior to joining Horizon BCBSNJ, Ms. Jones, an attorney, served as Director of Government Affairs for Cablevision. She previously worked as District Director for Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. where she fostered and maintained relationships with elected officials, trade associations and community organizations.

Joe N. DiVincenzo

Essex County Executive

During the past two years, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. has spearheaded a comprehensive program to address the COVID-19 pandemic and provide easily accessible vaccination and testing opportunities, and assistance to residents affected by the pandemic. Mass vaccination and testing sites were set up in central locations within the county and mobile clinics were scheduled in schools, community centers, houses of worship and retail centers. In addition, the County Executive has offered two programs that helped small businesses pay for expenses, payroll and leases, a rental and utility assistance program for individuals and families, and a mortgage assistance program for homeowners.

Maurice A. Cummings

Executive Director of the Essex County Democratic Committee

Maurice A. Cummings brings a plethora of legislative, political and consulting experience with him to the Essex County Executive Director’s office. He is a highly experienced strategist and dynamic manager with over fifteen years in New York City, State and local legislative and political environments. He has also worked extensively in New Jersey State and City politics as both a consultant and field director in Essex County for both of Governor Murphy’s Gubernatorial campaigns, as well as the entire City Council slate of candidates for East Orange and Mayor Ted Green in 2017 and 2019. Maurice credits his success to his mentor and dear friend, New York County Democratic Chairman and former New York State Assemblyman, Keith L.T. Wright, to whom he worked with for thirteen years.

Senate majority leader, m. Teresa Ruiz

Vice Chair of the Essex County Democratic Committee

Senator Ruiz became the first Puerto Rican elected to the Senate when she was elected in 2007. Since then she has been re-elected three times. Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator Ruiz is the first Latina to serve in leadership and is also the chair of the Senate Education Committee. Throughout her time in the Senate, she has fought for equity in educational spaces, acting as the leading force in expanding access to early childhood education throughout the state. She also spearheaded the law to build on the federal free and reduced meal program so that all students who qualify for the program could receive breakfast and lunch at no cost, eliminating the reduced category. Furthermore she has sponsored laws to increase diversity within school curriculum and strengthen the Amistad Commission.

The senator has also focused on expanding employment opportunities for underserved communities, sponsoring bill packages to expand apprenticeship programs in the state and increasing teacher diversity. The apprenticeship package, which was enacted, created more accessible pathways to careers in high growth industries by incentivizing business participation in apprenticeship programs. In addition, she has taken a targeted approach at mitigating the barriers which prevent people of color from obtaining and retaining full time teaching positions, advancing legislation to establish educator apprenticeship programs, provide loan redemption opportunities and expand alternate route programs.

JAMIE VINCENT SERRITELLA

Senior Council Representative/Delegate, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Local Union #253

Mr. Serritella is a lifelong resident of Essex County. He is a 30+ year member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America; initiated into Local Union #1342 as an apprentice on October 18, 1988. From 1999 thru present, he served Local Union #1342/253 in various positions from Conductor, Treasurer, Vice President & eventually became President. He is a proud member of the Essex County Building Trades and the Political Education Committee.