Kean’s Repollet, Johnson Named to NJBIZ Top 50 in Education

Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., and Vice President of External Affairs and Urban Policy and Research Barbara George Johnson have each been named among the 50 most impactful leaders in New Jersey education.

Both were listed on the 2021 NJBIZ Education Power 50, a who’s who of leaders in education in the state. This year’s listing especially reflected those whose work had greatly contributed to mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Repollet, the former state Commissioner of Education, led Kean through a year of remote learning, headlined the University’s 10 in-person graduation ceremonies in May and ushered in the return to in-person education this month.

“I am honored to be recognized by NJBIZ, especially in the company of the other esteemed leaders in education on the Power 50 list,” Repollet said. “We will continue to focus on safety, academic excellence and equity in the coming year as we move this University forward.”

Johnson, whose work at Kean is centered in the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy, in July was named by President Biden to serve as a trustee of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. The Foundation provides scholarships to students pursuing research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Her nomination affirms Kean’s commitment to research, coming as the University pursues designation as a R2 research institution.

"Kean is poised to be a national leader in urban research, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lend my experience to achieving the University's goals, enabling our students to make critical contributions to our country's innovations," Johnson said.