A Galloway Township, New Jersey, woman was appointed deputy executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. Rosa Farias, 43, begins her job this week, arriving after serving as deputy executive director and policy director of the Atlantic City Initiatives Project Office.
Farias, who worked as director of urban policy for the state Senate Majority office, replaces Marshall Spevak, who left the agency in August.
“Not only am I honored and humbled to have the opportunity, but I walk in with the acknowledgement and recognition that we can effectuate positive change for the people in Atlantic City,” she told the Press of Atlantic City. “I’m going to dedicate myself to the mission of CRDA and making sure that we walk alongside, shoulder to shoulder, with other (stakeholders) to make sure we move Atlantic City forward.”
Farias, who grew up in Wildwood, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and a master’s in public administration from Rutgers University-Newark.
“We are excited to welcome Rosa,” CRDA Executive Director Matt Doherty said. “She brings well over 15 years of work experience in local and state government, and will be proactive in promoting economic and community development initiatives in Atlantic City and throughout the region.”
In addition to her work history, Farias was the main force in the return of the Atlantic City Latino Festival to Bader Field this year after a 12-year absence.
The Initiatives Project Office formed from a recommendation of the state’s transition report on Atlantic City and was funded through a $1.3 million, three-year allocation from the CRDA. The project office worked under the state Department of Community Affairs—the agency overseeing the state takeover of Atlantic City—and is responsible for implementing the transition report’s key objectives.
