State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio announced today that Candice Alfonso has been appointed as chief diversity officer and director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and will begin serving in these roles effective Nov. 14.
“We are excited to welcome Candice. Her experience within multiple branches of State government and her long-standing commitment to equity, make her ideally qualified for this position,” Maher Muoio stated.
In her new role Alfonso will continue the efforts established by her predecessor, Hester Agudosi, to conduct outreach to minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises regarding public contracting opportunities. Additionally, she will be responsible for managing the final phase of the state-wide disparity study to completion, reviewing the final report and collaborating with stakeholders to create a strategic plan to increase contracting opportunities based on the study’s findings.
Alfonso has over 20 years of multi-disciplinary supervisory, administrative management, and leadership experience across all three branches of State government. Prior to joining the Murphy Administration, Alfonso worked for the Judiciary’s Office of Probation Services, and the Office of Legislative Services.
Alfonso staffed the Governor’s Office of Economic Growth under Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Kelley, where she helped business and industry navigate through the economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, advising the governor directly on a number of important policies that impacted industry and all New Jerseyans.
Alfonso also played a significant role in the Administration’s successful effort to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ to the New Jersey/New York region. Central to her duties was the consideration of equity and inclusion presented in the state’s winning bid strategy.
Most recently, Alfonso served as Chief of Staff for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) where she oversaw operations, information technology systems, facilities and human capital management, marketing, budgeting, and strategic planning. Candice remained part of the Administration’s World Cup team throughout her tenure with the NJHMFA and she will continue in this role as CDO in Treasury.
