(Camden, NJ) – The New Jersey Council for the Humanities announces that six new members were recently elected to its Board of Trustees. The Council welcomes Rosa Farias, Tony Iacono, Ph.D., Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, Rabbi Michael Perice, Lourdes Tango, and Audrey Truschke, Ph.D. to the governing body of the organization. They each have strong ties to and experience with the humanities. All six new members will take an active role in promoting the Council in their own communities and in promoting the public humanities throughout the state.
Members of the NJCH Board of Trustees undertake important governance, fiduciary, and advisory responsibilities and play a key role in fundraising and advocacy. All members foster the advancement of the NJCH mission – to harness the power of the humanities to strengthen our society.
These newly elected members bring a wealth of expertise and talent to their service to NJCH, the independent, nonprofit state partner of the National Endowment of the Humanities.
Rosa Farias is the Deputy Executive Director for New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). In her role as Deputy Executive Director, she is responsible for overseeing strategic initiatives in community development for the Authority. Prior to joining the CRDA, Rosa was the Deputy Executive Director and Policy Director for the Atlantic City Initiatives Project Office (ACIPO). She graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She went on to earn her master’s degree, graduating summa cum laude from the Rutgers University – School of Public Affairs and Administration in Newark.
Tony Iacono, Ph.D., is the third president of County College of Morris (CCM). Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Indian River State College (IRSC) in Fort Pierce, FL, where he was a core member of the team that helped IRSC earn recognition by the Aspen Award Committee as one of the top three community colleges in the nation. Tony began his career in education as a professor of History. He is a first-generation college student who received his Ph.D. in American History from Mississippi State University, his M.A. and B.A. in American History from the University of Central Florida, and his Associate in Arts in General Studies from Indian River Community College.
Assemblywoman Carol Murphy is serving in her first term as State Assemblywoman representing the Seventh Legislative District, comprising parts of Burlington County. Elected in 2017, Carol became the first woman in twenty years to represent the Seventh Legislative District in the state assembly and is the first Democrat from Mount Laurel to ever serve in the state legislature. She has become a leader in the General Assembly as she serves as Vice-Chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee, and a member of both the State Budget and Financial Institutions committees. Carol is on the Board of Directors of the Alice Paul Institute, serves as a New Jersey State Director for the National Foundation of Women Legislators, continues as an active member of the Girl Scouts Trefoil Society and is the founder of Maria’s Women United, a South Jersey organization for Democratic women.
Rabbi Michael Perice is currently serving as the Senior Rabbi at Temple Sinai of Cinnaminson. He was ordained from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College with a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters (M.A.H.L.) and the title of Rabbi. In 2015, Michael was named one of the top 20 emerging leaders in the Southern New Jersey region for his rabbinic work. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Temple University.
Lourdes Tango is an experienced training and development professional and executive coach with over 15 years of experience in the areas of cultural competence, diversity and inclusion. She regularly collaborates with Fortune 500 and mid-size companies, health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, educational and financial institutions, governmental entities and non-profit organizations to foster the development of dynamic multicultural environments. Lourdes holds a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Multinational Corporate Studies from Upsala College.
Audrey Truschke, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of South Asian History at Rutgers University in Newark. She is also an activist and historian. Audrey authored three books: Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court (2016), Aurangzeb (2017), and The Language of History: Sanskrit Narratives of Indo-Muslim Rule (2021). Audrey received her Ph.D. in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies from Columbia University and earned a B.A. in Religious Studies from University of Chicago.
“The NJCH Board of Trustees oversees the work of the Council and ensures access to the public humanities for the residents our state,” said Executive Director Carin Berkowitz, Ph.D. “These newest trustees are extremely accomplished in their own areas of work and are passionate, longtime advocates for the public humanities across New Jersey and beyond. We are very honored to welcome them onto the NJCH board.”
Elected members of the NJCH Board of Trustees can serve up to two terms. Each term is three years. They also participate on at least one committee.
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About the New Jersey Council for the Humanities
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities is a nonprofit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. NJCH harnesses the power of the humanities to strengthen our pluralistic society. We envision a New Jersey that delights in diversity, appreciates that there are no easy answers, and finds joy and understanding in the humanities. We work statewide with cultural and community organizations to bring dynamic programming to the local level.
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