Trenton, N.J. — Center for American Progress president and CEO Neera Tanden has been named to New Jersey’s Restart and Recovery Commission, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced at his daily press briefing today. The commission will examine ways to safely restart business and other critical operations throughout the state as well as develop policies for New Jersey’s short- and long-term economic recovery.
“Gov. Murphy has taken strong and proactive steps to flatten the curve and combat the coronavirus in New Jersey, and I am honored to serve on his Restart and Recovery Commission as the state develops a plan for gradually reopening its economy in the weeks and months ahead,” said Tanden. “Public health and the economy have to work hand in hand because the public is rightly focused on its safety. And as public health is addressed, and states safely reopen, we must ensure that we build back stronger and fairer. I look forward to working with Gov. Murphy and my fellow commissioners on this important task ahead.”
“This commission is made up of some of our state and nation’s sharpest intellects and Neera Tanden is at the top of that list,” said Gov. Murphy. “As we move toward restarting our economy, it is paramount that we protect both our public and our economic health. I truly believe there is no more well-suited group than this commission to help us achieve that goal.”
Tanden is the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, where she focuses on how the organizations can fulfill their missions to expand opportunity for all Americans. Tanden has also served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations as well as on presidential campaigns. Before leading American Progress, Tanden was the organization’s chief operating officer. She previously served as senior adviser for health reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; as director of domestic policy for the Obama-Biden presidential campaign, where she managed all domestic policy proposals; and as policy director for Hillary Clinton’s first presidential campaign, where she directed all policy work and oversaw the debate preparation process for then-Sen. Clinton (D-NY).
Tanden has led the development of several of CAP’s policy proposals related to the coronavirus, including “A National and State Plan To End the Coronavirus Crisis” and “Public Health Requires an Extraordinarily Aggressive Economic Response to Coronavirus Immediately—One That’s Larger Than What Many Imagine.”
Tanden joins the following individuals serving on Gov. Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Commission:
- Dr. Shirley M. Tilghman (Co-Chair) – Professor of Molecular Biology & Public Policy and President Emeritus of Princeton University
- Kenneth Frazier (Co-Chair) – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Merck & Co.
- Dr. Ben Bernanke – Distinguished Fellow in residence at the Brookings Institution and former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- Dr. Richard Besser – President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Evie Colbert – Founding board member and President of the Board of Montclair Film and Vice President of Spartina Productions
- Tony Coscia – Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and Partner and Executive Committee member of Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf law firm
- Jessica Gonzalez – Founder & Chief Executive Officer of InCharged, Founder of Experience VendX
- Dr. Jonathan Holloway – Incoming President of Rutgers University and former Provost of Northwestern University
- Lisa Jackson – Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple Inc. & former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Jeh Johnson – Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and Partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
- Charles Lowrey – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Prudential Financial, Inc.
- Denise Morrison – Founder of Denise Morrison & Associates, LLC and a Senior Advisor for PSP Partners. Former President and Chief Executive Officer of The Campbell Soup Company.
- William Rodgers – Professor of Public Policy and Chief Economist at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, former Chief Economist at the US Department of Labor
- Neera Tanden – President and CEO of the Center for American Progress and the CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund
- Reverend Dr. Regena Thomas – Director of the Human Rights and Community Relations Department of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and former New Jersey Secretary of State
- Richard Trumka – President of the AFL-CIO
- Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver* – Lt. Governor, State of New Jersey
- George Helmy* – Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Phil Murphy
- Judith Persichilli* – New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner
- Matt Platkin* – Chief Counsel, Office of Governor Phil Murphy
- Kathleen Frangione* – Chief Policy Advisor, Office of Governor Phil Murphy
*Ex Officio
To find the latest CAP resources on the coronavirus, visit our coronavirus resource page.
To schedule an interview with Tanden, contact Allison Preiss at [email protected].