Celebrating 40 years of advancing women’s leadership!

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Salute to the Policy Makers

This year’s Salute to the Policy Makers Gala was extremely special. It commemorated our milestone 40 year anniversary, and it was our first in-person gala since 2018. We were joined by Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver and over 300 guests who came to celebrate 32 of New Jersey’s most high-achieving women leaders. We’re enormously grateful to our Honorary Chair Ralph Larossa, COO of PSEG, and our keynote speaker, Dr. Chris Pernell, Chief Strategic Integration and Health Equity Officer at University Hospital.

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Salute to the Policy Makers 2022 Honorees

  • Erin Abreu

    Deloitte

  • Jennifer T. Becker, CEPA

    Mariner Wealth Advisors

  • Tabatha L. Castro, Esq.

    The Castro Firm

  • Karen Cleeve

    Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)

  • Amy Cradic

    NJ Resources

  • Shacara N. Delgado, Esq.

    Realogy Holdings Corp.

  • Susan K. Dromsky-Reed, Esq.

    Brach Eichler LLC

  • Miri Forster

    Eisner Advisory Group LLC

  • Rebecca Moll Freed, Esq.

    Genova Burns LLC

  • Adrienne D. Gonzalez, Esq.

    Bristol Myers Squibb Company

  • Rachel A. Gonzalez, Esq.

    Day Pitney LLP

  • Shirell A. Gross, Esq., CLC

    Medtronic

  • Xiomara Guevara, Esq. MPA

    Greater Bergen Community Action

  • Catie Hall, CPA, CIA

    PwC

  • Zenola Harper, Esq.

    Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

  • Beth Jolly

    Campbell Soup Company

  • Natalya Johnson, Esq.

    Johnson & Johnson

  • Indu Lew

    RWJBarnabas Health

  • Theodora McCormick, Esq.

    Epstein Becker & Green

  • Kendra Morris

    Veolia North America

  • Mary Lou Panzano

    Bayer

  • Chris T. Pernell, MD, MPH, FACPM

    University Hospital

  • Lisa S. Presser, Esq.

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

  • Ruth A. Rauls, Esq.

    Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP

  • Ramona Romero, J.D.

    Princeton University

  • Shelley R. Smith, Esq.

    Archer & Greiner, P.C.

  • Faith Taylor

    Kyndryl

  • Oya Tukel, Ph.D.

    New Jersey Institute of Technology

  • Jessica Viotto

    PNC Bank

  • The Honorable Tahesha Way, J.D.

    New Jersey Department of State

  • Albertina Webb, Esq.

    Hill Wallack LLP

  • Renada M. Williams, Esq.

    The Vitamin Shoppe

Exceptional industry leaders

EWNJ President Anna Maria Tejada, Esq.

Every other year, we host the gala to give companies the opportunity to celebrate the enormous benefit of gender diversity. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we postponed our 2020 gala, and this year, the gala will be held in person, but we will take every precaution to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. We will comply with the recommendations of the CDC and the New Jersey Department of Health. Proof of vaccination will be required for attendance.

Our biennial report on gender diversity proves that, along with stronger financial performance, companies with more women on their boards have fewer governance-related issues such as bribery, corruption, shareholder battles, and fraud.

New generations of women leaders

Most importantly, Salute raises funds for the EWNJ Graduate Merit Award Program, which is focused on ensuring new generations of women leaders. Our Graduate Merit Award Program has provided tuition assistance to nearly 350 women who were non-traditional graduate students at New Jersey colleges and universities.