bdesando

Bio: <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Robert A. DeSando has served as Deputy Executive Director of the Assembly Republican Office since November 2003. Previously, he was the Director of Governmental Relations for the New Jersey School Boards Association.</font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">During the administration of former Governor Christie Whitman, Mr. DeSando served as Senior Policy Advisor to state Transportation Commissioners James Weinstein and John Haley.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">He also served as Special Assistant to state Education Commissioners David Hespe and Vito Gagliardi. While with the Department of Education, he oversaw governmental relations, public information and federal education policy.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">This is Mr. DeSando&#39;s second stint with the Assembly Republican Office. In 1987, he joined the office as a public information officer and after two years became Director of Media Relations for former Republican Assembly Speaker Chuck Hardwick. He subsequently served as Director of Communications and then Press Secretary for Assembly Speakers Garabed &quot;Chuck&quot; Haytaian and Jack Collins.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Prior to joining the Assembly Republican Office, he was State House Bureau Chief for the Asbury Park Press.</font></font></p>