The Newark Partnership Team
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Mark Arehart
Executive Director
Mark Arehart oversees strategies and objectives for the development of Newark’s business community. It is TNP’s role as a community-focused nonprofit that drew him to the organization. He’s focused on strengthening citywide economic and cultural development.
A First State transplant from the Great Plains, he spent more than a dozen years as a journalist for NPR member stations across the country. Now, he’s focused on helping tell the stories of Newark’s vibrant businesses, large and small. Outside of work, Mark is an avid college basketball fan who enjoys mountain biking, as well as reading mysteries and thrillers.
Executive Committee of the Board
Polly Sierer
Chair: Resident, City of Newark
Bio
Polly Sierer was elected Mayor of the City of Newark in November 2013 and served two terms from 2013-2019.
Polly is an innate leader, tireless public servant and passionate about Newark and Delaware’s future. Her genuine and contagious philanthropic spirit, as well as her engaged community leadership has certainly benefitted all of our neighbors in the greater Newark area.
Polly was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She grew up in Iowa City, Iowa where she graduated from the University of Iowa in 1980. She worked for over two decades in marketing and sales for national property management and development firms.
Polly is actively involved in a number of non-profit organizations, including The Newark Partnership, Friends of Fusion Foundation, Newark Area Welfare Committee, Newark Morning Rotary Club, Bike Newark and Bike Delaware. She is a 2013 Newark Jefferson Award recipient.
Polly is an avid competitive tennis player, and enjoys camping, biking, hiking and gardening. She has lived in Newark for over 30 years. Polly and her husband have four children and eight grandchildren.
Paul Keely
Vice Chair: Resident, Owner, King Print & Promo
Bio
I’ve lived in Newark my entire adult life and raised 4 great kids here. I’m a small business owner in the marketing communications space, and have volunteered with many local and regional organizations. I’m currently active with the Newark Morning Rotary and the music ministry of our parish St. John the Baptist / Holy Angels.
My primary interest with The Newark Partnership is connecting residents and various stakeholders with all our city has to offer, and making it easier for a broader cross-section of people to have a voice in what happens here. I co-chair the Civic Engagement committee and would love for you to drop in on one of our meetings!
My favorite place in Newark is White Clay Creek State Park, but there are dozens of close seconds.
Bob McBride
Secretary: Resident, Bike Newark
Bio
Robert H McBride is Chair of BikeNewark and Secretary of The Newark Partnership.
Bob was elected Chair of Bike Newark for a second two-year term in November 2020. Before becoming Chair he also served as Treasurer. McBride grew up in Wilmington and lived in Newark for 8 years during his UD Education. (BS and MS) His daughter was born on West Main Street. He worked in NewCastle County Head Start Early Childhood Development programs before moving to Virginia to run a Head Start Program in Roanoke. He later moved to Pennsylvania where he worked in education for 35 years.
Bob and his wife both retired back to Newark after a long careers at George School, a Quaker High School in Pennsylvania. He was a founding member of the White Clay Bicycle Club, and he is currently serving on committees with the City of Newark for transportation planning.
A charter member of The Newark Partnership he is an avid recreational bicyclist, volunteer urban planner, and an enthusiastic bird-watcher.
Roy Lopata
At Large Officer: Resident, City of Newark
Bio
Roy H. Lopata retired in 2012 after working 37 years for the City of Newark, including over 35 years as Newark’s Planning and Development Director. Roy also served as Interim City Manager for Newark. During his tenure the Planning Department was responsible for Newark’s physical and economic development and for providing staff assistance to the City’s Planning Commission and the Mayor and City Council. Roy has also served on the national Board of the American Liver Foundation and locally on the Board of the Newark Historical Society. He currently serves on the Board of the Friends of the Newark Free Library and delivers Meals on Wheels for the Newark Senior Center. He received a Ph.D. in American History from the University of Delaware.
Roy’s participation on the The Newark Partnership Board represents his life long effort to work with others to continue to make Newark a special place in which to work, to learn and to live.
Roy’s favorite place in Newark is Main Street, a wonderful place to shop and dine.
Dan Rich
At Large Officer: Resident, Director, Community Engagement Initiative, University of Delaware
Bio
Dan Rich has been a resident of Newark since 1970. He serves as Director of the Community Engagement Initiative and Professor in the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware. Dan has worked on numerous Newark community projects, including serving as co-chair of the City of Newark committee that recommended the creation of The Newark Partnership. He has worked for decades on policies to strengthen Delaware public education, from enhanced early childhood education to improved college access and success. Dan enjoys walking through the UD campus and the adjoining Old Newark neighborhood where he lives.
Jamie Zingaro
Treasurer: Resident, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
Bio
Jamie Zingaro is a long-time Newark resident. He is the treasurer of The Newark Partnership. He enjoys his involvement with TNP and its impact on Newark, its residents, area businesses and the greater community. He works at W. L. Gore & Associates as a communications specialist. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends, gardening, and participating on many outdoor activities.
