20+ years

Helped the New Jersey Staffing Alliance get recognized by their national organization as the number one state in the country as it pertains to government affairs and legislative advocacy. (2015)

Grew the New Jersey Associated Builders and Contractors apprenticeship training program thru legislation, they are now the biggest state chapter in the country vs the 68 other chapters nationwide.

Thru regulations and legislation helped secure and develop training and accreditation in ethics for the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers.

I started as a legislative staff person in 1997 staffing various committees, Labor, Regulated professions, working on the Budget committee as well. Starting as staff person you understand the nuances of the legislative process. Taking an idea or a change in current law is common place. Currently working with Chairs of committees, introducing them to clients, explaining the change or new law we want to develop is a process we do on a regular basis, then moving forward on the concept to get it across the finish line.

Patrick Stewart worked in the state legislature for the Assembly Republican Majority office. During this time, he worked closely with legislators, forming policy, and helping educate assembly members on important issues. Stewart was responsible for staffing many assembly committees, including the budget, consumer affairs, regulated professions, and labor committees.

Patrick served as principal policy advisor to the Republican Majority Leadership and caucus on economic development, changing financial issues with the state budget and relaying needs from the business community.

Since 2001, Stewart has worked on a broad range of issues for his clients. Working with larger and smaller clients, he uses his working knowledge of the legislature, state departments, and the Governor's office to achieve the goal of the client.

He has developed a strong working knowledge of the insurance industry and labor arena, specifically dealing with workers compensation issues. Stewart handled other diverse clients in the pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing sector and temporary staffing industry.

Patrick is a 1996 graduate of Villanova University, where he earned his degree in political science.

20+ years

Tracie DeSarno, senior partner, has more than 3 decades of experience representing hospitals, major corporations, nonprofit groups, and associations, and municipal, county and state government in Trenton and Washington. At Public Strategies Impact, she is responsible for a broad range of issues, including healthcare, financial services, telecommunications, and entertainment. Throughout her career, she has successfully represented clients on major legislative initiatives and budget deliberations.

Ms. DeSarno has been with PSI for more than 30 years. She came to the firm from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where she served as government affairs assistant to the president of New Jersey's premier technology university. Previously, she had served as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Essex County, gaining invaluable experience in government operations from the municipal to federal level.

During her tenure with Essex County, she was the County Executive's liaison to the State Legislature, state agencies and the 22 municipalities in the county. She was responsible for legislative initiatives at the state and federal level, and assisted in grant procurement and state budget analysis, successfully directing additional state funding to the county.

Ms. DeSarno is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University, and holds a bachelor's degree in political science and sociology. She has served as an elected member of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, and as a member of the Union County College Board of Governors. She also served for years as a PTA president and executive board member in Union Township.

In 2008, the New Jersey Hemophilia Association recognized Ms. DeSarno as the recipient of its Congressman Dean A. Gallo Memorial Award for Distinguished Legislative Leadership.

15-20 years

Joshua Hodes, Partner, has more than 15 years' experience representing various clients before the legislative and executive branches of New Jersey Government. During his career, Josh has represented a diverse client base ranging from Fortune 100 companies to New Jersey based nonprofits. At Public Strategies Impact, he is responsible for a broad range of issues, including education, energy, healthcare, and redevelopment work. Josh prides himself on his strong relationships with his clients, which enables him to become the most effective advocate on their behalf.

Previously, Josh served as Chief of Staff to the Assembly Majority Leader and as senior staff member of the Assembly Majority Office, advising the Assembly Democratic Caucus on public policy initiatives. As a former legislative staffer, Josh brings his experiences and knowledge of the statehouse to his daily advocacy work. Prior to joining the Assembly Majority Office, Josh served as an associate in government relations at Public Strategies Impact.

Josh is active in local, state, and national politics. In 2008, he served as a political advisor to the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign in New Jersey and was a member of the NJ Delegation at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Josh also served on the New Jersey Democratic State Committee's Committee on Vacancies, which was responsible for selecting the New Jersey Electoral College members.

In 2016, Josh served as a member of the National Rules Committee for the Democratic National Committee in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Josh has served as a gubernatorial appointment to the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority since 2010. He currently serves as Chairman for the Authority.

Josh received his bachelor's degree from Rutgers College and a Master's in Labor and Employment Relations from Rutgers University.

Title - Managing Partner

Roger Bodman is widely respected for his depth of knowledge of state government and politics. He has served in gubernatorial cabinet posts, guided presidential campaigns in New Jersey, and appeared as a political commentator for NJTV, formerly New Jersey Network, for 4 decades.

