Education  |  Work Experience  |  Organizing

Education:  Present & Past

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2019:

2018:

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2016:

2015:

Institutional:
Hofstra University:  2002 – 2006
B.A Management
B.A Marketing

Professional Experience

Cohen Eye Institute:  Director of Business Development | October 2019 – Present

Summary:  Cohen Eye Institute is a multi-practice medical care institution that brings together some of the industries greatest talents in ophthalmology and optometry.  Headed by renowned ophthalmologist Dr. Ilan Cohen, we help improve the visions of tens of thousands in the NY and NJ area.  Currently the organization is working on a revolutionary new way to deliver eye care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Rivers For Assembly:  State Assembly Candidate – NJ LD17 | March 2019 – June 2019

Summary:  With the support of activists from my community, I launched a bid for State Assembly in New Jersey’s 17th district.  We challenged an 18+ year incumbent as a Progressive in the Democratic Primary Election.  We developed the most comprehensive policy platform of any candidate, raised over $20,000 from 120+ donors – accepting no corporate or special interest money, developed a volunteer base of over 70 active volunteers, and earned 1876 votes from the ~9000 voters who participated.   I was one of eight candidates endorsed by the OurRevolution national chapter and received support and endorsement from Food & Water Action.

Skills Implemented:  Strategic Planning, Policy Development, Team Building/Recruiting, Network Building, Public Speaking, KPI creation & management, Advertising/Marketing, Event Management, Event Marketing

Knowledge Gained: Campaign Planning & Analytics, Volunteer Recruitment/Management, Fundraising, Canvassing, Messaging, New Jersey Political Infrastructure

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OurSociety.org:  Founder/Executive Director | May 2017 – Present

Summary:  OurSociety is a non-partisan, 501c3 non-profit, founded to remove the financial and network barriers associated with running for local office.  In 2018 we launched our free Local Election Campaign Platform where any candidate can obtain a free profile to post their policies, plans, and vision for the future in both video and article format.  Designed with the citizen user experience in mind, we developed a social value matching algorithm to match citizens to candidates based on our growing pool of questions.

Our research program discovered that in 2018 77% of candidates running for local office in New Jersey had no online presence about their campaign.

Skills Implemented:  Strategic Planning, Brand Creation, Web/App Development Planning, Team Building/Recruiting, Network Building, Public Speaking, Advertising/Marketing, Event Management, Event Marketing

Knowledge Gained:  Grassroots Organizing, Basic MySQL Management, Likert Scale Algorithm methodology,  UX Design Theory, Government Operations, Developer Management

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Love2brew Homebrew Supply:  Founder/CEO  |  Oct. 2011  – March 2019

Summary:  Love2brew was founded to help home beer and wine makers have a better experience sourcing their supplies both online and in the state of New Jersey.   We accomplished this mission by creating a website focused on user experience when, at the time, none existed.  Our service levels are considered industry best, our prices are fair, our shipping is free and fast, and we have a knowledgeable and dedicated staff who take pleasure in helping people learn a new skill and make some delicious beer.  Love2brew is a current industry leader in our space with one of the most visited websites and known brands.  In 2019 Love2brew was acquired and my tenure with the organization ended.

Skills Implemented:  Strategic Planning, Brand Creation, Team Building/Recruiting, Network Building, Sales, Excel, Sales Forecasting, Budgeting, HTML, Presentation Development, Public Speaking

Knowledge Gained:  Web Advertising (Google, Facebook), Bookkeeping (Quickbooks), Logistics, Operations Management, Supplier Negotiations, Beer Brewing, Wine Making, Auditing, Brewery Equipment, Event Management, Event Marketing

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Bematech:  VP – North American Sales  |  May 2009 – April 2011

Summary:  Bematech is a Brazilian technology manufacturer that acquired the company Logic Controls here in the U.S. during 2008/2009.  The U.S. division imported, manufactured, and sold restaurant technology hardware such as Pole Displays, Point Of Sale Systems, Receipt Printers, and Kitchen Display Systems.  My first sales role was the management of a single division that focused on a reseller channel; my tenure managing the division resulted in three record-breaking sales months for the organization within my first year.  Afterward, I was promoted to lead an additional division, eventually being promoted to handle all the sales divisions as well as the Key Accounts.  Notable clients included Panera Bread, Churchs Chicken, Subway.

Skills Implemented:  Team Management/Recruiting, Network Building, Sales, Excel, HTML, Presentation Development, Salesforce,

Knowledge Gained:  Restuarant Hardware Configuration, Executive Sales Strategies, Distribution Sales Strategies, Collaborative Program Development, Distribution Channel Relations, Sales Forecasting, Budgeting,

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Broadridge:  Operations Manager  |  October 2007 – May 2009

Summary: Broadridge is a financial services firm with annual revenue as of 2017 of four billion.   I trained under the majority of branches of the company during a ~6-month in a Management Training Program period before being assigned to an Operations Management position in the printing department.  I remained in that department until I exited the company for my job at Bematech.

Skills Implemented:  Team Management/Recruiting, Microsoft Office, Presentation Development, Data Analytics

Knowledge Gained:  Financial Operations, Corporate Culture, Fulfillment Operations

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Vector Marketing (Cutco):  Sales Rep / Recruiter  |  June 2002 – Dec 2005

Summary:  Vector Marketing is the direct sales arm of the Cutco product line.  Cutco products are an assortment of kitchen and home use items with their main product line being premium kitchen knives.  Cutco is a commission-based direct sales company that requires participants to use their network of friends and family as first client prospects and eventually branch out to other people via recommendations.  After my first year of sales, I entered the management training program and went on to assist in numerous award-winning sales offices.

Skills Implemented:  Persistence,  Cold Calling, Presentation Skills,

Knowledge Gained:  Sales Fundamentals, Team Leadership, Advertising Planning & Budgeting, Recruiting, Sales Training, Public Speaking, How to cut a penny with a pair of scissors

Organizing:

Lawrence Hamm for Senate Campaign 2020:  Community leader and activist Lawrence Hamm challenged incumbent New Jersey Senator in the 2020 election.  I served in a volunteer leadership role handling:  Website development, payment gateway setup, policy consulting (education), and misc. digital tasks and questions when needed.– 2/1/2020 – Present

Impeach & Remove:  Rally to call for Donald Trump’s impeachment held the evening before the House of Representatives vote.  12/17/19 – 150+ people

Lights for Liberty:  Rally to raise awareness and action about the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers and the for-profit detention industry in NJ.  7/12/19 – 300+ people

Release the Report Rally:  Intended to force the public and unredacted release of the Robert Mueller report.  4/4/19 – 100+ people (Rapid Response)

No One is Above the Law: Rally to demand the non-partisan investigation of Russian election interference not be meddled with.  11/8/19 – 250+ people (Rapid Response)

Community Organizer / Activist:  Advocated for Government Transparency / $15 Min. Wage / Environmental Protections / Immigrant Rights / Medicare for All / Website development for Progressive candidates / Clean Energy Aggregation / Founder North Brunswick Progressives