Camden-based New Jersey American Water recently announced that Denise Venuti Free has been promoted from director of communications and external affairs to senior director of communications and external affairs. Additionally, Chelsea Kulp has been promoted from manager of external affairs to senior manager of government and external affairs.
In these new roles, Free and Kulp will continue to oversee communications, issues management, media relations and customer education. As senior director, Free will further align the company’s external affairs, government affairs and business development teams in developing a more holistic approach to municipal outreach and relationships. As senior manager, Kulp will add municipal relationship management to her existing responsibilities and serve as a direct point of contact for municipal leaders in the company’s central region.
“Denise and Chelsea have strong backgrounds with extensive experience in communications and external affairs,” said Mark McDonough, president, New Jersey American Water. “This organizational shift to incorporate municipal relations into our external affairs team’s scope will help us continue to provide outstanding service and strengthen relationships with our communities across the state.”
Free has more than 25 years of communications, customer education, marketing and media and government relations experience. She joined American Water in 2009 as external communications manager in corporate communications. She became director of communications and external affairs for the Eastern Division in November 2016, overseeing communications for the company’s New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Maryland regulated businesses. In January 2022, her position became solely focused on New Jersey American Water and she added workforce development to her area of responsibilities.
Kulp has nearly a decade of communication, community outreach and media relations experience. She joined New Jersey American Water in January 2015 as an external affairs specialist and was promoted to manager in 2018.
