TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey Policy Perspective’s (NJPP) Board of Trustees announced today that NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen will become the organization’s next President, succeeding Nicole Rodriguez, who is stepping down after four years in the role.
Rodriguez’s departure is a personal decision, unrelated to her work at NJPP. Her partner has accepted a position at Yale University, and the family is relocating to Connecticut. Rodriguez will remain as President until Chen takes over September 14.
Chen’s background in NJPP’s research and policy work informed the Board’s confidence in his readiness for the role.
“NJPP’s Board is thrilled to name Peter as our next President,” said NJPP Board Co-Chair Adriana Abizadeh-Barbour. “His deep knowledge of New Jersey policy and his commitment to NJPP’s mission make him the right leader to build on the organization’s momentum.”
“We are equally grateful to Nicole for four years of strong leadership,” said Board Co-Chair Jon Shure. “She guided NJPP to notable state policy wins while strengthening internal operations and helping build an organizational culture of autonomy and mutual accountability.”
“I’m honored to take on this role and grateful for Nicole’s leadership over the past four years,” Chen said. “NJPP’s impact comes from a talented team, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to policy that improves people’s lives in New Jersey. I look forward to building on that foundation.”
“Leading NJPP has been one of the great privileges of my career,” Rodriguez said. “I’m proud of what we’ve built together, and I’m leaving with complete confidence in the organization and enthusiasm for what’s next in my own life. NJPP’s strength has never depended on one person. It comes from an extraordinary team, trusted partnerships, and a shared belief that good policy can improve people’s lives.”
During her tenure, working with partners across the state, NJPP secured major policy wins for New Jersey families, including full funding for public schools, the “mansion tax” on high-priced home sales, advancing immigrant rights protections, and defending reforms that strengthen democracy.
Nicole joined NJPP in 2019 as Research Director and became President in 2022, succeeding Brandon McKoy.
Chen joined NJPP in 2021 and has focused on tax and budget policy. His research and advocacy helped lead to the creation of the state’s first-ever Child Tax Credit, which puts thousands of dollars back into the pockets of working families across New Jersey. His work also helped spearhead the Corporate Transit Fee, a tax on large corporations that provides dedicated funding for NJ Transit.
Before joining NJPP, Chen was Policy Counsel at Advocates for Children of New Jersey, where he also served as a Skadden Fellow. He holds a JD from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University-Bloomington, and served as a law clerk for Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
New Jersey Policy Perspective, founded in 1997, is a trusted source for legislative and executive branch policymakers, advocates, journalists, community leaders, and residents seeking evidence-based solutions to New Jersey’s most pressing challenges.
NJPP is a member of the State Priorities Partnership, a national network coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and is recognized as one of the country’s most effective state-based policy organizations. Over the years, NJPP has played a role in enacting progressive state policies, including the state’s first “millionaires’ tax,” a $15 an hour minimum wage, adoption and improvement of Paid Family Leave, an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, expansion of SNAP and TANF, reform of corporate subsidies, increased opportunities for undocumented residents, and statewide Earned Sick Days.
###
