NJ ASPA Honors Ten Public Servants and Eight Graduate Students at Its 2026 Annual Awards Reception

Eighth annual ceremony held at Saint Peter’s University draws more than 50 attendees during National Public Service Recognition Week

JERSEY CITY, N.J., May 14, 2026 — The New Jersey Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (NJ ASPA) honored ten distinguished public servants and eight outstanding graduate students at its 2026 Annual Awards Reception on Wednesday evening at Saint Peter’s University’s MacMahon Student Center in Jersey City. More than 50 public servants, civic leaders, academics, and students attended the event, which was held as part of National Public Service Recognition Week.

The evening opened with remarks from Saint Peter’s University President Hubert Benitez, D.D.S., Ph.D., who spoke to the university’s Jesuit mission of service and its deep commitment to preparing students for lives of meaning and public purpose. Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea also addressed the gathering, reflecting on the breadth of public service talent within Hudson County and recognizing the many employees whose daily work sustains the quality of life residents depend on. Also in attendance was Joseph Greer, Director of the Office of the Executive Ombudsperson for the New Jersey Civil Service Commission.

NJ ASPA President Timothy J. Hoffman presided over the ceremony. Reflecting on the nature of public service, Hoffman observed: “In public service, when everything works perfectly — sometimes no one notices at all. The trains run, the permits are processed, the services are delivered. Sometimes a great tragedy is averted, and no one knows what could have happened. The greatest compliment is often silence.” He added: “We honor today’s practitioners and, with our students, tomorrow’s hope.”

2026 Award Recipients

The following individuals were recognized at the 2026 Annual Awards Reception:

• Dr. Julia Sass Rubin, Associate Dean, Director of the Public Policy Program, and Professor at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy — NJ ASPA Academic Excellence Award

• Junior Maldonado, Hudson County Clerk; Richard Turner, Mayor of Weehawken; and Kevin Walsh, former Acting State Comptroller — NJ ASPA President’s Award for Public Service

• Stephen Marks, Township Manager of Montclair — NJ ASPA Distinguished Public Service Award in a Government Organization

• Dr. Jamila T. Davis and Angelo Pinto, Esq., co-founders of the Institute for Research on Social Justice and Action — NJ ASPA Distinguished Public Service Award in a Non-Profit Organization

• Abraham Antun, County Administrator, Hudson County — NJ ASPA Distinguished Public Service Lifetime Award

• Brent Johnson, lead politics reporter and statehouse correspondent for NJ Advance Media, The Star- Ledger, and NJ.com — NJ ASPA Excellence in Public Affairs Journalism Award

• Olorunfunmi Adebajo — NJ ASPA Public Service Early Career Award Eight graduate students were also honored with the NJ ASPA Public Administration Student of the Year Award, each nominated by their respective MPA or MPP program:

• Velissa Melendez, Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Sebastian Alvarez, Kean University
• Maninder Singh, Rutgers University–Camden
• Juan Flores-Serrano, Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Bloustein School
• George Zapata, Rutgers University–Newark, School of Public Affairs & Administration
• Jordan Clarke-Sherman, Seton Hall University
• Stephanie Daniels, Saint Peter’s University
• Shep Brown, Thomas Edison State University

Sponsors and Supporters

The 2026 Annual Awards Reception was made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:

Public Service Champions ($500): Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy; Seton Hall University MPA Program; Fairleigh Dickinson University, School of Public and Global Affairs Academic Partners ($250): Rutgers University–Camden, Public Policy and Administration; Kean
University, Public Affairs; Rutgers University–Newark, School of Public Affairs and Administration; Thomas Edison State University; Saint Peter’s University; Maraziti Falcon LLP Civic Supporters ($100): Donald Goncalves, Roseanne Mirabella, Malcolm Oliver Community Friends ($50): Timothy Hoffman, Bok Jeong, Marc Pfeiffer, Gregory Stankiewicz, Abdur Yasin.