Rudy Rodas, a veteran of numerous roles with top elected officials, has started in the role of managing director – policy, research and government affairs at the N.J. Economic Development Authority.
In this role, Rodas will be called on to lead efforts in shaping policy strategy, fostering partnerships and directing critical government affairs and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
He will oversee the EDA’s government affairs team, which includes Brandon Parrish and Monica Coffey, who are responsible for state, local, and municipal outreach as well as managing legislative inquiries.
He also will lead the economics and data analytics team, consisting of Hamsi Shankar, Jonathan Brown, and Edward Abihaila.
He also will oversee the forthcoming policy team, which will focus on federal investment opportunities, supporting federal grants, and advancing gubernatorial and legislative priorities.
Rodas brings a depth of key experience to the job, having worked as a state director under Senators Bob Menendez and George Helmy and as an associate counsel to Gov. Phil Murphy.
While working for Menendez and Helmy, Rodas led statewide operations, and cultivated critical relationships with federal, state, and local stakeholders.
While working under Murphy, he provided legal and strategic guidance on board governance, policy, and operational matters across multiple state authorities.
Rodas, who earned his Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law-Newark, also has practiced as an attorney and held roles advising federal agencies, including the U.S. Social Security Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as the Columbian Consulate.
EDA Chief of Staff Emma Corrado welcomed Rodas in an internal memo, writing:
“Under Gov. Murphy’s leadership, the NJEDA has made extraordinary progress to increase the state’s long term economic competitiveness, invest in our communities, and strengthen New Jersey’s innovation economy — all of which are driven by the dedication and commitment of our staff,” she wrote.
“We are fortunate to have both a deep bench of leaders and the ability to attract extraordinary talent to our team. Rudy’s leadership, expertise, and passion will be critical as we continue working to create a stronger and fairer statewide economy that will benefit New Jerseyans for generations to come.”
