Government Strategy Group
Advancing the Business of Government
iStock-697163670_super_2.jpg

Team

Dolor. Experium. Carateim.

Team

GSG is comprised of government leaders with diverse backgrounds in management, finance, and consulting. Each has extensive experience in a wide variety of government issues, qualifying GSG to offer unique perspectives to every challenge and deliver highly effective solutions.

All of our team members are New Jersey residents, as dedicated to the success of local government as you are.

 
 
 
KennethDeRoberts.jpg

Chief Executive Officer

Kenneth DeRoberts

Kenneth DeRoberts has a successful record of achievement as a senior-level government manager and an investment banker. Using strategic planning practices, he is an expert in restructuring government operations that leads to doing more while costing less. 

 

 
JoeHartnett.jpg

Executive Managing Director

Joseph Hartnett

Regarded as one of the most progressive and inventive public-sector managers in New Jersey, Joe has 20+ years of municipal C-level management experience, including as City Manager for Montclair and Rahway, as well as service as Vice President and CFO for St Peter’s University. As a management consultant, his clients have included financial institutions, public sector entities, NJ Transit, Fortune 500 companies and the US Navy. In 2014 Joe was appointed by a former Chief Justice of the NJ Supreme Court and a former Director of Criminal Justice for NJ to manage the dissolution of a corrupt public agency in Newark, New Jersey’s largest city.  In 2022, Joe earned certification from the Harvard University Executive Education program in “Delivering Public Services: Efficiency, Equity, and Quality.”

 

 

Senior Managing Director

Lawrence Caroselli, CMFO, CCFO

Larry has more than 30 years’ experience as a finance and management professional. He recently retired as Director of Finance for Union County, NJ and previously served as President of the County Treasurer’s Association of New Jersey.

Caldwell-Portrait-1-731x1024-1920x0-c-default.jpg

Senior Managing Director

Dr. Dale G Caldwell

An expert in advising governments on how to improve operations and maximize revenues. Dale was recently appointed Director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He has served as Deputy Commissioner of the NJ Department of Community Affairs and is currently President of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey – the largest ongoing shared service entity in state. As a former Deloitte Consulting senior professional, he is an expert on advising governments how to improve operations and maximize revenues.

henry-degeneste.jpg

SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR

Henry DeGeneste

Henry is a nationally renowned expert on policing and police operations. He is the former Vice President of Global Security for Prudential Financial, where he was the senior executive responsible for enterprise-wide security and crisis management. Previously, he spent 23 years at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey serving as the Director of Public Safety and Superintendent of Police. Henry is a published author and has been a guest lecturer at many colleges and universities on topics including crisis and risk management, emergency preparedness, trans-national terrorism, transportation policing, and aviation, rail, and seaport security. He is a member of the board of the National Police Foundation and is the former President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He holds a B.A. in Business Management from Adelphi University, is a David Rockefeller and Leadership New Jersey Fellow and a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute. He also served for fifteen years as an Adjunct Professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

 

 

Managing Directors

Click "+" for details

Dorothy BlakesleeCapital Budget Management and Workflow Process

With over 25 years of experience as a financial analyst, financial advisor and investment banker, Dorothy has a proven ability to find creative solutions to financial problems. She is on the boards of Bergen Community College, the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the NJ Ethnic Advisory Commission.

Christopher J CotterManagement and Public Safety

Chris has over 30 years of experience in various local government roles which have included Summit’s City Administrator. Cotter began his career in the Fire Department where he ascended to the rank of Chief and was the Emergency Management Coordinator. He oversaw the reorganization of the police department and was the Director of the Department of Community Services, responsible for public works, engineering and code enforcement.

Chris was responsible for instituting several shared services programs. He also served as a member of the leadership team that implemented a shared 911 communications center for fire, police and EMS in three municipalities spanning two counties.

Frank E DannPublic Works, Parks, and Refuse and Recycling Systems; Project Management

Frank Dann is a highly experienced and skilled Public Works Manager who worked his way up from a DPW Laborer as a young man to Department Director for the seventh largest county in New Jersey. With over twenty years of DPW Director experience at both the county and municipal level, plus hands-on experience through the ranks, Frank knows public works operations inside out. Additionally, Frank has a proven track record of completing difficult projects on schedule and within budget. Frank is a Certified Public Works Manager and Certified Recycling Professional.

Michael D’Ecclessis, CMCAMunicipal Court Expert

Mike recently retired as Municipal Court Division Manager for the NJ Superior Court, Union County vicinage. With more than 29 years of experience in the municipal court system, he served as Court Administrator for the City of Summit and Court Director for the City of Plainfield. He was assigned by the Supreme Court to serve as a member of the Municipal Court Certification Board, Shared and Merged Courts Study Commission, Bail Reform and many other projects to improve the integrity of the Municipal Court system in NJ. He also worked in Project Management overseeing the implementation of information management/processing systems for municipal courts around the country. In addition to his certification as a Certified Municipal Court Administrator, he certified as a Paralegal in NJ.

