Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Members

Kathy A. Goldenberg

Kathy Goldenberg
President
Appointed in 2017
Moorestown, Burlington County

  • President, State Board of Education, 2019-Present
  • Vice President, State Board of Education, 2018-2019
  • Moorestown Citizen of the Year, 2018 
  • President, Moorestown Township Public Schools Board of Education, 2015-2017
  • Vice President, Moorestown Township Public Schools Board of Education, 2011-2015
  • Member, Moorestown Township Public Schools Board of Education, 2007-2017
  • New Jersey School Board Association, 2007-2017
  • New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Voting Member, 2015–2017
  • New Jersey School Board Association Legislative Committee Member, 2016-2017
  • Moorestown Education Foundation, Trustee Member, 2005-2007; 2011-2017
  • Garden State Coalition of Schools, 2006-2017
  • Moorestown Breakfast Rotary, Member, 2016-present
  • President, Moorestown Home & School Association, 2005-2007
  • NWH Investments Company L.L.C., 2001-2006
  • Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 1982-1994
  • B.B.A., Business Administration – Finance & International Business, The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, 1982
  • Principal Flute, Philadelphia Doctors Chamber Orchestra, 1997-present
  • Married, two children

 

 

Nedd James Johnson, Ed. D.Nedd James Johnson, Ed.D.
Vice President
Appointed in 2017
Pittsgrove, Salem County

  • Vice President, State Board of Education, 2024-present
  • Recruiter/Instructor for Rowan University College of Education
  • Assistant Superintendent, Bridgeton Public Schools, 2011-2016
  • Principal, Vineland Public Schools, 2006-2011
  • Assistant Principal, Vineland Public Schools, 2002-2005
  • Principal LEAP Academy Charter School, 2001-2002
  • Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction, Millville Public Schools, 1999-2001
  • Elementary School Principal, Millville Public Schools, 1997-1999
  • District Guidance Supervisor, Millville Public Schools, 1996-1997
  • Administrative Guidance Counselor, Millville Public Schools, 1994-1996
  • Director of Guidance, Vineland Public Schools, 1992-1994
  • Guidance Counselor/Resource Coordinator, Pittsgrove Township Pubic Schools, 1988-1992
  • Social Studies Instructor, Pittsgrove Township Public Schools, 1983-1988
  • Life Member, NAACP
  • Member, Pittsgrove Township Board of Education, 2007-2010
  • Ed.D., Educational Leadership Rowan University, 2016
  • M.A., School Administration, Rowan College, 1996
  • M.A., Student Personnel/Guidance,  Glassboro State Collee, 1989
  • B.A., Education/History, Glassboro State College, 1982
  • Married, two children

 

Arcelio Aponte

Arcelio Aponte 
Appointed in 2005
Piscataway, Middlesex County

  • President, State Board of Education, 2010-2014; 2017-2019
  • Vice President, State Board of Education, 2006 - 2010
  • Senior Vice Chancellor for Administration, Economic Development and Chief Financial Officer, Rutgers University-Newark
  • Former Vice Provost for Finance and Administration, Rutgers University, Newark
  • Former Director of Operations for Economic and Housing Development, City of Newark
  • Former National President, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc.
  • Leadership New Jersey, 2004
  • Member, Newark Regional Business Partnership Board
  • Member, La Casa de Don Pedro Board
  • Member, Newark Downtown District Board
  • Member, Salvation Army Advisory Board
  • Former Treasurer, University Academy Charter High School Board of Trustees
  • M.A., Business Administration, Rutgers University, Graduate School of Management
  • B.S., Electronic Engineering Technology, The College of New Jersey
  • Married, two children 

 

