HESIG Biographies - Continued
Michael W. Klein
Executive Director
New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU)
Michael W. Klein became CEO of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities
(NJASCU) in January 2012, after serving the association more than 13 years as director
of governmental and legal affairs.
Michael has published articles on intellectual property ownership, college finance,
collective bargaining, and the First Amendment, and has made numerous national and
international presentations on law and higher education.
He was a 2003 fellow of the Higher Education Law Roundtable at the Institute for Higher
Education Law & Governance, University of Houston Law Center, and a 2010-2011 Associate
of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. He was a fellow of
Leadership New Jersey in 2002. Michael is a member of the Policies and Purposes Committee
and the Council of State Representatives for the American Association of State Colleges
and Universities (AASCU). Michael formerly served on the national Higher Education
Government Relations Task Force.
Before joining NJASCU, Michael served for five years in former Governor Christine
Todd Whitman’s administration as Assistant Counsel to the Governor, Deputy Director
of Legislative Affairs for the Department of the Treasury, and Special Assistant to
the Commissioner of Community Affairs. Michael has also served as legislative director
to then-Assemblyman Leonard Lance, now a member of Congress, and as an associate at
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch.
Michael received a BA in history cum laude from Princeton University, a J.D. from
Boston College Law School, and a Ph.D. in Higher and Postsecondary Education from
New York University.
Lawrence A. Nespoli
President
New Jersey Council of County Colleges
Dr. Lawrence A. Nespoli is President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, the statewide coordinating and advocacy organization for New Jersey’s community colleges. He also teaches in Rowan University’s Doctorate Program in Community College Leadership. Nespoli previously served in a number of campus and state-level positions in Maryland and Pennsylvania. He has published extensively in the area of college finance and legislative trends, serves as a board member for several national community college organizations including the College Board’s Community College Advisory Panel, and is a frequent presenter at national, regional, and state conferences. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University, a master’s degree from Catholic University, and a doctorate from Penn State.
Richard Novak
Senior Vice President
Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB)
Richard Novak is Senior Vice President for Programs and Research, and Executive Director
of the Richard T. Ingram Center for Public Higher Education Trusteeship and Governance
at the Washington, DC – based Association of Governing Boards of Universities and
Colleges (AGB).
As senior vice president, he is a member of the association’s leadership team – overseeing
a division that provides consulting services; national, invitational and regional
programming; and research and policy analysis. While at AGB, Novak has directed special
initiatives on board and presidential leadership; led a multi-state study on the effectiveness
of public college and university governing boards; facilitated policy discussions
with boards and state policy leaders; and directed or co-directed studies in several
states, including Alabama, Maryland, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and New
Jersey.
Prior to joining AGB, he was on the staff of the American Association of State Colleges
and Universities for 13 years. Internationally, he has co-directed a project on governance
for the Ministry of Higher Education in Egypt funded by UNESCO, consulted with the
Ireland Higher Education Authority, and worked extensively in the Republic of the
Marshall Islands.
Jon M. Regis
President & CEO
Reliance Medical Group
Jon M. Regis, M.D. received his Bachelor and Medical Degrees from the University of North Carolina and completed his residency at Hahnemann Hospital and Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and began a professional career with Cooper University Medical Center in Camden, New Jersey, and Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, respectively. His keen sense of business application enabled him to assume the role of Ob/Gyn Medical Director at Episcopal Hospital, while subsequently acquiring the role of Medical Director at Vanguard.
Dedicated to the principle that “Access To Quality Healthcare Is a Right, Not A Privilege,” Dr. Regis developed a vision in 1985 to ensure that high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive medical services were provided to all patients, particularly those residing in primarily urban populations, and regardless of their ability to pay.
As a result of his dedication to service, as well as his careful evaluation of the needs of the communities, Dr. Regis developed RELIANCE MEDICAL GROUP (“Reliance”), a progressive, multi-specialty primary-care medical practice composed of a diverse, qualified team of medical professionals (i.e., physicians, mid-level providers and support staff) that, over the past two decades, have been committed to rendering a complete menu of services (i.e., Ob/Gyn, Pediatric, Family Medicine and Internal Medicine) to patients at several clinical facilities owned and/or operated by Reliance in various counties throughout New Jersey (i.e., Atlantic, Camden and Mercer).
Given Dr. Regis’ leadership in providing healthcare services to varied populations
and supporting local communities, he produced a worldwide division, known as RELIANCE
INTERNATIONAL, which has provided over $30 million in medical supplies, assistance,
and training to several countries outside of the United States. In such regard, Dr.
