Robert Asaro-Angelo (Uh-SAR-oh ANN-juh-lo) was nominated by Governor Phil Murphy to serve as the Commissioner of the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development in January 2018.

As Commissioner, Asaro-Angelo is proud to oversee the state’s diverse services to New Jersey workers. Due in part to the innovation he has spearheaded in New Jersey, in February, 2021, Asaro-Angelo was chosen by his counterparts across the nation as the Board Chair of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) for the 2021 association year.

In recent years, Congress has called upon the Commissioner multiple times to testify about labor-related topics, including the state’s innovative efforts to develop apprenticeship programs, increase access to paid family and medical leave, and combat unemployment insurance fraud.    

From 2010 – 2017, Asaro-Angelo served as Eastern Regional Representative for the U.S. Department of Labor under the Obama Administration, managing the department’s regional activities and coordinating federal initiatives on the regional, state, and local levels.

Prior to his government service, Commissioner Asaro-Angelo worked for the Laborers International Union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union Local 1115 organizing and educating public employees, construction workers and nursing home employees about government and politics.

Asaro-Angelo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Boston University and a master’s in Public Policy from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University.

A proud, life-long New Jerseyan, he lives in Middlesex County with his family.

Allen Barkkume has been an industrial hygiene consultant for the New Jersey Work Environment Council since 2017, where he has helped local New Jersey Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, and National Education Association affiliates resolve health and safety issues in their workplaces.

Allen has a background in architectural systems design (Master of Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology's School of Architecture) and public health (Master of Public Health Industrial Hygiene program, City University of New York's School of Public Health), and specializes in indoor air quality.

Before his work as an industrial hygienist, Allen taught art at Bloomfield High School in New Jersey for eleven years. He then worked as a mold investigator and building supervisor trainer for the New York City Housing Authority, and taught mold- and OSHA-certification courses at Big Apple Occupational Services in New York.

Allen has provided in-depth consultation with local and national media outlets such as Kaiser Health News for electronic air cleaners, News 12 New Jersey for ventilation in schools during the pandemic, ABC's national news program Spotlight on America for mercury in gym floors, and Star Ledger for an investigative journalism series on artificial turf fields.

Elowyn serves as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for Vote Solar and the Vote Solar Action Fund, where she works to design, pass, and implement inclusive solar policies and to amplify local voices calling for equitable clean energy solutions. She has over 10 years of experience driving organizing and outreach for non-profit organizations, including campaigns ranging from voter engagement to gender equity and environmental protection. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College.

Antoinette Miles is the State Director of New Jersey Working Families Alliance, a state affiliate of the national Working Families Party. She is an accomplished organizer and advocate with experience in elections, digital communications, and public service. Throughout her career, Antoinette has centered her advocacy on behalf of working families and democratic values.

Prior to taking the helm of NJWFA, Antoinette served as the Political Director for the organization. She also served in a senior staff role for U.S. Congressman Andy Kim as Outreach Director. Prior to 2018, Antoinette worked as a communications staff for Communications Workers of America District 1 – New Jersey where she played an integral role in telling workers’ stories and helping union members build workplace and political power.

Debbie White is the President of Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the largest healthcare union in the state of New Jersey representing over 14,000 members.  As a registered nurse of many years, Debbie was involved in the initial organizing at her worksite over thirty years ago. Debbie served in the leadership of her local union for over 10 years until, in 2018, she was elected to the role of HPAE State President. Debbie is a fierce advocate for healthcare workers in New Jersey and as a Vice President on the Executive Council of The AFT, her national union, she also advocates for healthcare workers nation-wide.

Kate is currently a consultant for Energy Foundation and is a project management professional with expertise in program development, coalition leadership, and community-based planning. Most recently, Kate served as the Clean Energy Manager at Isles where she led the development of GOTrenton!, an all-electric transportation service that works to support a better quality of life for city residents by improving their access to jobs, healthcare, and essential resources. Prior to this, her background in advocacy and coalition-building was nurtured through her role as Project Coordinator for the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed where she helped manage a 140+ member coalition dedicated to protecting the Delaware River Basin. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and enjoys dancing and traveling in her free time.