Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Members of the Highlands Council are assisted in their policy-setting and decision-making by a professional staff that is dedicated to ensuring the Council has what it needs to protect natural resources, preserve the character and vitality of the Highlands and fulfill the Council's obligations under the Highlands Act and the Regional Master Plan.

Staff members also serve as liaisons to municipalities and counties that are engaged in the Plan Conformance process. This ensures that municipal and county officials and their professionals have dedicated points of contact within the Highlands Council staff for any Plan Conformance or other Highlands-related matters.

Glenn Acker, Information Systems Coordinator

Herbert August, Manager of Grants Administration

Allison Bittner, Principal Planner

Kelley Curran, Science Manager

Carole Ann Dicton, Communications Manager

Kyli Engle, Communications Specialist

Casey Ezyske, Water Resource Management Specialist

Sarah Friend, Environmental Scientist 

Gabrielle Gallagher, Chief Counsel

Maryjude Haddock-Weiler, Planning Manager

Neda Hartman, Senior Counsel

Alex Hascha, Resource Management Specialist

James Humphries, Director of Planning and Science

Carolyn Klaube, Senior Resource Management Specialist

Ranji Persaud, Manager of HR, Fiscal and Office Services

Corey Piasecki, Principal Planner

Benjamin L. Spinelli, Executive Director

Weston Strubert, GIS Specialist 

Diana Swiderski, Adminstrative Assistant

Annette Tagliareni, Executive Assistant

Tom Tagliareni, Manager of Information Systems

Jocelyn van den Akker, GIS Manager

Elizabeth Ward, Regional Planner and Land Preservation Coordinator