Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti serves as Chief of Staff to Governor Philip D. Murphy.

Diane comes to this role with over 40 years of experience in public service. She spent 21 years at the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, where she rose in the ranks from Contract Administrator to Executive Director. During her tenure, she oversaw administrative operations, led negotiations with collective bargaining units, and played key roles in initiatives such as E-ZPass System remediation and the consolidation of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and New Jersey Highway Authority.

Prior to becoming the Commissioner of the NJDOT, she served as the Executive Director and CEO at Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, where she managed more than 460 centerline miles and a five-year capital program. 

As NJDOT Commissioner, Gutierrez-Scaccetti has managed the largest-ever capital program in state history, awarded significant construction contracts and agreements, and supported communities during the pandemic with mobile vaccination efforts and charitable drives. In her capacity as NJDOT Commissioner, she serves as Chair of NJ TRANSIT, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the NJ Transportation Trust Fund Authority, and Vice Chair of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

Gutierrez-Scaccetti is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) and currently serves as the Chair of the AASHTO Committee on Transportation Communications (TransComm). She served as the 2022 President of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) and is the Immediate Past President on the IBTTA Executive Committee and Chair of the IBTTA Nominating Committee. She currently serves as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and Chair of The Eastern Transportation Coalition (formerly the I-95 Corridor Coalition).

Gutierrez-Scaccetti holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Science degree from Rutgers University.

Parimal Garg serves as Chief Counsel to Governor Philip D. Murphy.

From 2018 to 2020, Parimal served as Deputy Chief Counsel, advising the Governor on a variety of matters affecting his Administration, including legislation, executive orders, litigation, regulations, and public policy issues.

Prior to becoming Deputy Chief Counsel, he served as a Senior Policy Advisor during the 2017 gubernatorial campaign, helping formulate the campaign’s substantive positions. Prior to joining the campaign, he clerked for New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. He previously worked as an attorney at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in Washington, DC, where his practice focused on antitrust matters, financial investigations, and appellate arguments.

Parimal received his B.A. from Georgetown University, magna cum laude, and J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude. He grew up in Lawrenceville, NJ and resides in Montclair, NJ.

Dennis Zeveloff serves as the Chief Policy Advisor to the Governor.

He previously served as Deputy Chief Policy Advisor and has worked in the Governor’s Policy Office since the start of the Murphy administration in January 2018. During his time in the Governor’s Policy Office, he helped launch major initiatives, coordinated state and federal spending proposals, and oversaw the composition of several of Governor Murphy’s budgets. Prior to the administration, Zeveloff worked on Governor Murphy’s 2017 campaign and his transition team. Before he returned to his home state, he focused on education and community and economic development policy.

Zeveloff received his B.A. from Dartmouth College, cum laude, and his J.D. and M.B.A from Yale University.

Tim Hillmann serves as Governor Murphy’s Principal Deputy Chief of Staff

Previously, Tim served as the Governor’s Director of Appointments. Prior to joining the Murphy Administration in 2019, he spent nine years on the staff of Senator Bob Menendez, rising to the position of Deputy State Director. 

He is a graduate of Fordham University and resides in Metuchen with his wife Catherine, son Owen, and dog Gus.

Sam Parker (she/her) serves as Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way and Director of Appointments for Governor Murphy.

Sam is an organizational and political professional with extensive experience in strategic planning, civic engagement, and collaborative partnership building. Before joining the Murphy Administration in March 2021, she served as the Development and Political Affairs Director for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide. Sam also worked as Congressman Frank Pallone’s Deputy Campaign Director (2013) and Deputy Field Director for the New Jersey State Democratic Committee’s Victory Campaign (2012). 

Prior to her return to her home state in 2012, Sam worked for organizations such as The National LGBTQ Task Force, Human Rights Campaign, EqualityMaine, and Equality North Carolina on LGBT+ issue campaigns all over the country. Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Southern Maine and a Master's degree in Public Policy and Management and a certificate of Social Justice and Economics from The Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine.

A graduate of Teaneck High School, Sam was born and raised in Bergen County, and currently resides in Monmouth County with her partner, daughter and two dogs. 

