7th Annual Mid-Atlantic Political Intern Summit - MAPIS2024

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

 Talking politics: Political interns hone skills at annual summit presented by RIPPAC

August 9, 2024

In what is an unprecedented year for presidential politics, 170 political interns from 65 distinct institutions came together at Rowan University to discuss the nation’s future—and their roles in defining it—during the seventh annual Mid-Atlantic Political Intern Summit (MAPIS2024) on August 8.

Presented by the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship (RIPPAC), MAPIS offered political interns from New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania the opportunity to hear from a host of political leaders. Among them: New Jersey Lieutenant Governor & Secretary of State Tahesha Way, who was serving as active governor while Gov. Phil Murphy was out of state that day; Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-6); and Matt Klapper, chief of staff for U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

In breakout sessions, MAPIS attendees engaged in sessions focused on how both Republicans and Democrats can win in 2024; lobbying; driving social change; landing a job in Washington, D.C.; how to build consensus; and legal careers in public service and politics.

Lunch offered each MAPIS attendee an opportunity to network with leaders in the fields of politics, lobbying, healthcare, public service, media consulting, law, communications, non-profit organizations, public policy and governmental affairs.

Of the 170 attendees, Rowan and Rutgers universities each sent more than 30 political interns to MAPIS this year. The summit was the largest ever presented by RIPPAC.

Read more at Rowan Today!

Speakers & Panelists:

• Dr. Janelle Alexander (Assistant Vice President, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Rowan University
• Alexis Bailey (Public Strategies Impact)
• Tom Bonier (CEO, TARA Group; Senior Advisor, TargetSmart)
• Chrissy Buteas (President & CEO, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey)
• Bill Castner (Chair of Regulatory Affairs & Compliance, Connell Foley LLP)
• Jon Chebra (Deputy Commissioner & Chief of Staff, New Jersey Department of Human Services)
• Marilyn Davis (Founder, MDD Connections, LLC)
• Steve DeMicco (4CM+M)
• Brianna Donahue (Director of Government Affairs, Inspira Health)
• Shirley Emehelu (Executive Assistant Attorney General of New Jersey)
• Ron Filan (Republican operative, former 2022 campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew)
• Jennifer Holdsworth Karp (Founder & President, Oakmont Strategies)
• Hafiza Kazi (Scheduler/Operations Manager, U.S. Rep. Andy Kim)
• Matt Klapper (Chief of Staff to Merrick Garland, Attorney General of the United States)
• James Lamond (Executive Director, Trusted Future)
• Laura Matos (Partner, MAD Global Strategy Group)
• Hon. Julio Mendez (Retired Judge, New Jersey Superior Court)
• Donna Mullins (Chair, Winning Strategies Washington)
• Hon. Frank Pallone (U.S. Representative, NJ-6)
• Grace Power (General Counsel and EVP, Government Affairs, Solar Landscape)
• Dr. Brett Pulliam (Assistant Vice President of the Student Success and Inclusion Programs, Rowan University)
• Jay Redd (Managing Principal, Stono Public Affairs)
• Chris Russell (Checkmate Strategies)
• Frank Vespa-Papaleo (Principal Deputy Director, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Fair Lending & Equal Opportunity)
• Hon. Tahesha Way (New Jersey Lieutenant Governor & Secretary of State)
• Alex Wilkes (Republican operative, former 2024 primary campaign manager for Curtis Bashaw for Senate) 

Thank you to our sponsors: 

• Atlantic City Electric
• Amazon
• Comcast
• Johnson & Johnson
• MBI
• NJM Insurance Group
• 1868 Public Affairs
• New Jersey American Water
• ELEC825
• Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
• Inspira Health
• Jefferson Health
• LiUNA
• NJCPA
• New Jersey Food Council
• New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA)
• Princeton Public Affairs Group
• South Jersey Industries
• The Zita Group
• Virtua Health
• Wakefern Food Corp.