The Chair of the Council is Victor R. McDonald, III, an adjunct Professor of Political Science at Rider University, who served in the Legislative branch of State government for over 30 years until his retirement in 2002. During that time, Mr. McDonald held research and managerial positions with the Senate Republican office, including that of Executive Director, and did extensive work in such areas as local mandates (including the concept of the Council) and local government.  Other Council Members include:

Leanna Brown, Chair of Brown Global Enterprises and a syndicated Columnist and Political Commentator, who is also Chair of the New Jersey Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights and a Commissioner on the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.  A graduate of Smith College, Ms. Brown previously served in the New Jersey State General Assembly (1980-1983) and Senate (1983-1993), and was a Commissioner on the New Jersey Casino Control Commission from 1993 until 1999;

Timothy Q. Karcher, Vice Chair of the Council, is a partner at the law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP in the firm's New York office, who specializes in business finance, corporate governance, and restructuring law.  Mr. Karcher is a graduate of Rutgers Law School, Newark, NJ;

Rita E. Papaleo, works in Recruitment and Training for Google, Inc. in New York City. Ms. Papaleo is a graduate of Northwestern University, and holds a Master of Arts in International Education from New York University. She previously held positions with UBS Financial Services, Weehawken, and Sandford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC, New York City, where she worked on international equity research and sales;

Ryan J. Peene, public affairs associate with Capital Impact Group, Trenton.  A graduate of Rutgers College, and 2005 undergraduate associate in the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Mr. Peene is currently pursuing his Masters of Non-Profit Administration from the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business.  Mr. Peene also has worked on the campaigns of candidates for federal and State office, is a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawthorne and member of The Columbians of Northern New Jersey.  He was previously Special Assistant in the Office of Bergen County Executive;

Sylvia B. Pressler, presiding judge of the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court for twenty years until her retirement in April 2004. A graduate of Rutgers Law School, Newark, Judge Pressler was first appointed to the bench in 1973 and began serving in the Appellate Division in 1976. She is author and editor of the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey, a Commissioner of the New Jersey Law Revision Commission, Vice Chair of the Supreme Court Committee on the Rules of Evidence and Chair of the Committee on Civil Practice;

Jack Tarditi, of Conner Strong Companies, LLC, Cherry Hill.  A graduate of Lycoming College, with an MBA from Drexel University, Mr. Tarditi served in the municipal government of Haddonfield for over 27 years, as Borough Commissioner (1978 - 2005) and Mayor (1981 - 1997).  He was also Co-chair and Member of the Legislative Committee of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities and President of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors.  He currently serves on the boards of many private, public and community service organizations; and

Janet L. Whitman, Mayor of Summit from 1988 to 1995, who also served for six years as a member of that city's Common Council, and was President of the Union County League of Municipalities and a member of the Executive and Legislative Committees of the State League of Municipalities.  A graduate of Skidmore College, she is currently Chair of the Skidmore College Board of Trustees.