Meet the Team
Kellie Drakeford LeDet
Chief Government Affairs Officer and Special Assistant to the President for Government Affairs and Community Partnerships
Kellie Drakeford LeDet is the Chief Government Affairs Officer and Special Assistant to the President for Government Affairs and Community Partnerships. In this capacity, she manages the University's relationships with federal, state and local governments, regulatory agencies, key policymakers and community stakeholders.
A well-respected policymaker and community partner with demonstrated accomplishments, LeDet assists in developing the University's annual legislative agenda and works with key personnel to ensure that its legislative priorities receive attention on the federal, state and local level. The division under her direction enhances the University's image and reputation through effective community outreach and strategic partnerships.
Kellie LeDet served as Chief of Staff and Assistant Commissioner for the division of Executive Services at the New Jersey Department of Education. In this role, she oversaw the Offices of Legal Affairs, Administrative Services, Legislative and Government Affairs, Public Affairs, Human Resources, Strategic Operations, Budget and Accounting, Office of School Ethics and EEO, Communications and Media Relations and the day-to-day operation of the Department.
Prior to joining the NJDOE, Ms. LeDet was appointed Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration by President Barack Obama in July 2014. In this capacity, she was the first African American and woman to direct the SBA’s operations in Region II, encompassing New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In her role, she had direct oversight and responsibility for the administration of SBA’s international export, disaster relief, government contracting, and entrepreneurial programs that assisted more than three million small businesses, employing more than six million workers in the Region.
Before joining the SBA, Ms. LeDet served for eight years as Deputy Chief of Staff for the office of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ).
Ms. LeDet began her career with U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ). She also served as Deputy State Director for U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ). She then went on to join Governor McGreevey’s Administration as the Deputy Chief of Management and Operations, where she had oversight of six state agencies - formulating and implementing strategic plans, departmental policies and budgets.
Ms. LeDet attended Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia where she majored in Political Science and Mass Communications with a Public Administration concentration. She and her husband live in Monmouth County.
Craig Coughlin Jr.
Director
Craig Coughlin Jr. is the Director of the Office of Government Affairs and Community Partnerships at Kean University. In this role, Craig develops and markets events on campus to help foster and cultivate the strong relationships that Kean University has with elected officials, policymakers and community leaders.
Craig has worked in Event Marketing and Communications for over 10 years. He joined Kean University as the Special Events Communications Specialist, where he worked on large-scale events such as Commencement, Homecoming and the annual Human Rights Conference. Prior to that, Craig was at the Brooklyn Cyclones as the Promotions and Premiums Manager, where he excelled at creating and building partnerships with civil service and la bor organizations.
Craig graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and graduated from Kean University with a Masters of Public Administration. He lives in Cranford with his wife .
Amirah Pierce
Professional Services Specialist
Amirah Pierce is the Professional Services Specialist at the Office of Government Affairs and Community Partnerships at Kean University. In this role, Amirah is responsible for the strategic planning and marketing of events. She also develops relationships for the office's community outreach initiatives.
Amirah graduated from Morgan State University, where she earned her B.S in Marketing, and Georgian Court University, where she earned an M.S in Digital Marketing and Communications. She is passionate about community involvement, building relationships, and creating efficient community access to information.
Ayisha I. Mapp
Managing Assistant Director of Community Partnerships
Ayisha I. Mapp is a proud and lifelong resident of Plainfield, New Jersey. She is an ambitious creative who serves as the Executive Director of Plainfield NOW, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to addressing social, economic, and educational inequalities in Plainfield and the surrounding areas.
Ayisha attended Howard University where she studied Political Science and African American Studies. She attended the Rutgers University Center for Government Services, Public Purchasing program. Before transitioning to her current role as Managing Assistant Director of Community Partnerships for the Office of Government Affairs & Community Partnerships at Kean University in Union, New Jersey where she uses her political background to navigate community partnerships, Ayisha worked for the County of Union as a Purchasing Assistant. In addition she also ran the County COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites; in this role, Ayisha made it her goal to focus on communities of color, the disadvantaged and those who had the least amount of access to healthcare.
Ayisha also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to New Jersey Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter(LD-22); she was the Secretary for the National Organization of Women, NJ(NOW-NJ) and has served as an Executive Member of the Barbados American Charitable Organization of New Jersey (BACONJ). Most recently Ayisha was appointed to The Wardlaw+Hartridge School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee where she works to assist the prep school in becoming a more diverse and inclusive environment.