Regis has been invited into many West African nations to assist those governments
with revitalizing and/or establishing their respective healthcare delivery systems.
Sharon E. Schulman
Special Advisor to the President and
Executive Director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy
Stockton University
Sharon Schulman is the Special Advisor to the President and Executive Director of
the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. During her
tenure at Stockton she has held the positions of Chief University Relations and Marketing
Officer, Chief Executive Officer for External Affairs and Institutional Research,
Executive Director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, and Interim
Chief Development Officer and Executive Director of the Stockton Foundation.
Ms. Schulman has the overall strategic responsibility for the Hughes Center, including
its fundraising efforts, program expansion and execution of its mission. She also
coordinates special projects of strategic importance to the University on behalf of
the President. Ms. Schulman has a strong background and vast experience in public
relations, communications management, and regulatory and governmental affairs. Representative
of this expertise were her positions as Chief of Staff and Chief Executive Officer
at the NJ Board of Regulatory Commissioners and as Executive Director of the 1st legislative
district offices for NJ Assemblyman Edward H. Salmon.
Prior to joining Stockton, Ms. Schulman was President and CEO of Aqua New Jersey,
Inc., a State regulated water and wastewater provider. She served as Manager, Public
& Regulatory Planning, and Manager, External Affairs for Atlantic Electric in Pleasantville,
NJ, where she was responsible for short and long range strategic and corporate community,
governmental and regulatory planning. She was founder and principal of Spe-Schul Communications
of Vineland, NJ, a public relations, government affairs and advertising firm specializing
in service industries and political campaigns, and served as Executive Director for
the Bridgeton-Cumberland Tourist Association.
Awards and Appointments:
• 2012 “Woman of Distinction” Girl Scout Council of Southern/Central NJ
• 2004 Honoree of the South Jersey Cancer Fund
• 2001 Chair of Cumberland County Heart Walk, Amer. Heart Ass’n.
• 2000 Chair of Gloucester County Heart Walk, Amer. Heart Ass’n.
• 1998 Listed under “Intriguing Women of NJ Business,” Business News of NJ
• 1996 Honoree of “Salute to the Policymakers,” Executive Women of NJ
• 1994 “Women of Distinction” nominee, The Press of Atlantic City
• 1990 Honored as “Entrepreneur of the Year” – Southern NJ Development Council
Sharon holds a B.S. in Biomedical Communications, M.A. in Communications, and M.B.A./Marketing.
President & CEO
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
John B. Wilson is the president and chief executive officer of the Association of
Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey, and the Independent College Fund
of New Jersey. The Association is the trade association for New Jersey’s fourteen
independent colleges and universities, and the Fund is the corporate fund raising
consortium for those institutions.
Prior to his current assignment, Wilson served in various administrative positions
at Saint Peter’s College and Seton Hall University in external affairs and intercollegiate
athletics including nine years as the director of athletics at Saint Peter’s. He
is one of the founders of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Wilson attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, received his B.S. degree in economics
from Saint Peter’s College and an M.B.A. from Rutgers Graduate School of Management.
He earned a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law where he was editor of the
Journal of Sport Law, and was admitted to the New Jersey Bar upon graduation.
David Wolfe
Assemblyman
New Jersey’s 10th Legislative District
Assemblyman David W. Wolfe graduated from Westminster College in Pennsylvania with a B.A. in History in 1964 and went on to receive his Masters of Education and Guidance from the University of Delaware in 1967. Assemblyman Wolfe moved to New Jersey in 1969 and started his career at Ocean County College in Toms River as Professor of Psychology.
Assemblyman Wolfe was elected as Councilman for Brick Township from 1975 to 1991 and served as Council President from 1980-81 and 1987-88. In 1991, he was elected as New Jersey Assemblyman for the 10th Legislative district and has been representing the district for over 17 years.
He has served as Chairman for the Education Committee and Vice Chairman for the Joint
Legislative Committee on the Public Schools. He also serves on the Joint Legislative
Committee on Public School Funding Reform. Aside from education, he is also assigned
to the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee. He worked closely with the Governor's
(Whitman’s) Advisory Panel on Higher Education Restructuring in 1994.
During his time in office Assemblyman Wolfe has been recognized by many organizations
and schools, and has been honored by the NARFE, ASAH, COSAC, the Ocean County Council
Boy Scouts of America, and the Ocean County Bar Association. In 1995, he received
the Brick Township Republican of the Year Award. He has been given a Certificate of
Appreciation from Richard Stockton State College of New Jersey and Veterans Memorial
Elementary School.
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