South Jersey BIZ - Issue #2 (February 2025)

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SJBiz_Women to Watch_0225FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 2 / 10 / 25 1 : 02 PM Page 3 025 Monica Adya , Ph.D . Kym Leiby 2 DEAN AND PROFESSOR , RUTGERS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS DEVELOPER , THE LEREPCO IT tchGROUP BUSINESS – CAMDEN Employmentata global a As dean , Dr . Adya steers the brokerage firm was Leiby’s W school through strategic first lesson in the value of o growthofits tundergraduate strategic relationships . Af - n andgraduateprograms , ter a career shift and driven e bringing the multidiscipli - by her entrepreneurial spir - m nary perspective of a busi - o it , Leiby founded her own nesseducation and strong insuranceagency Wbefore commitmentto lifelong taking a career break to fo - learning to her role . She cus on family ; she returned chairsWomen Administra - to work and joined a global torsin Management Educa - professional services com - tion , a group designed to pany that specializes in support the professional helpingorganizations man - growthand mentorship of over 800 women academics in busi - age risk , finances and hu - ness . Dr . Adya also mentors female faculty through The Tenure man capital . Now at Lerperco , she brings the same drive and Project and serves on the boards of two nonprofits : SheTek , dedication . dedicatedto developing women IT professionals ; and the Greater Philadelphia YMCA . She received a teaching innovation The woman who inspired her . . . . award from the Decision Science Institute and an honorable Ona personal level , the woman who has inspired me the most recognition from the American Council of Education . is my mother . She was a beautiful Georgia peach who , along - side my dad , raised 10 kids . She was raised during the Jim The women who inspired her . . . . Crowera , and despite the challenges , education and hard work I’m inspired every day by women in many walks of life who have were always central in our household . She was a strong , deter - overcomeobstacles to move and pave the way for others — who minedwoman who loved baseball and was our biggest cheer - leadwith grace , dignity and an unshakeable commitment to leader . Her constant encouragement to work hard , stay fo - progress . Their resilience , courage and quiet determination cre - cusedand not worry about what others were doing has stayed atelasting change , sometimes without recognition . My mother with me throughout my life . Her strength and resilience shaped was such an inspiration through her transformative work as an whoI am today . educator in India . Abby Adams Catherine Frugé Starghill , Esq . GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR , ASSOCIATED VICE PRESIDENT , NEW JERSEY COUNCIL OF COUNTY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS OF NJ ( ACCNJ ) COLLEGES / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR , NEW JERSEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONSORTIUM FOR WORK - Adamshas been with ACC - FORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NJ for nearly seven years , Starghillcreated and imple - where she started her ca - mentedthe New Jersey Path - reerin communications but waysto Career Opportunities quickly developed an inter - statewideinitiative with over est in both New Jersey gov - 1,800industry and education ernment and its politics . partnersbuilding a stronger She takes great pride in economyby aligning educa - representing not only the tionwith workforce needs . ACCNJbut also union con - Becauseof the initiative , she tractors and the union con - helpedlaunch two industry - struction industry through specificworkforce develop - ongoing , boots - on - the - mentorganizations : the NJ ground lobbying efforts in FilmAcademy and NJ BioFu - New Jersey’s capital . tures . Starghill has hosted the Adams is a graduate of the University of Maryland College annual NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities Summit , where over Park and a resident of Asbury Park . 500industry and education partners learn from thought leaders fo - cused on education and workforce training to encourage stronger What she wishes she knew earlier . . . stateeconomies , innovative workforces and economic mobility . I wish I had realized at the beginning of my career that ‘ every - one has been here . ’ As the youngest person in the room , or the A female milestone she’d like to see … only woman , it is easy to let the self - doubt or fear of the learn - Thefirst — and maybe even the second — female president of the ing curve take over . But more often than not , those around me UnitedStates . We came close to this milestone at least twice , not were eager to help me grow and learn . Everyone had to start tomention Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 attempt . The power of women somewhere.I am lucky enough to have had my start at ACCNJ , tomanage careers , families , households , companies large and whereeveryone wants to see you succeed . small , and simultaneously keep themselves centered and com - posed is the all - encompassing power and self - control needed in the White House now more than ever . 18 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | VOLUME 15 ISSUE 2 | SouthJerseyBiz.net