General Board Members
Olivia Brinton
Co-Owner, Little Goat Coffee Roasters
Bio
Olivia Brinton is the co-owner of Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co. She is from Chester County, PA and grew up coming to Newark on the weekends for fun. She has a bachelor’s in political science from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC, which is also the town where she learned how to roast coffee. When she is not working, she enjoys riding her mountain bike, going on hikes with her dog, and cooking fancy meals. Through her leadership at Little Goat, as well as her involvement with The Newark Partnership, she aims to cultivate a stronger sense of community for folks who live, work, and study in Newark.
Stu Markham
City of Newark Mayor
Bio
Mayor Stu Markham was sworn into office on April 21, 2022. Prior to his election, he served as councilperson for District 6 from 2006 until 2020 and was Chairperson for the City of Newark Reapportionment Committee in 2021. An advocate for sustainable energy, he is especially proud of his efforts to convert a 3.91-acre brownfield into McKee’s Solar Park in 2014. He is also proud of his work to convert Curtis Paper Mill to a passive park. Â
Mayor Markham earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Delaware and a Masters of Engineering Science – Computer Science Degree from Loyola University. He is a leader in the Information Technology industry, having held multiple distinguished positions including Lead Technologist for Diamond Technologies and Application Development Manager for JP Morgan Chase. The mayor has served as Chairman of the Board for Exam Master Corporation since 2013 and became the company’s Chief Technology Officer in August 2021. Â
The Mayor has been married to his wife, Kathy, for nearly forty years. Together, they have a son and a daughter. They enjoy traveling, walking the Redd Park Trail, trying new restaurants, playing board games and spending time with family.
Tom Coleman
City Manager, City of Newark
Bio
Tom Coleman joined the City of Newark in 2011 as the Deputy Director of Water and Wastewater, before being promoted to Director of Public Works and Water Resources in 2014. He is now the City Manager, a position that he has held since 2017 when he took over in an acting role following the departure of the City’s previous City Manager. Prior to working for Newark, Tom was an associate at Karins and Associates, a Newark area land development engineering firm, where he specialized in commercial and residential land development. Tom was also an adjunct professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department between 2017 and 2020 where he instructed the year-long “Senior Design” capstone class.
Tom is a graduate of the University of Delaware’s Civil Engineering program and has been a licensed professional engineer in Delaware since 2009. In 2011 Tom was named “Young Engineer of the Year” by the Delaware Engineering Society. More recently in 2019 he received the University of Delaware Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Citation for Outstanding Achievement. Tom enjoys playing sports of all kinds, pretty much anything involving the mountains, and spending time with his family.
Chris Locke
Resident, General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Lang Development
Bio
Chris is General Counsel/Sr. Vice President at Lang Development Group. He oversees the operations of the residential portfolio, legal matters, and government relations. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He also received a law degree from Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 1987. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with almost 30 years of experience.
Chris started his career as a legal intern for the Honorable Senator Robert Dole (R-Kan) and served as General Counsel to Sunvest Realty specializing in Far East relations and real estate acquisitions. Prior to joining Lang Development Group, he became Managing Director of the law firm formerly known as Healy and Locke, a mid-size firm specializing in corporate law, litigation and real estate law.
His family of seven children have been raised and live in Newark. Chris has been active in the Downtown Partnership, Newark Housing Authority, and numerous youth programs and various civic projects and around the city of Newark. Chris is also a Board member of St. Marks High School and The Western YMCA.
Kathy Matt
Dean, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware
Bio
Kathy Matt was born and raised in Delaware; her first job was at Bing’s Bakery! She has served as the Dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Delaware since 2009. During her time as Dean, she has been instrumental in developing the Health Sciences Complex on the Science, Technology, and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus.
Dr. Matt earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from the University of Delaware and received her PhD in endocrine physiology from the University of Washington, Seattle.
Kathy’s favorite part of Newark is Bing’s Bakery and the National 5&10.
Tyrone Jones
Sr. Manager, Policy & Public Affairs, Bloom Energy
Bio
Tyrone is married to Donna and lives in Wilmington, DE. He has raised four children and blessed with three grandchildren. He is an ordained Elder at The Resurrection Center in Wilmington and a graduate of the University of Delaware.
Mr. Jones is a resourceful and strategic leader in addressing complex social and business issues by inspiring Innovation, Change, Collaboration, and Partnerships that build policies, practices and programs that drive results. He currently serves as Chair of the Resurrections Center Governing Board, WAREHOUSE Board of Directors, ACCELL Community Advisory Council, Communities in Schools, KIDS Count of Delaware, The Newark Partnership, Christiana Care Advisory Council, and the Newark Morning Rotary Club.
Currently, he is employed by Bloom Energy as Sr. Manager of Policy & Public Affairs. He also served with United States Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and United States Senator Thomas R. Carper of Delaware. In addition, Mr. Jones played a key role with the United Way of Delaware, serving as the Senior Vice President of Community Impact and as Chief Impact Officer; Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League as Vice President of Operations; and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, serving as Director of Government and External Affairs and as Director of Corporate and Community Alliance.