Keith Roachford
Federal Policy Advisor to the Chief Government Officer
Keith Roachford, originally from Willingboro, New Jersey, served in the United States Senate for more than 35 years. Keith was on the staff of Senator Robert Menendez from 2006 to 2022. He was the Senator’s Deputy Legislative Director and served as senior policy advisor for appropriations, budget, defense, US Army Corps of Engineers, homeland security, domestic manufacturing, economic development, and veterans’ affairs.
He served as Special Requests Liaison for Senator Bill Bradley from 1987 to 1997. Upon Senator Bradley’s retirement, Keith went to work for Senator Robert Torricelli as Deputy Chief of Staff from 1997 to 2002. Keith worked as Special Projects Director for Senator Jon Corzine from 2003 to 2006. Keith graduated from Montclair State University in 1987 and received his Masters in Public Administration from The George Washington University in 1992.
Keith is an active member of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. He is a Lay Eucharistic Minister and served as Senior Warden from 2012 to 2022. As Senior Warden, he led the parish through its clergy transition when their Rector of 21 years retired. He guided the parish in the process of hiring their then Priest-in-Charge as the fifth Rector of St. George’s Church. Keith leads the Seminarian Lay Committee and is a member of the Finance Committee and Altar Guild.
Keith also serves the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. He was appointed as the Secretary to the Diocesan Convention in 2014 by Bishop Mariann Budde. Along with this position, he is an ex-officio member of the Diocesan Council and a member of the Canons and Constitution Committee. He is also a member of the newly formed Committee on Black Ministries.
Keith married Sandra Oasin in 1992 and are the proud parents of Ric, Daniel, and Lauren. They live in Spencerville, Maryland just outside of Washington, DC.
Stephenine Dixon
Executive Assistant
At the helm of Voting Works LLC as CEO, Stephenine has been pivotal in guiding nonprofit and nonpartisan entities and political campaigns through strategic planning and training. Her efforts were highlighted as she took on the role of Regional Field Organizer in Savannah, Georgia, for the Stacey Abrams gubernatorial campaign.
Stephenine has come full circle after working on the campaign of democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg as a Regional Organizing Director in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her team won back some turf that Barack Obama lost,and finished with 100% with all their precinct captains, which helped her team to win the Iowa Caucus in 2020. Stephenine was selected as the Alabama State Director for Pete Buttigieg to lead the state of Alabama, in 2020.
Stephenine harbors a fervent dream: to dismantle the barriers preventing African American women from attaining pivotal roles in the highest offices. Inspired by Fannie Lou Hamer's poignant assertion of fatigue from marginalization, Stephenine’s dedication to political campaigns spans over three decades, marking significant milestones, notably the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Her contributions to both the 2008 and 2012 Obama campaigns were recognized with badges of honor, and she proudly served as a delegate in the 2012, 2016 & 2024 election.
Her journey of impactful achievements continued with her strategic involvement in the campaign of U.S. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman, leading to the historic election of the first African-American woman from New Jersey to the U.S. Congress in 2014. Stephenine’s commitment to civil rights and leadership was further solidified when Acting Governor Richard Codey appointed her to the New Jersey State Martin Luther King Commission. Under her guidance, the NJ State Martin Luther King Youth Leadership Conference flourished, engaging over a thousand youths from the Southern Regional area.
Beyond her commission role, reappointments by Governors Jim McGreevey, Jon Corzine, Chris Christie, and Governor Phil Murphy,underscored her lasting influence, particularly in organizing the NJ State Annual Commemorative Martin Luther King Program at the State House. Her efforts earned her the Distinguished Commissioner Award, a testament to her dedication to advancing Dr. King's legacy. This passion also found expression in orchestrating educational bus trips to the "Black Issues State Convention" for seniors and "Ellis Island" for children, enriching their understanding of America's diverse heritage.
Stephenine's initiative did not stop there; she founded the yearly "HerStory" Women’s Day Award Ceremony to celebrate local women's achievements and co-founded the South Jersey Democratic Women’s Forum, fostering a platform for dialogue and encouragement among women eyeing political office. Her recent formation of the Atlantic County Democratic “Women of Color Caucus'' marks another step towards community engagement and representation. As a leader, she spearheaded the first bus to the 2016 Women’s March and co-chaired the Atlantic City Women’s March in 2024, showcasing her unwavering commitment to activism and societal change. Through these endeavors, Stephenine continues to be a beacon of inspiration and leadership within her community and beyond.
Born and nurtured in the heart of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Stephenine exemplifies the essence of family and community. Her life is deeply woven with the bonds of her two children, Lenny and Shameera Ross, her fiancé Lamont R. Hammie, and her cherished four grandchildren.Stephenine joined Faith Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Milton Hendricks & First Lady Estelle Hendricks.