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Women's Political Caucus of NJ
2015 Passion * Power * Progress
Awards Ceremony
January 15, 2015
Hyatt Regency, New Brunswick NJ
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Read moreHonoring Gilda M. Morales, Recipient of the President's Award
Women's Political Caucus of NJ
2015 Passion * Power * Progress
President Award Honoree
Gilda M. Morales
Project Manager, Information Services
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
Gilda Morales is project manager of information services at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). She is responsible for the research, collection and organization of current and historical information about women's political participation nationwide. Managing teams of student workers and volunteers year-round, Gilda plays a pivotal role at the heart of the Center. Steeped in knowledge about women candidates and officeholders, she regularly responds to inquiries from the media, scholars, activists, officeholders and the general public. Prior to joining the CAWP team, Gilda worked in banking for more than twenty years as an accountant.
Gilda earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science and women's studies from Douglass College, Rutgers University and a master's degree in public administration at Rutgers University. After completing her own studies, Gilda remained active on campus as a member of the Institute for Women's Leadership (IWL) Leaders Scholars Program Board (2002-2007) and as an advisor to the Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey at Rutgers University (1995-present). Each year, the Department of Women's and Gender Studies presents the Gilda Morales Award for Outstanding Student Activist in her honor.
Serving as a leader and engaging other women in the political process has been a constant in Gilda's life since 1990 when she and 24 other aspiring women leaders in business, government and higher education were invited to participate in the Hispanic Women Leadership Institute.
She currently serves as a member of the Piscataway Township Zoning Board of Adjustments (2012-present) and Middlesex County Democratic Committeewoman (2007-present). To elevate the political prospects of women of Hispanic heritage, she helped found Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE), now the LUPE Fund, Inc., serving on their board of directors from 1999 through 2013. Over the years, she has served in a variety of leadership roles with the National Women's Political Caucus and Women's Political Caucus-New Jersey, including:
- National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC): Political Planning Committee (1999-2005, 2007-2012); Vice President, Political Planning Committee (2009-2011); and Vice Chair, Hispanic Caucus (1997-1999).
Honoring NJBIA Recipient of the Corporate Award
Women's Political Caucus of NJ
2015
Passion * Power * Progress
Corporate Award Honoree
In February 2010, the Association reached its centennial milestone, marking a century of service to New Jersey business.
NJBIA is proud of its history of promoting women to leadership positions in business. For more than 100 years, NJBIA has been committed to helping New Jerseyans achieve their potential through entrepreneurship, education and workforce training.
Honoring William Palatucci Esq., Recipient of the Good Guy Award
Honoring Senator Cory Booker, Recipient of the Good Guy Award
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Women's Political Caucus of NJ 2015 Passion * Power * Progress Good Guy Award Honoree
Honorable Cory Booker U.S. Senate U.S. Senator Cory Booker is connected to the people he serves and the challenges they face every day. He has spent 16 years in public office focused on addressing the vital needs of New Jersey families by putting partisanship aside to get things done. Cory was raised in Harrington Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. A star athlete at Northern Valley High School in Old Tappan, he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Stanford University, where he also played for the football team. While at Stanford, he ran a crisis hotline for students and worked with disadvantaged youth in East Palo Alto. He then attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar where he managed a student tutoring and mentoring program in a disadvantaged community. Cory went on to Yale Law School, where he helped lead free legal clinics for New Haven residents. After earning his law degree, Cory moved to Newark, where he served on the Newark City Council and lived for eight years in Brick Towers, a low-income housing complex. In 2006, he was elected to his first of two terms as mayor of Newark. He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community. Cory won a special U.S. Senate election in October 2013 to complete the term of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg and became New Jersey's first African-American senator. In November 2014, he won reelection to the Senate. Cory serves on the Senate's Commerce, Science and Transportation, Small Business and Entrepreneurship and Environment and Public Works Committees. In his short time in the Senate, Cory has worked across the aisle to sponsor sweeping legislation to reform the nation's broken criminal justice system, passed legislation to ensure veterans with traumatic brain injuries received the medical care they deserve, and has fought to ensure women receive fair treatment in the workplace and full control over their personal health decisions. |
Honoring Paulette Brown, Esq., Recipient of the Mary Philbrook Award
Women's Political Caucus of NJ 2015 Passion * Power * Progress Paulette Brown, a labor and employment law partner and chief diversity officer with the Morristown, N.J., office of Edwards Wildman Palmer, is president-elect of the American Bar Association.
