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31 SPRING 2022 Katie Nestor Comanto '12 FACING PAGE, PETER MURPHY; THIS PAGE, BILL CARDONI Katie Nestor Comanto '12 New Jersey deputy secretary of higher education Since her first semester at TCNJ, Katie Comanto's life journey has included a number of course corrections. Picturing a career in medicine, she began as a science major, an idea that lasted "about 12 weeks," she says. So she switched her major to psychology. But by senior year, she had drifted toward law, having decided to follow in her father's footsteps. And after earning her JD from Seton Hall Law, she landed a job with a firm with a niche specialty: representing school boards. None of it was expected — least of all, her two most recent twists: getting tapped to serve as Counsel to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on education law in the "havoc" of the pandemic, and, since early this year, her current job as New Jersey's deputy secretary of higher education. "As an undergrad, I would have never predicted I'd be in this role today," she says. "My working hours are now spent directly impacting the lives of people across the state." Her contemporaries might recog- nize her as Katie Nestor, who won a NCAA designation as an All-American cross-country and track-and-field athlete. As a "proud product of New Jersey schools," Comanto still works out problems while running, now focused on somewhat arcane issues, such as licenses for colleges and universities seeking to expand. But always in the background, she says, is an awareness that "higher education is so determinative about where your life can go." ■ John T. Ward is a regular contributor to TCNJ Magazine. Madina Ouedraogo '18 Policy coordinator for the Office of Governor Phil Murphy Her causes: Gender equity and racial justice. Her reason: To progress policy reforms to help marginalized communities. Al Ribeiro '02 Councilman, Bernardsville, New Jersey Key issues: Revitalizing downtown and upgrading infrastructure and emergency preparedness. Also seen around town: Worked on John McCain's presidential campaign. Stump speech: Focus on the community immediately around you. It will restore your faith in the positive impact that leadership can have.