As outlined in the Authority's by-laws, the Authority consists of seven members, three of whom are ex-officio (namely: the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, the Commissioner of Human Services and the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance).

Chairman (serves during her tenure as Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services)

Dr. Alaigh was nominated by Governor Chris Christie on January 27, 2010, as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and was confirmed by the Senate on March 22, 2010.

Before joining the Department of Health & Senior Services, Dr. Alaigh was serving as executive medical director for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield where she was responsible for quality, care management, medical policy, clinical outcome study and member advocacy.  Before joining Horizon, Dr. Alaigh served as national medical director for GlaxoSmithKline, where she worked to improve health care technology use, reduce health care disparities and improve access to care for the uninsured.

She also worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Lyons and as an assistant professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick.

A board certified internist with a specialty in vascular diseases, Dr. Alaigh is licensed to practice in New Jersey and New York and is certified as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook. She received a Master of Science in Healthcare Policy and Management from SUNY. She is certified as a Black Belt in Six Sigma.

She also is a founding member of the South Asian Total Healthcare Initiative, which was created in 2009 to develop a research-based data resource on South Asian health, to improve the delivery of culturally competent care, and to address health disparities and empower the South Asian community.

Member (serves during her tenure as Commissioner of the Department of Human Services) 

Jennifer Velez was sworn in as Commissioner of the Department of Human Services (DHS) in June, 2007 and was re-nominated by Governor Chris Christie and reconfirmed on March 22, 2010. Prior to her nomination by Governor Jon S. Corzine, Velez served as Deputy Commissioner for Family and Community Services at DHS, during which she oversaw the divisions that administer the Department's largest programs and was responsible for two-thirds of the Department's $9.4 billion budget. She was also involved in making recommendations for the Commissioner on all aspects of the Department's responsibilities.

Before joining the DHS Office, Velez served as New Jersey's First Assistant Child Advocate beginning with that position's creation in September 2003. From 1998 until 2003, Velez served Governor James E. McGreevey, Acting Governor Donald DiFrancesco and Governor Christine Todd Whitman as Senior Associate Counsel and Assembly Liaison in the Office of Governor's Counsel, where she was primarily responsible for advising on DHS-focused legislation and regulation.

Before entering public service, Velez was in private practice at the law firm of Pitney, Hardin, Kipp & Szuch in Florham Park. She received her law degree from Rutgers School of Law and her undergraduate degree in Economics from Drew University.  Velez lives in Summit with her husband and two children.

Member (serves during his tenure as Commissioner of the Department of Banking and Insurance)

Thomas B. Considine was nominated by Governor Chris Christie to serve as Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance on January 15, 2010 and confirmed by the Senate on March 22, 1010.

Prior to his appointment, he worked at MetLife, Inc., a global financial services company, for nearly 17 years beginning in 1993 where he served most recently as Vice President & Government Relation Counsel, managing a staff of attorneys, public policy analysts and other professionals.  He also served on a Legal Affairs Diversity Subcommittee at MetLife.  Prior to joining MetLife, Mr. Considine served as a litigation associate at Connell, Foley and Geiser.

Recognized as a leader in the insurance industry, Mr. Considine has held various industry-related posts including a seat on the Board of Directors of the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations and a role as a founding appointee to the NJ Department of Banking & Insurance Financial Services Advisory Board.

While in college, Mr. Considine served as an intern on the Washington staff of Representative Frank Guarini.  He received both his J.D. cum laude and his B.S. magna cum laude from Seton Hall University, where he later served on the Alumni Board of Directors. He is married to the former Anne E. Sullivan, and the couple has a daughter, 11 and a son, 9.

Vice Chairman (term of office expires April 30, 2010) 

Mr. Escher is a Managing Director at Bergen Capital, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, an East Coast regional Investment Bank with over 46 offices from New York to Georgia.  He previously served as Vice President of New Jersey Public Finance at PNC Bank located in East Brunswick.  Prior to joining PNC, Mr. Escher was affiliated with several leading investment banks and commercial banks and provided financial advisory services in both the housing and governmental sectors. He also held executive positions at several consulting firms, a State financing agency, and a local governmental unit.

Mr. Escher received both his Masters degree in Architecture and Urban Planning and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University. He resides in Princeton, New Jersey. 

Treasurer (term of office expired April 30, 2008, reappointed on January 4, 2010, is awaiting confirmation by the Senate) 

Ulysses Lee brings to the Authority extensive health care knowledge and field expertise in the areas of insurance, policy and finance.  He is currently a Government Relations Counsel and HIPAA Privacy Officer for The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.  Prior to Guardian, he held various legal positions involving regulatory compliance and litigation.  Mr. Lee is also a board member of the New Jersey Small Employer Health Coverage Program and the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage Program.  Outside of New Jersey, he is involved in policy and finance as a board member of the District of Columbia Regulatory Trust Fund Bureau, which oversees the budget and operations of the D.C. Insurance, Securities and Banking Department, and the D.C. Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association.  He is also a board member of the New Hampshire Small Employer Health Reinsurance Pool.

Mr. Lee has an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, a law degree from Howard University and a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University, with a concentration in Health Policy, Finance and Management.  He currently resides in West Orange, New Jersey.

Secretary (term of office expires April 30, 2013)

Suzette T. Rodriguez, Esq. is an associate at LeClairRyan in Newark, New Jersey. A member of the Labor and Employment Group, Ms. Rodriguez focuses on discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Within this expertise, she litigates claims in federal and state courts and before various administrative agencies, and she counsels employers, conducts investigations and reviews employee contracts and handbooks.  Prior to joining LeClairRyan, Ms. Rodriguez was an associate at Princeton's Wong Fleming, P.C., and she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Travis L. Francis of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, and as a judicial extern for the Honorable Marina Corodemus, Superior Court of New Jersey, Civil Division-Mass Torts.  Ms. Rodriguez is currently the President-Elect for the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and the Deputy Regional President (Region III) for the Hispanic National Bar Association.  She also serves on the Advisory Board of the New Jersey Legal Education Empowerment Project (NJ LEEP). Having received her B.A. from Hunter College and her J.D. from Rutgers School of Law-Newark, she is a member of both the New York and New Jersey State Bar Associations. She currently resides in Perth Amboy.

The Authority currently has one Public Member vacancy.

All Authority staff can be reached by telephone at (609) 292-8585 followed by the staff member's extension as listed below. To reach a staff member by facsimile, send the fax the individual's attention at (609) 633-7778.