2024 Statewide Leadership Summit

Boots on the Ground:
Volunteer Recruitment Training

Sat., 11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Volunteers are the backbone of any political campaign or organization! Learn how to find, attract, and recruit New Jersey’s best Republican volunteers.

Moderator

Nick LaRotonda

Nick LaRotonda (31) currently serves as the City Council President in his hometown of Absecon and as Executive Director of the Atlantic County Republicans. A graduate of Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC) and Fairleigh Dickinson University, LaRotonda holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and worked in various management positions in Atlantic City casinos before leaving to become a career Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at the Atlantic City International Airport. He is also a long time member of Absecon Volunteer Fire Department.

Panelists

Kean MacLelland

Kean MacLelland serves as Campaign Manager to Congressman Tom Kean for the 2024 re-election cycle in New Jersey’s 7th District, a top race nationally. In 2021, he served as the Statewide Advance Coordinator for Republican Gubernatorial Candidate, Jack Ciattarelli. He then served as Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis, aiding her successful re-election in a marginally competitive district. Recently, MacLelland led the Republican campaign in Westfield, orchestrating a surprising victory where the GOP won four town council seats in a typically Democratic stronghold, marking a notable upset in the 2023 elections.

Ron Filan

Ron Filan has more than a decade of experience managing winning campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels in some of the toughest political battlegrounds in New Jersey.

After getting his start as the Executive Director of the Atlantic County Republicans when he was just 19 years old, Filan went on to manage successful campaigns for former Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Senator Chris Brown, Commissioner and Former Atlantic County Freeholder Chairwoman Amy Gatto, and scores of Republican elected officials at the county and local level throughout South Jersey.

In December 2019, Congressman Jeff Van Drew hired Filan to manage his re-election campaign ahead of the Oval Office meeting with President Trump in which it was announced Van Drew would be leaving the Democrat Party to become a Republican. Despite being massively outspent in the bluest of the state’s competitive Congressional Districts, Van Drew decisively defeated his Democrat challenger Amy Kennedy earning him the distinction of becoming the first and only Republican ever to defeat a member of the Kennedy family dynasty at the Federal level.

Over the years Filan has also served as the Republican National Committee’s New Jersey State Director, Political Director at the New Jersey Republican State Committee, Executive Director of the Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland County Republican Committees, Senior Regional Director in the Governor’s Office of Community Affairs, and Chairman of the New Jersey College Republicans.

Will Atkins

William Atkins is a leader in youth engagement and organizational development. Starting in 2020, he began work to revitalize the New Jersey Teenage Republicans, growing it to include 15 clubs across the state. He would go on to found and serve as National Chairman of the High School Republicans, expanding it to 10,000 members and establishing it as the premier teen wing of the RNC.

Atkins was appointed last year to the New Jersey Legislative Youth Council, and led bipartisan efforts for the recently passed “Involve Our Youth Act” to promote civic engagement among teens. His commitment to forging future leadership extends through his role as Executive Director of Civic League of Young Voters. He enjoys graphic design and data analysis in his free time.

Jess Rohr

With more than a decade’s worth of experience, Jessica has been fighting the good fight and directed countless local, state. and federal campaigns by giving them the tools they need to succeed. With vast experience in campaign strategizing, messaging, and voter contact, Jessica has proven that she knows how to get the job done.

For the last eight years, Jessica played a vital role in both managing Congressman Smith’s campaign for re-election and assisting stakeholders and residents in the Fourth Congressional District with issues they are experiencing with federal agencies—an invaluable political asset that cannot be taught.