Brown has held many positions throughout her career, including as in-house counsel to a number of Fortune 500 companies and as a municipal court judge. In private practice, she has focused on all facets of labor and employment and commercial litigation.
Brown has been recognized by the New Jersey Law Journal as one of the prominent women and minority attorneys in the State of New Jersey and by the National Law Journal as one of "The 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America." She has received the New Jersey Medal from the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and currently serves on its Board of Trustees.
Brown has repeatedly been named as a New Jersey Super Lawyer and by US News as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the area of commercial litigation. In 2009, Brown was a recipient of the Spirit of Excellence Award from the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. In 2011, she was honored with the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.
Brown earned her J.D. at Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. at Howard University.
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January 15, 2015 Hyatt Regency, New Brunswick NJ 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Please join us for a cocktail reception as we honor the following recipients:
Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Peg Schaffer, Esq.
Carol Murphy Award The Honorable Mary E. O'Dowd, M.P.H
Mary Philbrook Award Paulette Brown, Esq.
Good Guy Award William J. Palatucci, Esq.
Corporate Award NJBIA
President's Award Gilda M. Morales |
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Honoring Chairwoman Peg Schaffer, Esq. Recipient of the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award
Chairwoman Peg Schaffer, Esq. Managing Principal, Shain Schaffer & Rafanello, P.C. Somerset County Democratic Chair
Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey Expresses Condolences on Passing of Former Congresswoman Marge Roukema
The Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey (WPCNJ) wishes to express its deepest condolences to the family of former Congresswoman Marge Roukema. Roukema was a trailblazer as New Jersey's longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives and the dean of the New Jersey congressional delegation. When Roukema retired in 2003, she was the last woman to represent New Jersey in the congressional delegation until Congresswoman elect Bonnie Watson Coleman's historic win last week.
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The Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey Congratulates Congresswoman-elect Bonnie Watson Coleman for her Historic Election to Congress in New Jersey's 12th District
On November 4th, Congresswoman-elect Bonnie Watson Coleman became the first African-American woman elected to the New Jersey delegation and the first woman elected in over a decade. First elected to the Assembly in 1997, Watson Coleman has spent her career as a proven leader fighting for the women, families, and working people of New Jersey. Amongst her many achievements, she fought to increase the minimum wage and to pass the Paid Family Leave Act. Congresswoman-elect Watson Coleman became the first African-American woman to serve as Assembly Majority Leader and as the Chair of the New Jersey State Democratic Committee.
"Congratulations to Bonnie Watson Coleman on her historic win. She has been a proven fighter for women's issues during her service in the Assembly. Her skills and leadership will be of great benefit to the people of New Jersey," said Michel Bitritto, WPCNJ President. "As an organization, WPCNJ is excited for the advancements made in the mid-term Congressional elections, with a record 100 women serving in the House and the Senate. However, there is still much work to be done and we are proud to have Congresswoman-elect Watson Coleman paving the way for the future of women in politics."
National Women’s Political Caucus Endorses Bonnie Coleman Watson for New Jersey's 12th Congressional District
National Women’s Political Caucus Endorses Bonnie Watson Coleman for New Jersey's 12th Congressional District
Washington, DC - The National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) proudly endorses Bonnie Watson Coleman as Representative for New Jersey’s twelfth Congressional District.
“Throughout her career, Bonnie Watson Coleman has demonstrated her passion for women’s rights,” said NWPC President Linda Young. “She will no doubt bring the same dedication to the House of Representatives.”
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