Media Contacts
STAFF
Jerry Cantrell
President
Phone: 973-927-9860
E-Mail: jcantrell@csinj.org
Jerry Cantrell is President of the Common Sense Institute of New Jersey (CSI•NJ), bringing his private-sector experience, and lifetime commitment to improving public policy to the Institute.
Jerry has more than 30 years of business experience in the information technology and aerospace fields, including the founding and operating of a healthcare information systems venture.
Mr. Cantrell has served as president/founder of The New Jersey Taxpayers Association since 2004. The organization is a statewide nonpartisan, nonprofit grass-roots organization dedicated to achieving real and sustainable tax reform in New Jersey. Its goal is to improve the quality of life in New Jersey, for all its citizens, by holding our elected officials and administrators personally accountable for sound fiscal management of governmental institutions, organizations and precious tax dollars. NJTA is committed to Excellence in Government while ensuring that elected officials are fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities to the state and local institutions and the citizenry at large.
As an outgrowth of the grass-roots efforts, a separate coalition of business and civic organizations was formed in the winter of 2008 when 14 organizations came together to form The New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance.
Jerry has also served as community activist for a local property tax organization (Sanely Tax Our Properties – STOP), Randolph Parents for Gifted and Talented Education and is a past president of the Randolph, NJ, Board of Education, where he resides with his wife and two children.
Paul V. Tyahla
Executive Director
Phone: 973-919-6880
E-Mail:ptyahla@csinj.org
Paul V. Tyahla is Executive Director of the Common Sense Institute of New Jersey (CSI•NJ), a nonpartisan public policy think tank. At the Institute, Paul directs research projects and communicates policy findings to the New Jersey Legislature, the media, and state residents.
Paul has dedicated his career to promoting the principles of smaller government, individual liberty, and an economic climate in which entrepreneurship can flourish. Prior to joining CSI•NJ, Paul served as Vice President of Government Affairs at the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey. While at the Association, Paul advocated free market policies on issues affecting the business community, such as healthcare, energy policy and taxes. He was also the Association’s spokesperson, and quoted often in the state’s major newspapers and public affairs programs. In his time at CIANJ, Paul successfully lobbied for policies that loosened healthcare regulation, reduced the state’s corporate tax burden, and fundamentally changed the way government approved environmental cleanup projects.
While Paul was born and raised in New Jersey, he began a career in state policy in Virginia, at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. He was Director of Government Affairs at Northern Virginia’s most influential business organization.
Paul graduated magna cum laude from Seton Hall University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and philosophy. He holds a graduate certificate, and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication at Seton Hall.
FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS
David C. Hespe
Education Fellow
E-mail: dhespe@csinj.org
DAVID C. HESPE is the Education Fellow at the Common Sense Institute of New Jersey. He is currently the Interim Superintendent for the Willingboro School District, having previously served as Assistant Superintendent. Prior to that position he was a faculty member in the Educational Leadership Department of Rowan University and served five years as Department Chair.
Hespe served as Commissioner of Education for the State of New Jersey from 1999 through 2001. Prior to that position, he was the First Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Jersey. He also served as Assistant Commissioner of Education. Hespe began his service in the Executive Branch of State Government as Assistant Counsel for Education and Higher Education to Governor Whitman. Hespe also served in the Legislative Branch as Associate Counsel in the Education Section of the Office of Legislative Services where he was the Committee Aid to the Assembly Education and Higher Education Committee. Prior to that position he was in the private practice of law.
Hespe received both a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University. He lives in Montgomery Township New Jersey with his wife and son, who attends the public schools.
Mark ‘Jay’ Williams
Economics Fellow
Phone: 973-419-6153
E-mail: jwilliams@csinj.org
MARK “JAY” WILLIAMS is the Economics Fellow of the Common Sense Institute of New Jersey, where he utilizes his extensive background in scientific policy analysis, visual analytics, and cognitive sciences. Jay conducts research and writes about public economics issues regarding education, higher education, and local government, with a specific focus on accountability and measurement systems.
Jay’s research on public school metrics has been utilized by Executive and Legislative departments, commissions, and task forces, and he has been an advisor to recent Governor’s task force on non-public school funding. His research is at the forefront of quantitative measurement methodology, and he has introduced new dialogue on non-linear dynamics, complexity science, and robust adaptive policy, into current policy discussions.
Jay is a former Fortune 100 executive for brand and product management, a Director of Research and Instruction for a large, urban school district in New Jersey and a Senior Director of a New Jersey public state college. His doctoral work is in econometrics and operations research.
