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Jesse Burns has been with the League of Women Voters of New Jersey since 2007, previously serving as Communications Director before becoming the organization’s executive director in 2015. Under Jesse’s leadership, the League has strengthened its position as a critical, influential, and trusted voting rights and civic engagement organization, providing nonpartisan voter education to hundreds of thousands of voters, protecting them at the polls, and advancing equitable policy reforms. The League has championed critical voting rights advancements including online voter registration, automatic voter registration, an end to prison-based gerrymandering, in-person early voting, and rights restoration for people on parole and probation, among others. Jesse has sat on two New Jersey Supreme Court committees, serves on the Democracy Committee of the New Jersey Reparations Council, was named to the Insider Out 100: LGBTQ Power List, Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter's Women of Power list, and is the recipient of LUPE Fund’s 2022 Power of Women Amiga Award. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Dickinson College and a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from Drew University.
Elissa joined the League of Women Voters of New Jersey as Operations Coordinator in 2023 to support the organization’s office administration and day-to-day operations. She is excited to remake and refresh the processes and tools that help the League do its timely work. Prior to her work with the League, Elissa worked for over five years as Project Coordinator at a regional nonprofit that supports the state’s autism community. Her contributions to the organization’s projects and data-based initiatives highlight a passion for utilizing technology to maximize organizational efficiency. When she needs a screen break, Elissa may be doing yoga or drawing. Her illustrations can be found in The Birthday Thief, a picture book she published along with her husband in 2015. She is inspired every day by her beloved and very spoiled pets.
Ary joined the League of Women Voters of New Jersey as a Community Organizer in 2025. Through his work during the 2024 elections, he brings a solid background in community engagement, voter education, and coalition building to the League. Ary’s passion for voting rights aligns perfectly with the League’s mission and institutional values.
Ary also brings a diverse perspective to the League as an immigrant from Nepal and a deeper understanding of engaging and mobilizing low-propensity voters, including AAPI voters, and realizing their political power to shape policies and democracy.
Ary holds a double bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Tribhuwan University in Nepal and a BS in Government-Politics & Policy, Pre-Law from Liberty University. With a profound understanding of the power of the law to shape societies, he intends to attend law school and fulfill his dream of becoming a civil rights attorney, specializing in voting rights and immigrants’ rights. Besides his passion for democracy, Ary loves to read, write nonfiction and poetry, travel, experience different cultures and perspectives, and share unique stories with people from all walks of life.
Melissa Marks, Manager of Mission Impact, manages the League of Women Voters of New Jersey's program team and portfolio to achieve the organization's strategic goals. Melissa works to strengthen relationships with League members and partners, to enhance the organization's capacity to mobilize the public, and to empower both League members and the community to create a more equitable state.
In her previous position as the League's Senior Community Organizer, Melissa launched several initiatives, including the Activist Training Program, the Lobby Corps, the Democracy Organizer Program, and a range of Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts. She has collaborated closely with partners to empower voters through initiatives to reach newly naturalized citizens, formerly incarcerated voters, and more. This work has educated thousands of voters and fostered strong voting habits across the state. Melissa has also helped to advance key legislation and fought to defend democratic values through campaigns for reproductive rights, government transparency, economic justice, and racial justice.
Melissa grew up in New York and earned her degree from Lehigh University where she studied the environment, political science, and business. Prior to joining the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, she advocated for environmental protection and empowered future activists as Canvass Director with Clean Water Action.
Norhan Osman joined as the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s Communications Associate in 2024. A proud alumnus of the Rutgers University Honors program, Norhan holds bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and comparative literature, and two minor certificates in creative writing and Spanish. Outside of the classroom, she served as Vice President of the Rutgers Professional Fraternity Council and volunteered for social causes both at home and abroad. Namely in Peru, where she completed her Honors Research Capstone on the struggles of the Indigenous population. In addition to Spanish, Norhan is also fluent in Arabic, making her trilingual. Her interdisciplinary experiences have honed her into a critical thinker, communication powerhouse, and a creative visionary. Previously, Norhan worked for the Rutgers Research Center for Women and Work and the Rutgers Center for Cultural Analysis for 4 years as an Office Assistant. In years prior, she served as a Policy Research Intern heading many sub-caucuses for a primary political campaign. Her background in poetry and the arts infuses her work with unique visual flair, combining her passion for democracy and her belief in the power of communication. Norhan is eager to create compelling narratives that reach new audiences and inspire greater involvement in the League of Women Voters of New Jersey.
