These Exceptional Women Will Receive the NJ Chamber's 'Women of Inspiration’ Awards
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce announced today that it is honoring 12 exceptional women who have used talent and hard work to create economic opportunities and help make New Jersey a better place to live and work. The women will be recognized at the 2025 Women of Inspiration Awards Reception, on Sept. 18, at The National Conference Center in East Windsor.
The N.J. Chamber’s Women of Inspiration Awards recognize women who are inspiring leaders or advocates in the state’s business community.
This year’s distinguished honorees are:
Alice H. Parker Outstanding Woman of Inspiration Award
Marlene Asselta
President, Southern New Jersey Development Council
A proud South Jersey native, Marlene has spent decades championing the region’s growth and prosperity. Since 1985, she has led the Southern New Jersey Development Council, transforming it into one of the state’s most respected business advocacy and lobbying organizations. Marlene has played a key role in shaping public policy in South Jersey across sectors including economic development, education, energy, health care, tourism, and transportation. She connects members with business and government leaders, while providing critical advocacy, insight, and services to help them succeed. Marlene has been named one of NJBIZ’s 25 Most Influential Women in New Jersey and was named to ROI-NJ’s 2024 list of Influential Women in Business.
Private Sector Advocate Award
Patrizia A. Zita
CEO & Co-Founder, The Zita Group
Trish co-founded The Zita Group, now one of the state’s Top 5 public affairs firms and the largest public affairs firm founded and owned by a woman. She ensures the placement of women in state government positions through her work with the N.J. Bipartisan Coalition for Women. She was named No. 2 on the ROI Influencers: Women in Business 2025 list. In fact, she has been named to top 100 lists by ROI-NJ’s Champions of the C-Suite, NJBIZ, Forbes Magazine, New Jersey Globe and InsiderNJ. In 2019, she received the YWCA of Princeton’s Tribute to Women Award for embodying the mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. Trish was recognized by the Executive Women of New Jersey in 2016 for her work as one of New Jersey’s most influential and accomplished women leaders.
Small Business Advocate Award
Kelly Brozyna
CEO & State Director, New Jersey Small Business Development Centers
Since taking the helm of the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers in 2020, Kelly has created and implemented initiatives that assist the needs of small business entrepreneurs. She has championed programs for veterans, women entrepreneurs, and leaders in emerging industries. Her advocacy for veterans earned her the 2022 N.J. Veteran Advocate of the Year award from the American Legion. Kelly successfully secured $2 million in state funding for the organization, launched the Not-So-Small Business podcast to share critical resources, and built a team of consultants to fast-track financial assistance to qualified businesses. Her leadership continues to strengthen New Jersey’s small business ecosystem.
Industry Advocate Award
Chrissy Buteas
President & CEO, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
Chrissy leads the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, the trade association representing New Jersey’s research-based biopharmaceutical and medical technology companies. A seasoned public affairs leader, she previously worked for Optimum, NJBIA, the Home Care & Hospice Association of NJ, and Capital Impact Group. She has advised policymakers at the state and federal levels, including serving on the Murphy-Oliver Transition Healthcare team. Chrissy holds board positions with South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University, Middlesex College, Junior Achievement of NJ, NACD-NJ, Thanexus, NJ Council of County Colleges, and the Historic Village at Allaire. Chrissy also is a current board member and past president of the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey. She has received multiple awards, including NJMEP’s Made in NJ Honor Roll Award in 2024, Women’s Political Caucus President’s Award in 2022, and NJBIZ’s Best 50 Women in Business.
Business Communications Award
Briana Vannozzi
Anchor, NJ Spotlight News
Briana is the trusted face of NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi on NJ PBS, delivering in-depth coverage of state and community issues. A multiple Emmy-nominated journalist, she joined the network in 2012 as a general assignment correspondent – shooting, writing, and editing stories from the field. She was promoted to senior correspondent in 2020 and, later that year, to anchor. Her reporting has taken her from presidential inaugurations and the Democratic National Convention to the Women’s March and nearly every corner of New Jersey. Briana has moderated key political debates and forums on pressing issues such as opioid addiction, housing, and poverty. She regularly anchors election night coverage, as well as gubernatorial budget, inaugural, and State of the State addresses.
Employer Advocate Award
Kristi Howell
President & CEO, Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce
In her 20 years leading the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Kristi has significantly expanded its membership, budget, staff, and programming – growing from 20 annual events to more than 60. Under her leadership, the Chamber forged a strong support relationship with Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Burlington County’s largest employer and New Jersey’s second largest. Kristi serves as vice president on the board of the Military Support Alliance of New Jersey and spent three years as a member of the prestigious Air Mobility Command Civic Leader’s Council. Kristi is one of the most active members of the N.J. Chamber’s Chamber Alliance group, a coalition of local and regional chambers of commerce that meets to discuss key issues. She has been recognized as an ‘Outstanding Woman of Burlington County’ by the Burlington County Board of Commissioners and named ‘Executive of the Year’ by South Jersey Biz Magazine.
Association Advocate Award
Linda Doherty
President & CEO, New Jersey Food Council
Linda is the longest-serving president & CEO in the New Jersey Food Council’s history, leading the organization since 2003 and advocating for the state’s $136 billion food distribution sector. She championed New Jersey’s reusable bag law, helping to keep parks and waterways free of plastic waste, and she created a solution – now rolled out statewide – that allows shoppers to donate reusable bags to local food banks. Linda has spearheaded the effort for a new law to combat organized retail theft and has worked to address food inflation. Linda launched the Food Council Leadership Development Program, which provides mentorship to rising stars with a passion for working in the food industry and an interest in government. The program has developed committee leaders, board members and officers. Under her leadership, the Council’s scholarship foundation expanded from three awards totaling $6,000 to more than 30 scholarships distributing over $100,000 annually. In honor of her 30 years with the Council, a $5,000 “President’s Scholarship” was established in 2023, raising $15,000 at launch.