John C FryMunicipal Management

John an expert in local government with a successful track record of providing management and consulting services to municipalities. A graduate of Dartmouth with a Master’s in Public Administration from Rutgers, John’s career has included service as a Municipal Administrator in addition to providing municipal client services for Edmund’s, Revelstone, and Munidex. John is a member of the NJ Municipal Management Association and in 2007 was the recipient of its Outstanding New Professional award. He is the Founding Director of the Shared Services Institute at Rutgers-Newark and has authored numerous analytical reports on performance management, shared services, and other government related topics, including for the Division of Local Government Services, the Governor’s Office, and the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission.

John O GrossManagement, Finance, Development, Private-Public Partnerships

John Gross is an award-winning public manager with extensive experience and skills. His expertise ranges from all aspects of municipal finance, to development and redevelopment, to all facets of municipal administration. He has served as a CFO and as a Business Administrator, as well as heading up emergency management, information technology, and redevelopment efforts. He has won awards for innovations in public-private partnerships, fiscally sustainable development, and “smart growth.” John also served as the first Executive Director of the South Orange Performing Arts Center, responsible for design, financing, construction, and initial operations.

Deana GunnMunicipal Operations and Communications

Deana specializes in providing a client experience that exceeds expectations and has a strong reputation for getting things done. She is operationally minded and focuses on keeping projects moving forward while exercising responsiveness and agility. In addition to her previous work in communications and public relations for public entities, she is also an experienced elected official. Deana understands the intricacies of municipal government, especially how important effective messaging and communication can be for meeting policy goals and achieving success. Previously, she worked for a large financial institution and then as an entrepreneur, experiences which have been invaluable in helping her understand clients’ needs in private, public and non-profit sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgian Court University and recently completed her Masters Degree in Public Administration at Rutgers University.

Doug MarvinLaw Enforcement and Municipal Administration

Doug is an expert in law enforcement and municipal administration. He began his career with the New Providence Police Department where he worked his way through the ranks to become Chief of Police. After twenty-seven years with the Department, he was appointed Business Administrator, where he served for an additional fifteen years. Doug also served as a Commissioner with the NJSACOP Police Department Accreditation Commission and as Chairman of the Garden State Joint Insurance Fund. Among many achievements, Doug is highly regarded for being instrumental in numerous shared services agreements, including for municipal courts, tax assessing, sewer management, and central 911 dispatch for Police, Fire, and EMS.

Frank PadusniakFinancial Management and Operations

Frank Padusniak has more than thirty years’ experience working in public sector finance in New Jersey. Padusniak recently retired from the Union County Finance Department where he was responsible for financial management and accounting. He is an expert in using the Edmunds system.

Hiten PatelData Analytics, Metrics, Cloud Computing, and Project Management

Hiten has spent the majority of his career in private industry in multinational corporations such as Lockheed Martin, Johnson & Johnson, Valeant Pharmaceutical, and Newell Brands. As a Senior Business Intelligence Analyst, Hiten implemented system improvements and led business process change efforts, replacing inefficient reporting processes by utilizing the latest software tools. He implemented KPI (key performance indicator) dashboards and used visual analytics tools including Qlik and Tableau. Mr. Patel was the project manager using Microsoft Azure suite to switch to cloud computing for data reporting and analytics. He has created and maintained SharePoint sites to house KPI dashboards and reports. During his career, Hiten earned Top Secret Clearance from the GAO/Department of Defense. In the public sector, Hiten most recently utilized his substantial IT skills in the analysis of the Suez Group privatization of water infrastructure for Edison Township.

David P SabaghPublic Safety

Following a distinguished career through the ranks in municipal law enforcement, David currently serves as Assistant Director of Security for the Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, a $7.1 billion operation with 17,600 employees.

While Chief of the Montclair, NJ, Police Department from 2004-2016, Sabagh implemented numerous forward-thinking initiatives and progressive law enforcement innovations – including a successful candidate selection and retention program, a mobile community service program, and enhanced use of data and technology – with a resulting forty-year low crime rate in a metropolitan-area department of 100 officers.

Chief Sabagh holds an M.A. in Human Resources and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University. In addition, he is a NJ Certified Public Manager, a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and a Level III Certified Homeland Security professional.

Joseph SalemmeOperations Management, Labor Relations and Organizational Leadership

Joe has over 30 years of experience as a versatile public sector executive with a record of accomplishment in a wide range of highly responsible assignments. His achievements are in the areas of operations management, labor relations, contract negotiations, and organizational leadership.

Michael ValentiPublic Safety

Mr. Valenti is the Executive Director of Business Strategy for the National Police Foundation. He has thirty years of experience in the public safety and security business both in the public and private sectors. Before retiring from active duty in 2008, Mike rose through the ranks of the Police Department of the Port Authority of NY/NJ to become Commander of its Detective Bureau, Deputy Chief/Chief of Staff, Chief of Counter Terrorism, and a member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force Management Team in NY.

During his career in law enforcement management with PANY/NJ, Mike conducted a complete review of the department’s $400 million budget with all its Commanding Officers, to ensure operational efficiency. He also actively negotiated several labor contracts in conjunction with the agency’s legal department. Mike recently co-authored a pilot program for a major urban police department to assist and train their officers to more effectively deal with the public and support their community policing program.

 
 
 

 
 
New Providence still benefits today from DeRoberts’ financial, business and management acumen.
— Al Morgan, Mayor, Borough of New Providence