Early in his career, Bodman served as district office manager for the late New Jersey Congresswoman Millicent Fenwick and as chief of staff for former New Jersey Congressman James Courter. In 1981, he was selected as manager of Tom Kean's campaign for governor. Following Governor Kean's victory, Bodman was named to two cabinet posts. As the State Commissioner of Labor, he implemented extensive legislative reforms of the unemployment insurance program. Later, as the State Commissioner of Transportation, he was the chief advisor to the governor on transportation matters. He also served as chairman of New Jersey Transit.

In 1987, Bodman was appointed by the governor to chair the Study Commission on Regulatory Efficiency, a role that earned him the Alliance for Action's Eagle Award. In 1988, he served as vice chairman of the New Jersey Bush for President committee.

A native of Bernardsville, New Jersey, Bodman graduated cum laude from Ohio University in 1974 with a degree in political science. Bodman was also a visiting professor at Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics.

20+ years

As a top democratic strategist, William Maer is a well-respected lobbyist with a career spanning more than 30 years. He was appointed to Governor Sherrill's Interdisciplinary Advisory Task Force to advise the incoming Administration on State related polices. He served in several government positions, including aide to former Governor James Florio, chief of staff to the late Congressman William J. Pascrell, Jr., associate executive director of the Assembly Democratic Legislative Leadership Office, and senior advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine and 2009 campaign. Maer was a leading Democratic political consultant, having worked on dozens of campaigns at virtually every level of New Jersey politics. Currently, Maer serves as chief spokesman for the Passaic County Sheriff and serves on the Democratic Governors Association National Finance Committee.

Appointed by three governors, Maer served on the New Jersey Building Authority, the Brookdale Community College Board of Trustees, and the Governor's Council to Prevent Disabilities. He also served o the Democratic National Committee (DNC) member of the credential committee for the 2016 Democratic National Committee Convention.

Maer received his bachelor's degree in government from Clark University in Massachusetts, and in 1990, he was granted a master's degree in political science from Villanova University. In the last two decades, he has appeared on every top power list, including:
PolitickerNJ's Power List
InsiderNJ Power List
New Jersey Globe Power List
NJ Cannabis Media's Cannabis Policy Insiders and the 2026 ROI NJ Government Affairs Influencers Power List.

20+ years

Joseph DeSanctis, Partner, has extensive knowledge of the legislative and executive branches stemming from more than 30 years of advocacy on behalf of a diverse client base. He has advocated for clients in industries ranging from major corporations and government entities to trade organizations and professional associations. He has specialized knowledge in the areas of transportation, energy, and water systems, as well as environmental issues.

Mr. DeSanctis is considered an expert in project siting and has also represented many clients at the local level on various projects. These include commercial and residential developments, the siting of natural gas pipelines, and other energy-related projects throughout the State. Mr. DeSanctis has helped clients in developing a community relations plan, establishing contacts with key officials and stakeholders, and providing grassroots support. He has assisted in timely acquisition of State and local permits, along with coordinating other results-oriented solutions across various state agencies.

Mr. DeSanctis has served as Manager of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers; on whose behalf he worked on legislative and regulatory issues and other matters affecting the engineering community's permitting process and also served as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers.

Mr. DeSanctis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science & Public Administration from Trenton State College.

20+ years

Matthew Halpin joined Public Strategies Impact in 2001 after serving as manager of government relations for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. There, Matt was responsible for issue areas that included economic development, international trade, and corporate taxation. Coming from a large association, Mr. Halpin brings management skills as the head of the firm's association management division.

Matt's lobbying efforts at PSI span a variety of business issues for corporate clients and several trade associations. He is well known for his ability to handle complex issues and to deftly strategize on behalf of his clients. Matt brings a unique set of skills that allow him to not only be his client's eyes and ears in the Capital, but he also prides himself on being well-versed in the intricacies of his clients' interests so as to be an effective advocate.

Beyond traditional lobbying, Matt has also enjoyed participating on corporate teams to help manage the public affairs components of the overall project. Additionally, Matt contributes to our association management practice by serving as Executive Director for the NJ Society of Municipal Engineers, the American Institute of Architects of NJ, and the NJ Academy of Ophthalmology. Further, he has successfully completed numerous strategic planning sessions for both our corporate and association clients.

Mr. Halpin received a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from the Rutgers Business School with a concentration in Finance. He also has a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Rutgers College and is an associate of the Eagleton Institute of Politics.