New Jersey Leadership Collective Unveils Class of 2026 Fellows

TRENTON, N.J. — Today, the New Jersey Leadership Collective (NJLC) proudly announced its incoming Class of 2026 Fellows, a diverse and dynamic cohort of emerging leaders committed to advancing progressive values across the Garden State.  Through the NJLC Academy, fellows receive intensive leadership development, mentorship, and access to a statewide network that prepares them to lead in public service, advocacy, electoral politics, and community organizing.

“At a moment when our democracy and working families are under sustained attack, New Jersey needs leaders who are grounded in their communities and ready to fight for justice,” said Mayrose Wegmann, President of NJLC. “The Class of 2026 reflects the very best of our state—leaders who bring lived experience, moral clarity, and an unwavering commitment to building a more equitable New Jersey.”

“NJLC has always been about more than leadership training; it’s about building power that lasts,” said Rob Matos-Moran, Vice President of NJLC. “This class represents the next generation of organizers, policymakers, and public servants who will drive the progressive movement forward with urgency, integrity, and vision.”

The incoming Class of 2026 includes 25 fellows, reflecting the diversity and strength of New Jersey’s progressive leadership pipeline. Sixty percent of the cohort identify as women, 32 percent as LGBTQ+, and 64 percent as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Fellows bring expertise from a broad array of fields, including education, environmental sustainability, science and research, law, nonprofit advocacy, government, and politics.

The Class of 2026 Fellows includes the following changemakers (listed in alphabetical order). Biographies and photographs are available at https://www.newjerseyleaders.org/2026-fellows

1.    Dash Barany

2.    Matthew Brodsky

3.    Alexandria Butler

4.    Brenda Codallos Tepepa

5.    Alysia Colon

6.    Amanda Diamond

7.    Axel Esquivel

8.    Jen Garcia

9.    Adrian Ghainda

10.  Alex Hao

11.  Elesia L. James

12.  Hana Katz

13.  Cass Lainez

14.  Noelle Lee-Turner

15.  Brandon Mathieson

16.  Liselle Montrose

17.  Andrew Park

18.  Luke Pavlov

19.  Awn Rizvi

20.  Gretel Rodriguez

21.  Jocelyn Rojas

22.  James Rosenstein-Hopkins

23.  Sara Jane Samuel

25.  Lance Taylor

24.  Katy Temple

NJLC’s Founding Board of Directors includes:

• Mayrose Wegmann

• Rob Matos-Moran

• Jose Calves

• Intashan Chowdhury

• Anthony Covington

• Erik Cruz Morales

• Ruth Delgado

• Madelaine (Laine) Hicks

• Fatima Heyward

• Viri Martinez

• Medinah Muhammad

• Victoria Pacheco

New Jersey Leadership Collective (NJLC) is a leadership development organization that supports rising progressive leaders through training, mentorship, and networking. Founded in 2011 as New Leaders Council–New Jersey, NJLC is guided by founders Justin Braz and Jackie Cornell and now has more than 300 alumni statewide. NJLC advances its mission through advocacy, issue-based organizing, and public education. Learn more at www.newjerseyleaders.org.