Emerge New Jersey proudly celebrated the graduation of its sixth class with a ceremony held at
The Breakers Hotel in Spring Lake, New Jersey on Saturday, June 29, 2019. The premier
training organization, which provides Democratic women with the skills needed to run for and
win elected office, selected seventeen dynamic women from across the state to participate in its
program this year. Over the course of five months, the women attended sessions where the
topics covered ranged from messaging to campaign strategy and fundraising.
“It was an absolute privilege to develop a challenging and comprehensive program for the
talented and accomplished ENJ cohort of 2019, and I look forward to witnessing their future
achievements. Being the Program Director for this outstanding organization is an honor for
which I am very grateful,” said Geri Jannarone, Emerge New Jersey Program Chair.

The event hosted Democratic party dignitaries from throughout the state. Spring Lake Mayor
Jen Naughton welcomed the attendees which included Democratic State Chair John Currie,
Democratic State Vice-Chair and Somerset County Chair Peg Schaffer, Essex County Chair
Leroy Jones, Monmouth County Chair David Brown, and Warren County Chair Tom Palmieri.
Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake (D; LD33), a graduate of the Emerge NJ inaugural class
herself, presented the graduates with a resolution congratulating them from the New Jersey
State Assembly. Also present were Freeholders Brendan Gill (Essex) and Angel Estrada
(Union) and Council Members Edina Brown (Oldbridge), Nicole Gillespie (Moorestown), and
Bob Drasheff (Spring Lake) . Earlier that day, Hillside Mayor Dahlia Vertreese (Emerge NJ, class
of 2016) addressed the graduates in their final session.

The event’s featured speaker, Atlantic County Freeholder Ashley Bennet inspired the graduates
and attendees with the story of her own unlikely political run in 2017 after her own local
representative made disparaging remarks about the women attending the Women’s March. She
encouraged the graduates to support other women and to lift their sisters as they rise. Quoting
Shirley Chisholm who encouraged women to bring a ‘folding chair’ in the absence of a seat at
the table, Freeholder Bennet asked them to “bring two – one for you and one for the woman
behind you.”

The following women graduated from the 2019 Emerge New Jersey program:Ketsia Beaubrun,
Monmouth County; Amanda Brunt, Camden County; Elizabeth Cano, Union County; Rachel
Ehrlich, Morris County; Keri Giannotti, Passaic County; Shawn Hunter, Essex County; Suchitra
Kamath, Middlesex County; Lizethe Martinez, Somerset County; Rupande Mehta, Morris
County; Medinah Muhammad, Essex County; Ore Obiwumi, Morris County; Cara Parmigiani,
Morris County; Nichelle Santos, Monmouth County; Ayanna Taylor, Somerset County; Roberta
Walters, Somerset County; Gina Wardlow, Middlesex County; and Carolyn Williams, Monmouth
County.

With the addition of the 2019 class, Emerge New Jersey has now successfully graduated 99
women from its political training program. To learn more about Emerge New Jersey and how to
get involved, visit www.emergenj.org.

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About Emerge
Emerge has one goal: To increase the number of Democratic women in office who are reflective of the incredible diversity of the Democratic party by recruiting, training and providing a powerful network. Since 2002, Emerge has trained over 4,000 Democratic women to run for office and currently, 690+ Emerge alumnae serve in office.