Know What's in Your Toolbox

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce is a distinguished legislator with extensive local and state government experience, an unparalleled behind-the-scenes perspective on government functions, and a long history of problem solving through bipartisanship cooperation.

DeCroce serves on several legislative committees and commissions including: NJ Legislative Select Oversight into Murphy Administration Hiring Practices, Transportation & Independent Authorities, the Joint Committee on Public Schools, Banking and Insurance, Aging & Senior Service Committee, Science & Technology, Pre-trial Services Review Commission, the Intergovernmental Relations Commission, and the Manufacturing Caucus.

She is member of both the Parsippany-Troy Hills Satellite Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, and she has received numerous awards, including: The NJ Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Legislator of the Year; Defender of the Taxpayer Award, for her advocacy of common-sense measures to reduce taxes and create jobs; two time finalist Leading Women Entrepreneur Award; and was recognized by the Displaced Homemakers Network of New Jersey.

Prior to serving in the New Jersey State Legislature, DeCroce served as Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in the Administration of Governor Chris Christie. While there, she authored the Best Practices for Municipalities, which became a nationally recognized, statewide model for identifying efficiencies in local government to reduce property taxes.

DeCroce began her government service as a Councilwoman in Mine Hill. She went on to serve as Municipal Clerk, Deputy Township Manager and Planning Board Member in Roxbury. She later served 11 years on the Board of Adjustment in Parsippany, and she served on the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center.

DeCroce also served as the first Chairwoman of the Morris County Joint Insurance Fund, an organization of 40 municipalities, where she achieved savings for the membership through shared services and negotiated healthcare.

DeCroce brings business-savvy and a small business perspective to the Legislature as former President and Owner of ERA Gallo & DeCroce Realtors, a real estate firm in Morris County for over forty-six years; and as Vice President of ABL Holdings, a home construction company. She has been declared one of the 50 Best Women in Business by NJBIZ and a NJ Monthly finalist for Leading Woman Entrepreneur and Business Owner.

In addition, DeCroce was selected to participate in The Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Administration. DeCroce resides in Parsippany, New Jersey and enjoys spending time with her two sons and four grandchildren.

Sara Fagen serves as the CEO of Deep Root Analytics, a leading analytics and technology company that partners with advertising and communications professionals to more effectively reach and measure target audiences across paid and earned media platforms. Fagen co-founded Deep Root Analytics in 2013.

Prior to taking the helm at Deep Root, Fagen served as a partner at DDC Public Affairs in Washington D.C., where she helped clients solve some of their toughest public affairs and political challenges. Sara became a Partner at DDC in 2011 after the company acquired BlueFront Strategies, an issue advocacy firm she founded. In 2014, Fagen helped lead the sale of DDC to Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC).

Sara is also a founder of Resonate Insights, a disruptive real-time consumer intelligence platform that brings together real-time survey data and insights on over 230 million consumers and online behavioral data all in one platform.

Before branching out as an entrepreneur, Fagen had a successful career in government and campaign politics. Sara served as White House Political Director for President George W. Bush. During her years in the White House, Fagen was involved in helping enact some of President Bush's most significant legislative accomplishments. Fagen also played a key role in the President's 2004 re-election campaign, in which she served as a senior strategist directing opinion research and paid media. After the campaign, the Wall Street Journal called her a "data whiz", saying, "As a top strategist for the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election efforts, Fagen helped perfect political micro-targeting."

Fagen's commentary can be seen on NBC News and CNBC, where she is a contributor.

Lucinda Guinn is a seasoned strategist who brings years of experience in campaign management, progressive organizational leadership, and crisis communications.

Guinn has worked on campaigns up and down the ballot throughout her career. She’s managed campaigns across the country including Ami Bera for Congress and has run multi-million dollar independent expenditure campaigns for institutions such as the DCCC and EMILY’s List.

Most recently, Guinn was the first Latina to serve as Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Prior to that, Guinn led a large team as the Vice President of Campaigns at EMILY’s List where she spearheaded the group’s efforts to elect pro-choice Democratic women to local, state and federal office. Lucinda was integral in helping to elect an historic number of diverse women to state legislatures, Governors mansions and to Congress. She has been credited as the architect of 24 House pick-ups in 2018 that secured the House Majority with women candidates.

Guinn also served as a senior advisor to BOLD PAC, where she worked closely with CHC members to increase diversity in the Democratic Caucus and has been on the frontlines of helping to elect more LGBTQ candidates to office as the Political Director of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

She is a native New Mexican, who grew up in El Paso, Texas, proudly eating green chile or BBQ at every opportunity. Guinn is a graduate of the University of Texas

M. Teresa Ruiz was elected to the New Jersey State Senate in 2007 as the first Puerto Rican and re-elected in 2011, 2013 and 2017. She was elected by her colleagues to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore in 2018 and 2020 and is the first Latina to hold the position. The senator authored a law that overhauled the state’s teacher tenure statute. Signed in 2012, the act put standards in place requiring tenure to be earned and maintained through ongoing performance measurements, and ensure educators get the support they need when deficiencies are identified.

A fearless advocate for equity and justice Senator Ruiz has championed for the rights, protections and advancement of families and children and has led statewide efforts to address the inequalities that persist in our society.

Senator Ruiz was a prime sponsor of the 2013 law making undocumented students eligible for in-state tuition rates at New Jersey public colleges and universities. She also sponsored the 2017 law requiring the Commissioner of Education to develop guidelines for school districts to ensure a supportive and nondiscriminatory environment for transgender students.

In 2016, Senator Ruiz authored a law which requires college loans granted by the state to be forgiven in the event of a student borrower’s death. She also sponsored a law to limit the suspension and expulsion of students in pre-school through second grade, and another to provide stronger academic support to students with reading difficulty.

Senator Ruiz sponsored the law creating the New Jersey Advisory Council on End-of-Life Care to ensure the special needs of those approaching the end of life are met. She sponsored a 2009 law prohibiting individuals from purchasing more than one handgun a month.

The senator has spearheaded efforts to move New Jersey toward universal preschool, and championed the inclusion of $25 million in the 2018 budget to expand pre-k to more students.

Senator Ruiz received a bachelor’s degree from Drew University. She is vice chair of the Essex County Democratic Party and is deputy chief of staff to Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. She served as a delegate at the Democratic National Conventions in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.

In 2010, Senator Ruiz was awarded an Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship, and was one of 24 individuals identified by the program's leadership as America's emerging political leaders with reputations for intellect, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to civil dialogue. Senator Ruiz is also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.