Event Featured Award-Winning Actress Tisha Campbell, Honored Nine Trailblazing Women Leaders, and Commemorated Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver’s Lasting Impact

Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation (formerly Sheila Y. Oliver Civic Association) hosted the second annual Sheila Y. Oliver Legacy Brunch on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at the Valley Regency in Clifton, New Jersey. Over 350 guests across government, business, and community organizing came together to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of the late Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver and celebrate influential New Jersey women leaders.

Proceeds from the event will directly support Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation’s mission to empower underserved communities and cultivate the next generation of women leaders in government, public policy, and community organizing.

“Each of today’s nine awardees is being recognized for leading with the kind of integrity, compassion, and tenacity that Sheila so deeply admired and modeled every day,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Your work carries forward her mission to deliver lasting progress, and it proves that Sheila’s legacy isn’t behind us–it’s alive and well in the work still shaping New Jersey today.”

Actress, singer, and comedian Tisha Campbell delivered a powerful keynote address that drew on her New Jersey roots.

“I am a proud daughter of Newark,” said Campbell. “I grew up in a time where our city was a completely underserved city. But our amazing city, with its amazing people, had a secret weapon. We had leaders like Sheila Oliver who fought tirelessly for us. She was a true trailblazer for us, whose courage, vision, and commitment to public service inspired her constituents and communities.”

Essex County Commissioner A’Dorian Murray-Thomas kept the program moving with grace and enthusiasm as Mistress of Ceremonies.

The following honorees were awarded for their extraordinary work in their communities, carrying forward Sheila Y. Oliver’s legacy of compassionate action:

• Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter (D-35) | New Jersey General Assembly
• Linda J. Schwimmer, JD | President and Chief Executive Officer, New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
• Estina Baker | Democratic Strategist
• Tai Cooper | Chief Community Development Officer, NJEDA
• Barbara Gaba | President, Atlantic Cape Community College
• Pamela B. Jones | Chief Executive Officer, Communities In Cooperation, Inc.
• Sara Peña | Director of External Affairs, PSEG
• Cynthia Samuel | School Health Consultant, National Association of School Nurses
• Monica Slater Stokes | Managing Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, United Airlines

During the program, the organization announced its official rebrand to Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation, reflecting its evolution and long-term vision.

“This rebrand reflects who we are today–a growing, evolving force for civic engagement, community empowerment, and leadership development,” said Renee Oliver, President of the Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation and the niece of Sheila Y. Oliver. “This event is about looking back on Sheila Y. Oliver’s extraordinary impact and imagining the future we can build together, in her honor.”

The event also featured live entertainment, a tribute video honoring Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver’s legacy, and recognition of the 2025 Rutgers University-Newark Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America student interns and the 2025 Lincoln University Sheila Oliver Memorial Scholarship recipient.

The honorary committee included Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, former Governor Jon Corzine, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman LeRoy Jones Jr., and numerous New Jersey state legislative, municipal, and county elected officials. The event provided networking and fellowship opportunities, fostering a spirit of purpose and empowerment.

Event sponsors included:

• United Airlines
• PSEG
• New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation
• New Jersey Redevelopment Authority
• Faye Flavaz
• Healthcare Foundation of The Oranges
• Johnson & Johnson
• New Jersey Economic Development Authority
• North Jersey Federal Credit Union
• Princeton Strategic Communications
• Parker Health Group
• Rutgers University-Newark, Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America

Visual assets from the 2025 SYO Legacy Brunch are available here.

Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation

The Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization, committed to empowering underserved communities to achieve both economic and social success, as well as educating and developing young women of color who are interested in government, public policy, and community organizing. Visit www.sheilaoliver.com for more information.

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