PRESS DECK
Thomas Russo, Jr.
About Thomas
Thomas Russo, Jr. currently serves as Town Manager in Newton, NJ, with 14 years of dedicated service to the County Seat of Sussex County, NJ. Mr. Russo has over 24 years of experience in municipal and county government as well as the nonprofit sector. His experience includes but is not limited to budgeting, purchasing, human resources, public relations, project oversight, contract negotiations, government relations, economic revitalization & redevelopment, and community relations.
Mr. Russo is a competent and confident servant leader; a proven visionary and strategic thinker with highly effective communications and organizational skills. Mr. Russo previously served as an elected official in two NJ municipalities. He was a Committeeman in Bernards Township from 2014–2017. He served as a Councilman, Council Vice President, and Council President in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township from 1998–2005, earning the distinction as the youngest-ever elected Governing Body member in the history of the Township. Mr. Russo has also dedicated time to countless political campaigns from 1992–2014 attending several inaugurations and conventions. He was selected as part of the inaugural class of young elected leaders at the 1st National Young Elected Leaders Conference, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. He was also chosen by the NJ Herald in 2009 as one of 40 influential people in Sussex County under the age of 40.
He recently published his first book, a memoir of his life experiences and how he gave up New Jersey politics and found faith as a born again Christian. The purpose of his book, There Are No Politics In Heaven, is to help individuals work through their brokenness and improve their lives with spirituality as their cornerstone.
Other Professional Experience
- Fundraising Associate at Far Brook School in Short Hills, NJ
- Director of Public Affairs and Information at the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in Morristown, NJ
- Manager of Development at Chilton Medical Center, Pompton Plains, NJ
- Senior Editor, Communications at Organon Pharma USA
- Assistant Township Manager in Randolph, NJ
- Member of the New Jersey Municipal Management Association (NJMMA)
- Chairman of the Statewide Insurance Fund, a committed group of over 80 NJ municipalities which pool resources to manage insurance claims and coverage
- Community Advisory Board member of both Newton Medical Center – Atlantic Health Group and Bristol Glen Independent and Assisted Living Methodist Community
- Executive Committee member of the North Jersey Municipal Employee Benefits Fund, a consortium of forward-thinking communities which pool resources to effectively manage employee health insurance costs
- Adjunct professor in the undergraduate LEAD program at Pillar College, Newark, NJ
- Adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at his alma mater, Seton Hall University, in South Orange, NJ, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on nonprofit management and leadership
- Adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ, where he teaches graduate courses in the School of Public and Global Affairs
- President, Russo Communications, LLC, a consulting firm in Basking Ridge, NJ
Topics to Discuss
- Surviving Childhood Challenges Such as Bullying
- How to Make Progress on Things that Matter
- Top 10 Life Lessons from a Recovering Politician
- Faith > Fear – Finding Your Life Purpose (Peace, Purpose, and a Prism)
- Vortex of Excellence™ Transformational Coaching/Motivational Speaking Program
- Organizational/Servant Leadership
Education
- Certified Public Manager (CPM) degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University/State of NJ
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Seton Hall University
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in both Communication and Political Science from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Student in the Public Leadership Credential (PLC) Program at Harvard University’s renowned Kennedy School of Government
Past Media Appearances
Minister’s Toolbox: How A Local Church Helped One Man Beat Suicide- The Douglas Coleman Show with Thomas Russo Jr and Kristine Raymond.
- Lifestyles with Tia featuring Thomas Russo Jr. of THERE ARE NO POLITICS IN HEAVEN
- Elizabeth Nader of Overcoming Obstacles interviews Thomas Russo, Jr.
- WholeCEO With Lisa G Podcast, Is it wrong to feel sorry for yourself? The answer is no. It’s okay to feel sorry for yourself because it’s a natural human emotion. Join me as Thomas Russo Jr. shares that life is meant to be lived abundantly. Don’t let challenges and imperfections prevent you from living your best life. He also reveals his personal SWOT analysis to go create actionable steps and go 8-layers deep in all areas of your life. And, learn how he pushed past anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide to pursue excellence.
- The BE A FORCE Podcast – Thomas Russo Is A ‘Recovering Politician’, Thoams Russo, Jr. talks about his book ‘There Are No Politics In Heaven: A Recovering Politician’s Guide To Christian Living’. Thomas shares his story of how he was a politician and has not evolved into a speaker, author, and coach. Thomas how we can all find our passion and find ways to find true happiness.
- Marietta Brown interviews Thomas Russo, Jr. about his latest book and more!
- Leadership through faith-based service, Do you aspire to lead and influence others? Join us for a conversation on leadership. Special guest Thomas Russo, Jr. will speak to us about his leadership through faith-based service and how we can inspire, influence, and guide others to participate in a common good.
- Quest Class with Grace Chapel, where they dive deep into a variety of topics and draw from a number of gifted teachers.
- Interview with Dr. Bob Choat (The Transformational Grandmaster) and Sofie Nubani (The Queen of Laughter & Wisdom) in Episode 21 of Wisdom Cafe. Tom talked about the genesis of his book There Are No Politics In Heaven and also spent a significant amount of time discussing such topical events as the COVID-19 pandemic and recent protests in the United States.
- Interview with famed podcaster Paul G. Brodie. Tom talked about the importance of collecting both snail mail and email addresses of your audience for lead generation and other cool marketing tips for your book.
- Interview with Shawn Richards of Blue Sky Consulting. Tom talked about leadership and building a great team especially during times of crisis.
- Interview with renowned psychologist and clinical director of the Living Well Psychology Center Dr. Alexandra Miller of Sparta, NJ as they talk about how individuals, families, and couples can heal wounds and achieve greater inner peace and tranquility.
- Interview with Carmen LaBerge, host of Mornings with Carmen LaBerge on the Faith Radio Network. Tom discusses his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven, and how faith changed his life, for the better.
- Interview on The Underground Sessions with Pastor Bob Erbig from Millington Baptist Church in Basking Ridge, NJ. Tom discusses his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven, and discusses a plethora of other topics including faith, current events, politics, and much more.
- Join Engel Jones, creator of 12 Minute Convos, as he chats with Tom about his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven.
- Join Keisha Dixon, The Tapping Queen and creator of the Monetize Your Mind Success System, on her “What About Me” podcast on WJMS Radio as she chats with Tom about his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven.
- Radio interview with KC Armstrong of WMAP Radio, discussing his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven. KC Armstrong is best known for his work as a cast member and producer on The Howard Stern Show, both on radio and television.
- Interview with Chris Burns on his wildly popular program Becoming Your Greatest Possible Self. Tom discusses his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven, and how his transformation from recovering politician into a born again Christian changed his life forever.
- Interview on his new book, There Are No Politics In Heaven, conducted by Paula Pinto, International Journalist and Social Media Influencer.
Contact
Thomas Russo, Jr.
Phone/Text: 973.885.0857
Website: nopoliticsinheaven.com thomasrussojr.com
Email:
ts*************@gm***.com