Andrea Katz Spevak serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Governor Murphy.

Andrea has served in the Murphy Administration since January 2018 as Chief of Staff and then Deputy Commissioner for Operations at the Department of Human Services. She previously worked on the legislative side of the statehouse as Associate General Counsel at the Assembly Majority Office and as Chief of Staff to former Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle. She also worked in private practice as an attorney. 

She holds a B.A. from George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and a J.D.  from Seton Hall Law School. She was born and raised in Bergen County and resides in Cherry Hill with her husband and daughter.

Aaron J. Creuz serves as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor and Director of the Governor’s Authorities Unit. Aaron joined the Governor’s Office in 2021 and served as Senior Counsel to the Governor handling labor and workforce matters, consumer affairs, civil service, and the information technology and innovation portfolios. In this role, Aaron managed legislative, regulatory, and policy initiatives relating to these subject matter areas. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Aaron worked at a global law firm specializing in labor and employment law. He previously served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Department of Law and Public Safety counselling and representing state entities regarding labor enforcement, best employment practices, and employee relations issues. Aaron served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Deborah Silverman Katz, A.J.S.C. He earned his B.A. from The College of New Jersey, magna cum laude, and J.D. from Rutgers Law School, cum laude

Lisa Almeida serves as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor.

Previously, she served as Senior Counsel, advising the Governor on consumer affairs, environment, and energy matters. Prior to joining Counsel’s Office, Lisa focused on environmental litigation and policy. She worked for the Environmental Practice Group of the Division of Law within the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General for many years with an emphasis on environmental enforcement litigation, solid waste licensing, and Superstorm Sandy recovery. She graduated from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware and from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

Matthew Berns serves as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor.

Berns previously served as Chief Counsel in the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. In that role, he oversaw civil legal matters for the Department, including providing oversight for the Division of Law, the Division on Civil Rights, and the Division of Consumer Affairs. From 2018 to 2021, Matt served as Counsel and Senior Counsel to the Attorney General. Before joining the Office of the Attorney General, he spent three years at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as a Trial Attorney in the Federal Programs Branch of the Civil Division. Matt previously worked as an associate at Covington & Burling in Washington and clerked for Judge Thomas B. Griffith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Law Journal.

Carolyn Cannella currently serves as Deputy Chief Policy Advisor to the Governor.

Prior to this role, she served as a Senior Advisor on Economic Growth, where she helped drive key economic development initiatives across the state, including infrastructure, real estate, and clean energy projects, notably supporting the State’s offshore wind initiatives and related port and supply chain investments. Prior to the Governor’s Office, she worked at VF Corporation and Goldman Sachs. 

Carolyn received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. She grew up in Bayonne and resides in Jersey City.

Jayné Johnson serves as the inaugural Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, an office charged under Executive Order 265 to develop and support a statewide infrastructure for equity that covers State departments, personnel employed by the State, and recipients of State funds. Through the coordination of policymaking processes within and across State government, guidance to the Governor and State leaders, and the development of a strategic plan with measurable benchmarks, the office works to strengthen the State workforce and improve outcomes for the people of New Jersey.

Johnson joined the Governor’s Office with over 15 years of legal, policy, and advocacy experience working in the nonprofit sector and in State government. She has led strategic policy reforms, managed teams, and forged collaborative partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups to implement initiatives that result in productive, mission-driven processes and systems.

A licensed New Jersey attorney, Johnson earned her JD from Rutgers University Law School in Newark and a B.A. in International Studies from Oakwood University

Stephanie Lagos serves as Chief of Staff to First Lady Tammy Murphy and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor

Previously, she was a Senior Policy Advisory to the Murphy for Governor campaign. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Assemblyman Schaer.

Stephanie holds a Master’s of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science from Christopher Newport University. She served for over two years in the United States Peace Corps working on environmental sustainability and diplomacy.

Michelle DeAngelo serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations to the Governor. Prior to that, she served as Director of Operations and Director of Scheduling, Advance, and Briefings in the Governor’s Office. As Deputy Chief of Staff, she coordinates the creation and execution of the Governor’s public events. DeAngelo also served as the Director of Scheduling for Murphy for Governor in 2017. She previously worked for the Office of Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. in Paterson New Jersey from 2008 until 2017, as well as Pascrell for Congress as Deputy Campaign Manager in 2016. DeAngelo was born and raised in New Jersey and is a graduate of Montclair State University.

