Patti McGuire

Gov. Jon Corzine's new Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Marilyn Davis and Mark Matzen.

Administration officials confirm that Marilyn Davis and Mark Matzen will join the front office as Deputy Chiefs of Staff, replacing Patti McGuire, who has taken a position with a lobbying firm. 

The Governor's office will split some of McGuire's duties between Davis and Matzen as part of a small reorganization.

Matzen will return to state government after nearly three years at MWW, where he served as senior vice president.  He served as Deputy Chief of Staff under Governors Richard Codey and James E. McGreevey, as Chief of Staff to U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, and as New Hampshire Political Director for John Kerrey's presidential campaign in 1992.

Patti Nelson McGuire, who spent three years as Gov. Jon Corzine's Deputy Chief of Staff, has joined Princeton Public Affairs Group, one of the state's largest lobbying firms.

"We are excited to have Patti join our dedicated and successful government and public affairs team," said Dale Florio, a partner at PPAG and the Somerset County GOP Chairman.  "Her role at our firm will help strengthen our reach in the New Jersey political arena."

Lisa Jackson, Gov. Jon Corzine's Chief of Staff, could be the next EPA Director

Reports that  Lisa Jackson could be headed to Washington as Barack Obama's Environmental Protection Agenecy director means that Gov. Jon Corzine will need to appoint a new Chief of Staff.  Jackson, who spent nearly three years as Corzine's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, replaced Bradley Abelow on Monday. Now she could be gone next month, just as Corzine begins his bid for re-election to a second term. 

Lisa Jackson will become the first African American to serve as Chief of Staff to the Governor of New Jersey.  She is Jon Corzine's third Chief of Staff since he took office in January 2006.  Expect other staff changes over the next few months.  It is anticipated that Deputy Chief of Staff Maggie Moran will leave the front office to manage Corzine's re-election campaign, and insiders say that Deputy Chief of Staff Patti Nelson McGuire and Policy Director Adam Zellner are also expected to leave by January. 

There’s some buzz from the front office that Lisa Jackson, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, could wind up as Governor Jon Corzine’s new Chief of Staff.    Bradley Abelow is expected to leave after the budget is passed, and sources say that Michellene Davis, Corzine’s Appointments Counsel, is also a possible candidate for the top staff post.

Maybe Brad Abelow was telling the truth this week when he told the Star-Ledger that he was “not aware” of any link between Nicholas Asselta’s vote for Governor Jon Corzine’s school funding bill and his appointment to the state Board of Public Utilities.  Sources say that Abelow was not in that loop, and that Corzine dealt with his politically savvy Deputy Chief of Staff, Patti Nelson McGuire, on that deal. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2005

CONTACTS:
Ivette Mendez
Andrew Poag
Brendan Gilfillan
(609) 826-5100

CORZINE NAMES THREE DEPUTY CHIEFS OF STAFF AND PRESS SECRETARY
LaRue, McGuire, Moran, and Coley tapped for posts

TRENTON – Governor-elect Jon S. Corzine today announced that Jeannine LaRue, Patti McGuire and Maggie Moran will join his administration as his deputy chiefs of staff. Corzine also selected Anthony Coley to serve as press secretary.

"I need top-notch people to work closely with me as we tackle the issues facing New Jersey, and, individually, Jeannine LaRue, Patti McGuire and Maggie Moran have tremendous skills and incredible experience," Corzine said. "I am glad they have agreed to join my team and help me make things work."