Shadaya Bennett, the chief of staff to Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (D-Newark), has joined CZ Strategies as vice president of government affairs.
Bennett brings more than a decade of experience in state government, legislative policy, and advocacy to a firm that has been growing steadily since it launched in early 2026. It has offices in Trenton and Little Silver.
In addition to working for Speight, Bennett served as a policy director for Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, also based in Newark, as well as time with the New Jersey Hospital Association and the nonprofit, Advocates for Children of New Jersey.
Zuk, a longtime Trenton lobbyist, told the New Jersey Globe, that Bennett’s experience makes her an ideal addition.
“Shadaya is exactly the kind of talent I set out to build this firm around,” Zuk said. “She has the strategic mind and the relationships that clients look for in a senior advisor, and the versatility to deliver on any issue that walks through the door. Her arrival marks an important step in the growth of the firm.”
