Director - Richard A. Harris, Ph.D.

A faculty member at Rutgers-Camden for over twenty years, with a joint appointment in Political Science and the Department of Public Policy & Administration, Dr. Harris founded the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs. An expert in American National Politics, environmental policy and business-government relations, he has written numerous articles as well as four books.

He is currently working on a book for Cambridge University Press that examines interest groups and social movements in the 20th century.An early article from that book won two national awards from the American Political Science Association. At the Institute, his work focuses on government performance, regional development and smart growth in South Jersey. Dr. Harris currently leads key projects on Regional Development in South Jersey, and the Camden Safer Cities Initiative, funded by the N.J. State Attorney General’s Office.

Contact Dr. Harris by e-mailing raharris@camden.rutgers.edu

Associate Director - Gwendolyn Harris

Gwendolyn Harris has an extensive career in human services and public administration, highlighted by founding Newark Emergency Services of Families, Inc. thirty years ago, as well as serving as the City of Trenton’s Director of Health and Human Services, Business Administrator and as Mayor Palmer’s Chief of Staff; she also served as Commissioner of Human Services for the State of New Jersey. 

Gwendolyn is currently a doctoral candidate in Urban Planning and Policy at Rutgers University where she is also an adjunct instructor.  Her dissertation topic assesses the impact of affordable housing on taxable property valuation.  Her college and graduate level teaching has included courses in urban policy, municipal management and local economic development. 

Ms. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a Masters from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration.  She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Mercer County Community College, is a board member and treasurer of New Jersey Public Policy Research Institute, and a member and officer of the Central New Jersey Chapter of the Links, Incorporated.  Gwendy, as she likes to be called, lives in Trenton with her husband, Jerome.

Contact Ms. Harris by e-mailing:
glharris@camden.rutgers.edu

Tracy A. Swan, MPA A former United Way marketing and fundraising executive, Ms. Swan has managed volunteers and coordinated various projects to increase funding for community health and human service programs for over 15 years. Ms. Swan oversees WRI’s major public safety projects, Camden Safer Cities Initiative, Operation CeaseFire, and a Prison Re-Entry Initiative with the NJ Department of Corrections.  In her current role, Ms. Swan

provides valuable large-group, multi-agency facilitation/convening and program development expertise, as well as research and data analysis on anti-crime prevention programs in the City. Ms. Swan is also responsible for board and resource development activities at WRI. She received her BA in Psychology from Oberlin College, holds an MPA from Rutgers-Camden, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Criminal Justice at Rutgers-Camden.   Ms. Swan has co-facilitated an undergraduate statistics course and serves as a tutor for the graduate level data analysis course in the criminal justice program. Ms. Swan has also authored a chapter on public policy for a college level textbook, Forensic Nursing: Concepts and Challenges, First Edition. While attending Oberlin College, Ms. Swan served as an undergraduate research assistant and conducted research for the publication, Children's Representations of the Pattern of Daily Activities, Child Development, Vol. 61, No. 5 (Oct., 1990), pp. 1399-1412, by William J. Friedman.

Contact Ms. Swan by e-mailing tswan@camden.rutgers.edu

Project Coordinator- Jennifer Ping, MPA Since coming to WRI in 2003, Ms. Ping has coordinated diverse projects for the Institute including research and evaluation, direct service and neutral convening projects. Most recently, she designed and coordinated process and program evaluations for public safety programs in Camden City and led the Institute in performing a literacy needs assessment of businesses located in Burlington County.

Currently, Ms Ping manages a regional planning project that brings together planners, developers and environmentalists to identify a better approach to planning in New Jersey.

Ms. Ping is also responsible for fiscal and human resource operations for WRI. She received her BA in History from Indiana University and holds an MPA from Rutgers-Camden.  

Contact Ms. Ping by e-mailing jenping@camden.rutgers.edu

Senior Research Intern - Adam Huron After interning at the Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs, Mr. Huron received a fellowship at the institute.  His project work includes data analysis and presentation for the Camden Safer Cities Initiative, where he also facilitated regular meetings of the Data Working Group, and data analysis and program evaluation for Project Safe neighborhoods.  Currently, Mr. Huron serves as lead staff for the evaluation of two Prisoner Reentry Initiatives being implemented by the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Office of Transitional Services.

Mr. Huron holds a BA in Philosophy from Haverford College.  His graduate level coursework in Public Administration includes Program Evaluation and Research Methods.  Mr. Huron is scheduled to graduate in May of 2008.

Contact Mr. Huron by e-mailing:
ahuron@camden.rutgers.edu