Former Murphy Administration Advisor to Lead Public Policy Initiatives

Autism New Jersey is proud to announce the appointment of Laura Console to the role of Public Policy Director. Console joins Autism New Jersey following a decade of bi-partisan service to the State of New Jersey. Most recently, she served as Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Murphy for nearly four years, where she guided and supported statewide education policy development and implementation for preschool through higher education. Laura has also served as a Policy Advisor to Governor Christie, a Legal Specialist for the New Jersey Department of Education, and as a Deputy Attorney General in the Division of Law, litigating and advising on education and higher education matters.

“Laura brings a unique skill set and a decade of policy experience to Autism New Jersey, having spent her career in high-stakes government decision making within education law and policy,” said Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, Executive Director of Autism New Jersey. “We are excited to leverage and integrate her public policy expertise and relationships with stakeholders and state agencies into our priority initiatives. Her experience will deepen Autism New Jersey’s capabilities to effect policy transformation, thus advancing our mission to ensure safe and fulfilling lives for individuals with autism.”

“I am honored to take on this role at Autism New Jersey, as it is an extraordinary opportunity to apply all that I’ve learned in state government to advocate on behalf of individuals with autism,” said Laura Console, newly hired Public Policy Director. “I look forward to enhancing the voice of the autism community by building on the organization’s profoundly meaningful work on initiatives such as funding for autism treatment, severe challenging behavior, and workforce development.”

Console will provide strategic guidance to advance Autism New Jersey’s long-term commitment to clinically-informed public policy work. A top priority is ensuring the implementation of the Behavior Analyst Licensing Act, championed by Autism New Jersey and signed into law by Governor Murphy in 2020. Autism New Jersey will also continue providing critical input regarding state and federal policies that directly benefit the autism community, such as increasing funding and access to autism treatment services and strengthening the behavioral healthcare workforce.

“Autism New Jersey’s impressive policy accomplishments have afforded tangible benefits for our community and will now be strengthened by Laura’s deep policy expertise and understanding of the legal, regulatory, and governmental processes,” said Kristie Sells, President, Autism New Jersey Board of Trustees. “We are so fortunate to welcome Laura to our organization and look forward to the impact she will make for New Jersey’s autism community.”