Following Governor’s Lead, Acting Treasurer Muoio Assembles Diverse, Women-led Treasurer’s Office

TRENTON – Underscoring Gov. Murphy’s commitment to diversified leadership, Acting State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio has assembled a senior staff team in the Treasurer’s Office headed up primarily by women with extensive government and private sector expertise in budgeting and finance.

“I’m extremely proud of the team we have assembled in terms of the level of expertise they bring to the table, as well as the diversity of their backgrounds,” said Acting Treasurer Muoio.  “The depth and breadth of their experience will be invaluable as we tackle the fiscal challenges facing our state and work to implement Governor Murphy’s vision of a stronger and fairer New Jersey.”

If confirmed by the State Senate, Muoio will be only the second woman confirmed as State Treasurer in New Jersey’s history.  Additionally, this would mark the first time two women have been sworn in to serve as Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer in a permanent capacity.

An attorney, Muoio spent the last decade guiding public policy as the former Director of the Mercer County Office of Economic Development and Sustainability.  She has also served as an elected official at the local, county and state level – first as a Pennington Councilwoman, later as a Mercer County Freeholder, including stints as Chair and Vice Chair and, until recently, as a member of the General Assembly where she served on the Assembly Budget, Commerce and Economic Development, and Judiciary committees. 

Heading up her leadership team will be Catherine Z. Brennan as Deputy Treasurer, overseeing matters pertaining to state budget and appropriations, revenue and taxation.  Brennan brings with her a wealth of experience in matters related to the state budget, having spent the last nearly 25 years working on revenue and finance matters for the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services (OLS).  During her tenure with OLS, she spent eight years as committee aide to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and also served as aide to the Joint Legislative Committee for Constitutional Reform and Citizens Property Tax Constitutional Convention during the 2006 Special Session on Property Tax Reform. Most recently, Brennan served as Chief of the Revenue, Finance and Appropriations Section at OLS.

After two decades in financial services, Dini Ajmani joins the Treasurer’s Office as Assistant Treasurer, tasked with overseeing the divisions of Public Finance, Pension and Benefits, Investments, Lottery, and Risk Management.  During her tenure at various banks, she led the marketing effort directed at institutional clients such as mutual fund managers.  As a graduate of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and a former legislative fellow for Finance and Economic issues for Sen. Cory Booker, she brings a strong understanding of financial markets and macroeconomic issues to her new role.

Joann Povia joins the team as Chief of Staff for the Treasurer’s Office, bringing with her a wealth of both public and private sector experience, having most recently served as Chief of Staff for Muoio’ s legislative office.  In this capacity, she directed Muoio’ s legislative agenda and oversaw research, constituent relations and intergovernmental relations.  Prior to that she served more than a decade as Director of Research and Special Projects for the Mercer County Board of Freeholders after serving many years in executive management for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

Jennifer Keyes-Maloney joins the Treasurer’s Office as Director of Legislative Affairs and Constituent Relations.  She brings with her substantial budget and policy experience after serving as the Assistant Director for Governmental Relations for the New Jersey Principal and Supervisors Association for the last nine years.  Prior to that, Maloney, an attorney, worked for the New Jersey Judiciary as a legislative liaison for the Administrative office of the Courts and also has extensive project management experience, including serving as the Fiscal Compliance Officer for Philadelphia’s Children’s Investment Strategy.  She is also serving her second term as a Councilperson for the Township of Ewing.

Jennifer Sciortino joins the Treasurer’s Office as Director of Communications after spending the past 12 years serving the legislature as Deputy Communications Director for the Assembly Majority Office and previously as Press Secretary to the Senate President in the Senate Majority Office.  Prior to that she served as a Deputy Press Secretary in the Governor’s Office during the administration of Richard Codey, and held communications positions with the State Health Department and the City of Perth Amboy.

Sirfaraz Piracha joins the team as Special Assistant to the Treasurer, charged with focusing on revenue and finance related initiatives.  Prior to joining the Treasurer’s Office, he worked in the private sector helping to build early stage technology companies both in the United States and abroad. He also worked on statewide campaigns in both Virginia and New Jersey, most recently serving on New Jersey’s Victory 2017 coordinated campaign, as well as Transition 2018 for the Murphy administration. He holds both a BA and an MA from Rutgers University.

Muoio also announced several new divisional hires.  Michael Kanef, who spent the past decade as Chief Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Officer at Moodys Investor Services, has been appointed the new Director of the Division of Public Finance.  Additionally, Martin Poethke, who has almost three decades of experience as the principle revenue analyst for the Office of Legislative Services, will head up the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Revenue and Economic Analysis.