Ronald Chen
Encyclopedia
Ronald Chen was, until January 2010, the New Jersey Public Advocate. He was nominated to fill the position on January 5, 2006, by Governor of New Jersey
Jon Corzine
. He was the first Public Advocate to serve in the post since 1994, when the job was abolished by former Governor Christine Todd Whitman
. The previous Public Advocate was Zulima Farber
, who served as state Public Advocate from 1992 to 1994 in the Cabinet of former Governor James Florio
, and served as New Jersey Attorney General
in 2006. The first New Jersey Public Advocate, and the first of any state, was Stanley Van Ness
who was instrumental in the creation of what was to become known as the Mt. Laurel Doctrine which prevents municipalities from using zoning as a means of excluding low income residents. Prior to becoming Public Advocate, Chen was an associate Dean and Professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law—Newark, and he has returned to Rutgers after his term as Public Advocate. Prior to becoming Public Advocate, Chen was an associate Dean
and Professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law—Newark
, and he has returned to Rutgers after his term as Public Advocate.
Chen was born on May 28, 1958, in Stamford
, Connecticut
, and raised in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
, where he now resides. He attended Dartmouth College
, where he was President of Phi Tau
fraternity and a member of the rowing
team, graduating in 1980. He then attended Rutgers School of Law-Newark, receiving his law degree in 1983. He served as Vice Chair of the New Jersey Supreme Court
Committee on Professional Ethics from 1996 to 2006, and as a member of the American Civil Liberties Union
National Executive Committee from 2002 to 2006. He has also served as Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Rowing Association
, and was a referee in the 1996 Summer Olympics
.
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
. He was the first Public Advocate to serve in the post since 1994, when the job was abolished by former Governor Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
. The previous Public Advocate was Zulima Farber
Zulima Farber
Zulima Farber is the former Attorney General of New Jersey and the first Latina to serve as Acting Governor of New Jersey. She was appointed to the position in 2006 by Governor Jon Corzine...
, who served as state Public Advocate from 1992 to 1994 in the Cabinet of former Governor James Florio
James Florio
James Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
, and served as New Jersey Attorney General
New Jersey Attorney General
The Attorney General of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state. The office is appointed by the Governor of New Jersey and term limited...
in 2006. The first New Jersey Public Advocate, and the first of any state, was Stanley Van Ness
Stanley Van Ness
Stanley Stanley Van Ness was an American jurist who worked for a number of state agencies in New Jersey, USA. Most notably, he led the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate as the first Public Advocate in New Jersey and the United States...
who was instrumental in the creation of what was to become known as the Mt. Laurel Doctrine which prevents municipalities from using zoning as a means of excluding low income residents. Prior to becoming Public Advocate, Chen was an associate Dean and Professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law—Newark, and he has returned to Rutgers after his term as Public Advocate. Prior to becoming Public Advocate, Chen was an associate Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
and Professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law—Newark
Rutgers School of Law—Newark
Rutgers School of Law–Newark is the oldest of three law schools in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located at the S.I. Newhouse Center for Law and Justice, at 123 Washington Street, in downtown Newark...
, and he has returned to Rutgers after his term as Public Advocate.
Chen was born on May 28, 1958, in Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, and raised in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Berkeley Heights is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,183....
, where he now resides. He attended Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, where he was President of Phi Tau
Phi Tau
Phi Tau is a coeducational fraternity at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. Founded in 1905 as the Tau Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa, the organization separated from the national fraternity in 1956 over a dispute regarding the segregationist and antisemitic membership policies of the...
fraternity and a member of the rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
team, graduating in 1980. He then attended Rutgers School of Law-Newark, receiving his law degree in 1983. He served as Vice Chair of the New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
Committee on Professional Ethics from 1996 to 2006, and as a member of the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
National Executive Committee from 2002 to 2006. He has also served as Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Rowing Association
USRowing
USRowing is the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. It serves to promote the sport on all levels of competition, including the selection and training of those who represent the US at international level....
, and was a referee in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
.