Emy Quispe, a proud Latina, joined the Murphy for Governor campaign as Deputy Director for Latino and Faith-Based Outreach in 2021 before becoming the Director of Legislative Affairs in the Governor’s Office in 2022. Prior to joining the Murphy Administration, she worked as New Jersey Political Coordinator for Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ. She has also served as Policy Advisor and Director of Community Relations to New Jersey Assembly Majority Conference Leader Annette Quijano. Quispe has held significant roles in statewide and county-wide nonprofit organizations championing education and social equity and has served as a mentor to teens in her hometown. She holds dual degrees in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University and Union College.

Eric Brophy serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth, managing economic affairs for the Governor’s Office.

Previously, Mr. Brophy served as Senior Advisor for Economic Growth in the Governor’s Office and as Executive Director of the Educational Facilities Authority.

Prior to his service in the Murphy Administration, Mr. Brophy was a partner at Diegnan & Brophy, LLC, where he practiced municipal law and civil litigation. Mr. Brophy is a graduate of the University of Scranton and Seton Hall University School of Law.  

Mr. Brophy was born and raised in New Jersey and is a resident of Monmouth County, where he lives with his wife, two sons and dog Eli.

Natalie Hamilton serves as Press Secretary to the Governor. Prior to her role as Press Secretary, Hamilton served as Deputy Press Secretary, handling a portfolio of various departments and issues, overseeing the Governor’s television appearances, and coordinating messaging for weather emergencies. She first joined the Governor’s in 2019 as a Communications Intern, and later served as Press Intern during the 2021 gubernatorial campaign. After, she joined the Administration full-time as a Press Assistant. In October 2023, she took a leave from the Administration to serve as Communications Advisor to Brandon Presley’s gubernatorial campaign in Mississippi. Hamilton graduated magna cum laude in 2021 from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and concentration in Public Relations.

Assad Akhter serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs to Governor Philip D. Murphy.

Assad joined Governor Murphy’s Administration in 2022 where he originally served as the Senior Director for Government Affairs where he oversaw the work of the Governor’s Legislative Affairs team as well as the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, the Appointments Office and the Office of Constituent Relations.

Assad graduated from Seton Hall University in 2003 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the School of Diplomacy and International Relations.

After graduating from college Assad went to work on Capitol Hill.  His first position was with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), where he ended up staffing her assignment on the House Science Committee.  Then in 2006 Assad went to work for Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), where he ended up serving over the course of 11 years in both his Washington and New Jersey Congressional offices.  In his capacity as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Congressman, he was directly responsible for managing the local district offices and staff for the 9th Congressional District of New Jersey. Before that assignment, Assad served as the Legislative Director in the Washington, DC office where he oversaw the Congressman’s legislative agenda and staff as he was tasked with coordinating the Congressman’s position on the House Ways & Means Committee, as well as staffing his assignment on the House Homeland Security Committee.

Assad served as the Director of Community Outreach for St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson from 2017-19 and then as the Director of Public Affairs at University Hospital in Newark from 2019-2022.

Assad served five years as a County Commissioner on the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners from 2016 to 2021. He was the first South Asian and the first Muslim in the history of Passaic County to be elected to a county-wide position.

Assad currently resides in Paterson with his wife Saira Hussain Akhter and their two daughters, Aya and Faiza.

Rob Field currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) for Governor Phil Murphy and oversees outreach to elected officials at the federal, county, and municipal levels across the state. 

Field previously served as Director of IGA and both an Aide and a Senior Aide in IGA since the Governor took office in January of 2018. 

Prior to serving in the Murphy administration, Field has held roles on numerous political campaigns for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, Legislative District 16 Democrats, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and former South Bend Indiana Mayor and current United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg during his race for the Chair of the Democratic National Committee. 

Immediately prior to working in the Governor’s Office, Field served as an aide and speechwriter for Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and began his career in New Jersey working for the Somerset County Democratic Committee.