Mary G. Bennett
Mary G. Bennett
Appointed in 2024
Irvington, Essex County

  • Educational Consultant/Adjunct Faculty, Academy for Urban Transformation,  Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, 2007-2019
  • Adjunct University Instructor and Education Mentor, Montclair State University, 2007-present
  • Executive Director, Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) Newark, New Jersey, 2001-2013
  • Senior Fellow/Lead Facilitator, National Center for Urban Partnerships (NCUP), Bronx Community College and indLovu Partnership for Lifelong Learning, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (USDOE), 1999-2002
  • Principal, Malcolm X Shabazz High School, Newark, New Jersey, 1989-1999 
  • Vice Principal, Malcolm X Shabazz High School, Newark, New Jersey, 1988-1989 
  • Program Director, Newark Boared of Education, Newark, New Jersey, 1968-1988
  • Vice Principal, West Side High School, Newark, New Jersey, 1983-1986
  • English Language Arts Teacher, Barringer High School, Newark, New Jersey, 1973-1993 
  • Rutgers, the State University, Master degree in Curriculum Development, New Brunswick, New Jersey 
  • Douglass College, Bachelor of Arts, Rutgers the State University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 
  • Credentialing (Teacher, Supervisor, Principal, Assistant Superintendent, Business Administrator)

Mary Beth Berry

Mary Beth Berry
Appointed in 2017
Clinton, Hunterdon County

  • Director/Career Navigator, Aspire Career and Transition Services LLC, 2021-present
  • Transition Services, 12+ Program Coordinator, Hunterdon Prep, 2017-2020
  • Career Development Coordinator, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional School District 1994-2015
  • Special Education Teacher, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional School District 1989-1994
  • Special Education Teacher, Delaware Valley Regional High School, 1987-1989
  • Special Education Teacher, Hunterdon Development Center, 1982-1987
  • M.Ed., Special Education, East Stroudsburg University, 1994
  • B.S., Special Education, Marywood University, 1982
  • Married, five children

 

Elaine BobroveElaine Bobrove
Appointed in 2018
Westmont, Camden County

  • Adjunct Professor, Camden County College, 1982-1999
  • Vice President/President Camden County College of UAFNJ 1995-Fall 2017
  • Owner/Director, Haddonfield Tutoring & Testing
  • Teacher, Lenape Regional High School
  • President, United Adjunct Faculty of New Jersey
  • Higher Education Leadership Council
  • Vice President, American Federation of Teachers New Jersey
  • Member, American Federation of Teachers of Higher Education Program and Policy Council Member
  • Vice President & then President Camden County College Chapter of UAFNJ, 1995-Fall 2017
  • M.Ed., Rutgers University, Camden, 1982
  • B.A., University of Rochester, New York, 1960-1961
  • NYU, New York, 1959-1960
  • ABD, Widener University

 

Ronald K. ButcherRonald K. Butcher, Ph.D.
Appointed in 1990
Glassboro, Gloucester County

  • Vice President, State Board of Education, 2010–2011
  • President, State Board of Education, 2007-2008
  • Vice President, State Board of Education, 1999-2003
  • Retired Faculty & Administrator, Rowan University
  • President and CEO, Ronald K. Butcher & Company, S.P.
  • President and CEO, EcoDeC, Inc.
  • Broker-Associate, Parkeplace Realty, Inc.
  • B.S., Business Education, Western Michigan University
  • M.A., Education Leadership, Eastern Michigan University
  • Ph.D., Educational Administration and Supervision, University of Michigan
  • Married, three children

 

Jack FornaroJack Fornaro
Appointed in 2011
Oxford, Warren County

  • Director, Constituent Relations, NJ State Legislature, 1999-present
  • Member, New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling, 2004-2010
  • Investment Securities Counselor, Jeffrey Matthews financial Group, LLC., 1997
  • Mortgage Consultant, Beneficial Finance/Household, 1998-1999
  • Interim Business Administrator, Township of Mahwah, 1992
  • Senior Field Representative/Investigator, NJ Department of Community Affairs, 1982-1991
  • Staff Investigator, Division of Criminal Justice, Drug Diversion Investigation Unit, 1974-1975
  • CEO, Private Detective Agency, 1970-1981
  • Staff Investigator for Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Morristown, NJ 1970-1981
  • Patrolman, Morristown Police Department, Morristown, NJ, 1968-1970
  • M.A., Public Administration, Rider University
  • B.A., Political Science, Rutgers University
  • A.A., Criminal Justice, Morris County College

 

Image of Claudine KeenanClaudine Keenan, Ed.D.
Appointed in 2024
Galloway, Atlantic County