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SJBiz_Women to Watch_0225FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 2 / 10 / 25 1 : 02 PM Page 4 Eunide Alexandre Kim Bezanis EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR , ZALLIE COMMUNITY FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR , HELPFORCE FOUNDATION Alexandreis both an educa - Bezanishad spent most of tor and entrepreneur who is her career in sales and mar - passionateabout support - ketingbefore becoming ex - ing others . She is the ecutive director at the Zallie founderof HelpForce , spe - CommunityFoundation . Her cializing in facility support guiding desire to serve oth - services . She is also the ers is especially helpful in managingpartner of Help - leading a nonprofit focused Force & Bartkowski JV LLC , on food insecurity , health focusedon general con - educationand helping com - struction and renovations for munities thrive . In addition federalgovernment proj - to her work with the non - ects . Born outside the U.S . profit organization , Bezanis and raised in Brooklyn , she started her first business immediate - hasbeen involved in many ly after high school and has since developed multiple ventures . communityorganizations , Shehas served on many boards and also founded a wellness served on the Medford Lakes Board of Education for 12 years , group for individuals with Parkinson’s disease . She holds a mas - andis both a member and current president of the Medford - ter’s degree in education and applied behavior analysis from VincentownRotary Club . Arizona State University . The woman who inspired her … On finding the right career path . . . Katherine Graham , like many women in the 1960s , lacked fe - Ihave always been fascinated by how the human mind works . malerole models when , after her husband’s unexpected death , This curiosity started while walking home from junior high , she took the reins and became publisher of The Washington sparkingmy psychology studies in undergrad and grad school , Post . Despite initial struggles for credibility , her tenacity led to and later I earned a master’s in education . Simultaneously , I dis - great success in what was very much a man’s world . Facing covered a childhood passion for entrepreneurship , which I have deaththreats , she courageously published the Pentagon Pa - pursuedever since , combining my interest in human psychology pers , exposing Watergate and contributing to President Nixon’s with my entrepreneurial drive . resignation . I greatly admire her determination and fearless pur - suit of the truth . Amber Perry , PMP , CISA Amy Vazquez Jahmara Smith VICE PRESIDENT OF REGULATORY VICE PRESIDENT , EMPLOYERS STRATEGY AND SERVICES , PEPCO ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY ( EANJ ) PROJECT MANAGER , CAMDEN COMMUNITY HOLDINGS / ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC PARTNERSHIP ( CCP ) Withover Amarketing professional Perryover - twodecades seesregula - specializing in brand equity , ofexperience torypro - atEANJ , digitalengagement and ceedings Vazquezhas strategiccommunications , andclean - playeda key Smithoversees media , mes - energypro - rolein ad - sagingand communications grams , as vancingits whilemanaging social me - wellas ener - mission , from dia platforms , websites , the gyacquisi - managingspecial projects to serv - CamdenWorks Job Board tionprocesses across Pepco . She ingas interim president . She has and the Camden Invincible developsstrategic positions with a drivenstrategic initiatives , support - multistakeholder view , maximiz - newsletter . She leads mar - ededucational outreach and fos - ingthe impact of the company’s teredpartnerships to ensure agility keting efforts for initiatives investmentsin jurisdictions sup - andgrowth . Her leadership is built likeCamden Works , match - portingcustomers and communi - ontransparency , collaboration and ing residents to job opportunities , and Connect the Lots , linking ties the utility serves . Perry is the innovationto deliver value to residentsto Camden's parks and spaces through art and com - presidentof the board and devel - stakeholders . munity activities . Smith is a skilled graphic designer and content opmentcommittee lead for Taste - creator , strengthening CCP's brand awareness and engage - WiseKids , and established a A female milestone she’d like to ment . STEMGemsafter - school see … program . Ihope to see the first female presi - The importance of celebrating wins and sharing struggles . . . dent.Representation matters , and The importance of celebrating havinga woman serve in our na - Acknowledgingthe challenges helps us remain aware of the wins and sharing struggles … tion’shighest leadership role work that still needs to be done while celebrating our achieve - Womenleaders bring such rich wouldinspire future generations ments , which reminds us of our progress and what's possible . and unique experiences to all tocontinue breaking barriers and Focusing solely on the challenges can be discouraging , but if that we do . Sharing a balanced reimaginewhat’s possible . It’s not we only emphasize our wins , we risk overlooking the existing perspective on the wins and justabout making history : It’s real barriers . Both aspects drive change : Challenges inspire ac - struggles of women gives clarity aboutcreating a world where tion , and successes provide motivation . We deserve to be rec - to what it takes to drive impactful women’svoices and perspectives ognized for how far we've come while continuing to push for andsustainable growth and arefully recognized and valued in changein the workplace . what still needs to change . shapingpolicy and progress . SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 15 ISSUE 2 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 19

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