Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen has been named as the next president of New Jersey Policy Perspective, its board announced this week.
Chen is succeeding Nicole Rodriguez, who is stepping down after four years in the role.
NJPP said Rodriguez’s departure is a personal decision unrelated to her work at the organization. Her partner has accepted a position at Yale University, and the family is relocating to Connecticut.
Rodriguez will remain president until Chen takes over Sept. 14.
NJPP Board Co-Chair Adriana Abizadeh-Barbour applauded the decision.
“His deep knowledge of New Jersey policy and his commitment to NJPP’s mission make him the right leader to build on the organization’s momentum,” she said.
Chen said he is humbled by the opportunity.
“I’m honored to take on this role and grateful for Nicole’s leadership over the past four years,” he said. “NJPP’s impact comes from a talented team, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to policy that improves people’s lives in New Jersey. I look forward to building on that foundation.”
Chen joined NJPP in 2021 and has focused on tax and budget policy. His research and advocacy contributed to the creation of the state’s first Child Tax Credit and to the Corporate Transit Fee, a tax on large corporations that provides dedicated funding for NJ Transit.
Before joining NJPP, Chen was policy counsel at Advocates for Children of New Jersey, where he also served as a Skadden Fellow. He holds a law degree from Yale Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University-Bloomington. He served as a law clerk for Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
During Rodriguez’s tenure, NJPP secured a number of state policy wins, including full funding for public schools, the so-called “mansion tax” on high-priced home sales, advancing immigrant rights protections, and defending reforms aimed at strengthening democracy. Rodriguez joined NJPP in 2019 as research director and became president in 2022, succeeding Brandon McKoy.
Rodriguez reflected on her time at NJPP.
“Leading NJPP has been one of the great privileges of my career,” she said. “I’m proud of what we’ve built together, and I’m leaving with complete confidence in the organization and enthusiasm for what’s next in my own life. NJPP’s strength has never depended on one person. It comes from an extraordinary team, trusted partnerships, and a shared belief that good policy can improve people’s lives.”
New Jersey Policy Perspective, founded in 1997, is a nonprofit policy research organization that describes itself as a resource for legislators, advocates, journalists and residents seeking evidence-based solutions to issues facing the state. NJPP is a member of the State Priorities Partnership, a national network coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
