Three new members have been elected the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH). The new members, Evan Collier, Aaron Fichtner, and Christie Henry, will serve three-year terms.
Evan Collier brings a wealth of government affairs expertise to NJCH, which functions as the the Garden State’s primary advocate for state and federal support for the humanities. Currently a government relations professional with Easterseals New Jersey, Collier previously served as Chief of Staff in the New Jersey General Assembly and worked in healthcare policy for the New Jersey Hospital Association.
In addition, he is president of Brothership Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to educating, elevating, and empowering men through mentorship, professional development, and leadership opportunities. He currently serves as the head cross country and track & field coach at Wilmington Friends School in Wilmington, Delaware, and previously coached collegiate basketball and track at Saint Elizabeth University. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University and a master of studies from Fordham University School of Law.
Aaron Fichtner, President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC), joins NJCH as it continues to deepen its work with the state’s community colleges. Governed by the presidents and trustees of the state’s 18 community colleges and enshrined in state law, the NJCCC supports the state’s community colleges and the more than 230,000 students they serve by fostering collaboration, building broad partnerships, and developing innovative solutions that expand economic and educational opportunity and create a skilled workforce to drive economic growth.
Prior to joining the Council, Fichtner served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development from September 2016 to January 2018. Before joining state government, Fichtner was the director of research and evaluation at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. Fichtner earned a Ph.D. in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers University, a master’s degree in city planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s degree in history from Vassar College.
Christie Henry brings deep experience in humanities, publishing, and higher education to the Board of the Council. She is Director of Princeton University Press, a global nonprofit mission-driven publisher that has been committed to books in the humanities since its foundation in 1905. Henry has three decades of publishing experience, and she is committed to community and collaboration in support of knowledge making and exchange. During her time at PUP, the Press has launched an Audio book imprint, expanded its global publishing, and enhanced its community engagement.
Christie serves on the boards of the Association of American Publishers, the International Publishers Association, as well as the Princeton Public Library Friends and Foundation Board, the Rutgers University Press Council, The Center for Humans and Nature Board, and several other organizations committed to the sustainability and ongoing impact of the book ecosystem. She also teaches publishing in courses and institutions around the world.
“NJCH is delighted to add such talented and devoted humanists to the Board,” said executive director Carin Berkowitz, Ph.D. “We are grateful for their willingness to serve, particularly at this time, when the public humanities can bring so much value to our civic landscape.”
