Aronsohn brings decades of experience as a public servant looking out for state’s most vulnerable
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Senator Kim promised the people of New Jersey that he will build a different kind of politics, one that serves everyone. In particular, Senator Kim is working to build a “Caregiving Movement” across our state and nation to address the crisis of affordability and health care that is hurting millions of American families. Today, Senator Kim is grateful to be joined by Paul Aronsohn, longtime disability rights advocate and New Jersey’s first Ombudsman for the state’s disability community, as State Director.
“I’ve always believed in the idea that you can better judge the character of a society by how it treats the vulnerable and struggling among us rather than those who are most successful and advantaged,” said Senator Andy Kim. “In Paul, I met someone who isn’t interested in the theater of politics but is instead driven by a deeply personal mission of public service that is too rare these days. I’ve asked him to serve as my State Director because I want to build something different. I want to build the strongest constituent service operation in the country and a team that will focus on solving problems for Jersey families, not for the powerful and well-connect.”
Before joining Senator Kim’s office, Aronsohn held several positions in both the public and private sectors. He most recently served as New Jersey’s first statewide Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, a position he served for the last eight years. He also was appointed to President Joe Biden’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, advocating for those with disabilities across the country.
“I am truly excited to join Senator Andy Kim and his strong, mission-driven team. I admire and appreciate Senator Kim’s serious, thoughtful approach to the issues that matter most to the people in our State – an approach rooted in his commitment to deliver meaningful results for all 9.5 million people who call New Jersey home,” said Paul Aronsohn, State Director for Senator Andy Kim. “Now, more than ever, there is important work to be done both here in New Jersey and in Washington, and I look forward to working with Senator Kim and our team to get it done.”
Prior to serving as Ombudsman, Aronsohn served as Mayor of Ridgewood, NJ and Councilmember of his Bergen County town. He also served in communications roles for former New Jersey Governor James McGreevy.
Earlier in his career, Aronsohn worked at the U.S. Department of State, where his focus was largely on international security matters, such as nonproliferation, arms control and peacekeeping.
In addition to his work as a public servant, Aronsohn also has several years of experience working in the life sciences industry in communications and public affairs roles.
A longtime active member of community organizations across New Jersey, Aronsohn currently serves as Member-at-Large of the NAACP’s NJ State Conference as well as an Executive Committee Member of its Bergen County Branch. He is a member of Temple Israel of Ridgewood, on the Bergen County Disability Services Advisory Board, and the National Council of Severe Autism’s N.J. Chapter Professional Advisory Board.
Senator Kim serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. He is a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging. Before being elected to the U.S. Senate, Kim represented New Jersey’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a career public servant working in national security and diplomacy at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon.