NJ LGBT Chamber Appoints JC Resident as new ED: Augusto Penaranda Jr.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce Appoints
Augusto Penaranda Jr. as Executive Director
Penaranda Jr., is the first Latino and openly-LGBT man to hold the ED position of a Chamber in the state. He will blaze a trail towards fighting for economic equality and prosperity for all LGBT+ business owners and employees in New Jersey.
Wayne, N.J. – (January 03, 2022) –The NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s [ https://www.njlgbtchamber.org/ ] Board of Directors is pleased to announce today it has appointed Augusto Penaranda Jr., MS, as its new Executive Director. Penaranda is the former-Public Information Officer (PIO) for the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs in the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General.
This newly-created position is the Chamber’s first dedicated paid staffer and is the kick off to its 2022 Realignment Plan, where it will showcase its organizational improvements aimed at better serving the interests of its members' businesses, aid in growing a stronger local economy, and directly contribute towards shaping the LGBTQ+ community’s quality of life in the greater-New Jersey region.
Penaranda’s main objective is to build an agenda that will help lead the organization in a new direction that will help revitalize Governor Phil Murphy’s commitments to the LGBTQ community.
In Penaranda’s previous role as the PIO to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, he served directly under the former-Director Paul Rodríguez, who now serves as the U.S. Department of Health’s deputy general counsel in President Joseph Biden’s administration.
Prior to this role, Penaranda served as the Chief External Relations Officer for the American Red Cross (ARC) of the New Jersey region in Princeton, where he designed dynamic programming, oversaw the organization’s key awareness campaign rollouts, and served as the Latino Media spokesperson. Though deploying to both Florida and Texas for hurricane Irma and Harvey tested his skills as a bilingual communicator and disaster volunteer, his most rewarding work to date was during hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico. Working via satellite phone with ARC’s North Jersey Regional CEO Ana Montero, they successfully provided information and directed resources to help those affected by the devastating hurricane during a time of almost total communication blackout.
“We are very excited to welcome Augusto Penaranda as the Chamber’s first Executive Director. The board has great confidence in his ability to help persuade Governor Murphy’s team to build greater economic opportunities for the LGBT community,” said Stephen Blazejewski, President of the NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
“Although we are only in the first phase of the Chamber’s 2022 Realignment Plan, our mission to build prosperity and resiliency for New Jersey’s LGBT community remains steadfast and stronger than ever. As a result, we hope to see more state contracts made available for business owners who are certified LGBT Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs).”
LGBTBE certification provides for more equitable access to contracting opportunities through participating state and local government agencies as well as Fortune 500 companies who are looking to increase their spend within the LGBT community. The certification process is overseen by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). In New Jersey, LGBTBEs are not yet acknowledged statewide, only three municipalities currently participate: Jersey City, Hoboken, and Essex County.
Penaranda’s high-level understanding of, and experience within, New Jersey’s political system will be crucial in working with Governor Murphy’s office to ensure that LGBTBEs are recognized for state-wide contracting opportunities moving forward.
Early in Penaranda's career, he established himself as a community advocate when he served as the Regional Communications Officer for the NJ Schools Development Authority (SDA). While there, he played a vital role in understanding how a community’s intricate needs can be better relayed to state officials charged with overseeing multi-million dollar projects as part of the $9 billion dollar schools construction program, all while having the final outcome better reflect the community’s input. Once he understood how to meet the needs of a larger community, he set forth on helping individual students and their parents navigate the higher education system by moving into a counselor and community outreach position for Passaic County Community College (PCCC).
Penaranda is a longtime member in the LGBT sports scene, and is actively involved with the International Gay & Lesbian Football Association (IGFLA) and the New York Gay Flag Football League (NYGFL) since 2000. He also enjoys volunteering and championing support for advocating the importance of mental health and wellness issues that the LGBT community faces.
Penaranda earned a Master of Science degree in International Relations and Public Policy from William Paterson University of New Jersey; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from William Paterson University of New Jersey.
He is a Paterson native and now resides in Jersey City.
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ABOUT THE NJ LGBT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:
Since 2013, the New Jersey LGBT Chamber of Commerce has been the premier LGBT and allied business organization committed to facilitating successful business collaboration and increasing the economic staying-power of its diverse membership. As an inclusive platform for business visionaries, the Chamber is the first stop for LGBT and allied entrepreneurs seeking to grow and access opportunities. Its primary mission is to promote the economic growth and development of the local community, help to better serve its members’ businesses by providing resources and opportunities for education, networking, and community engagement.
For more information, please visit http://njlgbtchamber.org or connect with the NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The NJ LGBT Chamber of Commerce is an official affiliate of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). It offers LGBT-Business Enterprise Certification ® as a benefit of membership with the organization. Certified LGBT-BEs are routinely sought after by over 300 NGLCC Corporate Partners who are looking to increase their spend with the LGBT business community. Certified LGBT-BEs are also eligible for scholarship programs, mentorship and leadership training, and other business development tools.