  • Interim Vice Provost, Stockton University, 2023-present
  • Dean of Education, Stockton University, 2012-2024
  • Atlantic County Woman of Distinction, American Association of University Women, 2024
  • President, New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 2017-2019
  • Member, New Jersey State Program Approval Council, 2013-2019
  • Northeast Regional Chair, AACTE Council of State Representatives, 2018-2021
  • Education Honoree, Atlantic County Women’s Hall of Fame, 2018
  • Member, Garden State Coalition of Schools, 2012-2015
  • Co-founder, New Jersey American Association of University Women Tech Trek Camp 2015-present
  • Fellow, Lead New Jersey, 2009
  • Site Evaluation Visitor, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 2008-present
  • Married, three children

Jeanette Peña
Jeanette Peña
Appointed in 2024
Union City, Hudson County

  • Educational Director of Special Education and Organizational Accountability, Board of Education, Union City, New Jersey, 2022-present
  • School Psychologist, Board of Education, Jersey City, New Jersey, 2000-2022
  • School Psychologist, Board of Education, Newark, New Jersey, July 1999–August 1999 
  • School Psychologist, Board of Education, Paterson, New Jersey, 1998-2000
  • Adjunct Professor,  Psychology Department, Hudson County Community College, Jersey City, New Jersey, 1994–2000  
  • Youth Counselor, Safe Haven Program, Union City, New Jersey, 1993–1998 
  • Social Worker, Saint Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey, 1992-1993                             
  • Trustee, Hudson County Community College, Jersey City, New Jersey, 2012-present
  • President, Union City Board of Education, Union City, New Jersey, 2008-2021
  • Trustee, Union City Board of Education, Union City, New Jersey, 2003-2008
  • Commissioner, Union City Redevelopment Agency, Union City, New Jersey, 2001-2003
  • Standardization Examiner, Stanford – Binet Intelligence Scales – Fifth Edition and Bender Visual – Motor Gestalt Test – Second Edition, 2002
  • Member, American Psychological Association 
  • Member, National Association of School Psychologists
  • Principal CE and Supervisor Certificate, School Administrator CE, NJExcel, Monroe Township, New Jersey, 2019-2020 and 2022-2023, respectively
  • Professional Diploma in School Psychology, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, New Jersey, 1995-1997
  • M.A. Education, Psychological Studies, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, 1992-1994
  • B.A. Psychology, Rutgers, University, Newark, New Jersey, 1988-1992
  • Married, with one child

Joseph Ricca, Jr., Ed.D.Joseph Ricca, Jr., Ed.D.
Appointed in 2017
Morristown, Morris County

  • Superintendent of Schools, White Plains City School District, 2017-present
  • Superintendent of Schools, Elmsford Union Free School District, 2013-2017
  • Superintendent of Schools, East Hanover Township School District, 2009-2013
  • Vice President, Southern Westchester, CSA, 2017
  • Member, County College of Morris Board of Trustees, 2011-present, Chair 2015-2017
  • Ed.D., Educational Leadership/Educational Administration, Walden University, 2010
  • M.A., Educational Leadership/Educational Administration, Caldwell College, 2005
  • M.Ed., Specialized: Administration, Planning, Social Policy, Human Development and Psychology, Harvard University, 2003
  • B.S., History and Education, Seton Hall University, 2000

 

Image of Ahmed SheataAhmed Shehata
Appointed in 2024
Linden, Union County

  • Assistant Superintendent of Business, Clifton Public Schools, Present
  • Member, Union County Improvement Authority, 2020-present
  • Community Servant of the Year, Rutgers University, 2018
  • Member, Linden Board of Education, 2018–2021
  • Alumni Committee Member, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2017-present
  • Delegate, Muslim Student Delegate at the Student Conference on U.S. Affairs in West Point, 2015
  • Member, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, 2014–present
  • M.B.A., Data Analytics, Seton Hall Stillman School Business, 2023
  • M.P.A., Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration, 2018
  • B.S., Criminal Justice/Political Science, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2016
  • Certificate in American Politics and Public Policy, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2016