Fighting for a seat

Who runs N.J.? It’s still mostly men. Powerful boards lack women, despite Murphy’s pledge for diversity.
Some states have laws requiring or encouraging state boards and commissions to have a 50/50 split between men and women. New Jersey is not one of them.
By Kelly Heyboer | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com and Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

At her first meeting as a new commissioner of the state Sports and Exposition Authority, Karen Kessler said officials handed her a gift.

It was a men’s necktie.

Learn More
About the Authors
Kelly Heyboer
Kelly Heyboer is an investigative reporter at NJ Advance Media. She has covered education, immigration, religion, sexual harassment and other topics.
Susan K. Livio
Susan K. Livio is a Statehouse reporter covering health, social policy issues and politics.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.