Woman of Inspiration Award
Deborah Visconi
President & CEO, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Deb, a N.J. Chamber board member, is a highly accomplished executive with more than 30 years of success in providing strategic direction, vision, leadership, and oversight of operations in hospitals and healthcare systems. With Deb’s organizational and strategic planning expertise, Bergen New Bridge has expanded programs and services, and enhanced provider relations yielding improvement in quality, safety, and the patient/resident experience. The Medical Center has been recognized as a ‘Top Hospital’ and ‘Top Teaching Hospital’ by the Leapfrog Group. The Medical Center has been recognized as a Top Diversity Leader by Modern Healthcare, received the Empowering Women Award from NJBIZ, and Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). The Joint Commission awarded Bergen New Bridge its Advanced Certification in Health Equity. Deb is an active volunteer and serves on many boards and has been frequently acknowledged for her accomplishments and leadership, winning numerous awards, and receiving recognitions from Crain’s, Modern Healthcare, NJBIZ, Becker’s, and many more.
Outstanding Corporate Leader Award
Kim C. Hanemann
President & COO, Public Service Electric & Gas
Kim is President & COO of PSE&G, New Jersey’s largest utility, one of the nation’s leading combined electric and gas companies and New Jersey’s oldest and largest publicly owned utility. She is the first woman to serve in this role in the company’s over 120-year history. Under Kim’s leadership, PSE&G provides service to 2.4 million electric and 1.9 million gas customers, covering nearly three-quarters of New Jersey’s population. Prior to being named COO in January 2020, she held numerous leadership positions in both electric and gas field operations and in utility support operations. Kim earned a degree in engineering from Lehigh University and began her career at PSE&G as an engineer in gas operations, steadily excelling through key leadership roles across the utility. Kim serves on the N.J. Chamber’s Board executive committee. PSE&G is a longstanding partner of the Chamber, sharing interest in promoting economic growth, energy resilience and workforce development in New Jersey. Her leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including the John L. Buzzi Engineering Excellence Award from the New Jersey Alliance for Action, the Force for Change Award from Leading Women Entrepreneurs, NJBIZ’s Top 50 Women in Business, and ROI-NJ’s Women of Influence.
Issues Advocate Award
Monica Slater Stokes
Managing Director, Corporate and Government Affairs – Northeast Region, United Airlines
Monica oversees state and local government affairs for United in the Northeast region where she develops and drives external affairs programs in support of the airline’s in-market public policy, community affairs, and business development objectives. A proud Newark native, Monica began her career in local and federal public sectors. She notably served as director of Constituent Services and Community Development for the late U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, where she advised on in-state education, small business, and economic development issues. A thought leader in the region, Monica sits on several boards, including the Regional Plan Association and Choose New Jersey. She is also a Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission of New York and the immediate past chair of Newark Regional Business Partnership’s board of directors. She also serves on that organization’s Transportation Council.
Blenda Pinto
Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, United Airlines
Blenda, with over 20 years of federal, state, and local public policy experience, manages political and business relationships to advance United Airlines’ policy goals across the northeast region, with recently expanded territory to Virginia, including United’s Dulles hub. Before joining United, she worked at the at the AARP New Jersey state office. Blenda serves on the board and chairs the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee of the Chamber of Commerce Southern N.J. She serves on the boards of the N.J. Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Newark Museum of Art, where she’s currently co-chair of their Search Committee. She helped launch United’s uIMPACT Women’s Business Resource Group in Newark, and now serves as a Somos Ambassador for its inaugural Latino and Hispanic BRG chapter. Blenda has been named alongside New Jersey’s best in class by ROI Influencers for several categories over the years, including Power List: Government and Public Affairs, Women In Business & People of Color. She was recognized with the 2023 Corporate Leader Award by the Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc. organization and was recently nominated for the 2025 Violet King Henry Pioneer Award by the YMCA Newark and vicinity.
Outstanding NJ Chamber Service Award
Diane Wasser
Partner-in-Charge, New Jersey, EisnerAmper
Diane is the Partner-in-Charge of New Jersey and Managing Partner of Regions at Eisner Advisory Group. She leads New Jersey operations while overseeing partners-in-charge across the country. A dedicated advocate for the state's business community, Diane serves as treasurer and officer on the N.J. Chamber Board’s executive committee and actively supports the Chamber’s events and initiatives. A respected voice in the profession, she is a key member of the American Institute of CPAs having served on numerous AICPA Committees and the Employee Benefit Plan Expert Panel, and also is a frequent media contributor on New Jersey’s business climate. Committed to lifting other women, she actively mentors and champions female professionals in their career growth. Diane has been recognized on ROI-NJ’s Top 40 Women in Business list, NJBIZ’s Accounting Power list, and was named a Woman of Professional Distinction by Executive Women of New Jersey.
"We are proud to honor these extraordinary women who have made significant contributions to New Jersey's employer community," said Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. "Their dedication and leadership are truly inspiring and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at this year’s reception."
The event will feature a cocktail reception, providing attendees with the opportunity to network with industry leaders and honorees.
To register for the 2025 Women in Innovation Awards event, click here.