He is inspired by a life quote by Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays:
“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream…It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.”
Jack Levine
Undergraduate Public Policy Major, University of Delaware
Bio
Jack Levine is a Junior at the University of Delaware originally from Needham Massachusetts. He is majoring in Public Policy with a minor in Legal Studies and political science. His previous work experience includes working for the Institute of Public Administration doing research on real estate trends and assisting with comprehensive planning.
Jamie Lee
Undergraduate Honors Political Science Major, English, History, and Legal Studies Minor, University of Delaware
Bio
Jamie is a junior at the University of Delaware, earning an Honors Political Science degree with minors in Legal Studies, History, and English. On-campus, she serves as the Online Media director for her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, and has participated in research since her freshman year. Jamie plans on attending law school after her time at UD and currently works as a paralegal.
Caitlin Olsen
Director of Government Relations, Strategic Engagement
Max Walton
Connolly Gallagher, LLP
Bio
Max Walton is the chair of Connolly Gallagher’s government practice and is the managing partner of the Newark, Delaware office. Max has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America® for administrative and regulatory law, land use, zoning and municipal litigation. He is also identified in Delaware Today Top Lawyers for appellate, constitutional law, land use and zoning.
Freeman Williams
Resident, NAACP Newark Chapter
Bio
Dr. Freeman Williams earned his bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from the University of Delaware. In addition to TNP’s Board, he also serves as the president of the Board for Neighborhood House, which provides counseling, early childhood education, and meal services. He is the president of the Newark Chapter of the NAACP and the vice president of the State of Delaware NAACP.
Freeman is a former superintendent of the Christina School District, and also served as a teacher, principal, director, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent. He previously worked for the Upward Bound program and the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program.
Dr. Williams resides in the city of Newark. He is married and is the father of three children and grandfather to three grandchildren. His favorite part of Newark is the historic African American community that borders New London Road and Cleveland Avenue, affectionately called, “School Hill,” the area he where I grew up.
Dr. Matthew J. Robinson
Resident, NAACP Newark Chapter
Bio
Dr. Matthew J. Robinson serves as Deputy Director for the Community Engagement Initiative at the University of Delaware. Dr. Robinson has been at the University since 2001 and is a full professor and the Area Head of the Sport Management Program in the Lerner College of Business and Economics. Dr. Robinson is the author of the highly successful sport management texts: Profiles of Sport Industry Professionals: The People Who Make the Games Happen and Sport Club Management and has authored over 25 articles and has made over 100 national and international scholarly and professional presentations. In 2020, Robinson was named to the President’s Council on Sport, Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Science Board for The United States of America Department of Health and Human Services and also served as the President of the University of Delaware Faculty Senate.
Dr. Robinson served as interim Director of Athletics and Recreation for the University of Delaware during the 2016 Spring Semester. Robinson oversaw a $29 million budget, over 600 student athletes and 200 staff members. Under Robinson’s leadership two teams earned CAA conference titles, and the Women’s Field Hockey Team won the NCAA Championship the semester after he completed his interim duties. During his time as Director of Athletics, Robinson conducted a Title IX review of the department and initiated three separate initiatives directed a increasing departmental revenues through increasing donations and season ticket sales and enhancing the spectator experience at home athletic events.
In 2008, Robinson in partnership with the (USOPC), and the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Solidarity Fund created the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP).www.udel.edu/ICECP. In 2013 again in partnership with the USOPC and the IOC’s, Olympic Solidarity Fund along with the Federation Internationale Basketball Association (FIBA) Robinson launched the International Coaching Apprenticeship in Basketball. Through the two programs, Dr. Robinson has worked with over 400 international coaches from 125 countries in 24 different sports and has personally oversaw the implementation of over 40 sport development projects in selected countries.
Since 2008, Robinson has served as the Chairman of the Delaware Sport Commission (DSC) which was founded in 2009 for the purpose of attracting, regional, national and international sporting events to the state of Delaware for the purpose of economic development. In its twelve years of existence, the DSC has successfully landed national events for the state including the NCAA Women’s Basketball and Men’s Lacrosse Championship first rounds; exhibition games for the 2018 USA Women’s Olympic Basketball and 2016 US Women’s National Basketball teams as well as multiple regionally-focused events. The DSC also spearheaded the efforts for the feasibility study and ultimate funding and building of a $24 million 84-acre 12 field turfed multi-sport facility. In 2004, after a ten-year absence, Robinson revived the Slam Dunk to the Beach High School Basketball Tournament. Through a campaign to repair the brand with the local business community and state and local governments, the event annually generates over $1 million in economic impact for the Delaware beach community during the month of December. The event has also garnered national media and social media attention for the state, for players in the event have included McDonald’s All Americans who have gone on to the top college programs in the country as well as the NBA. All combined, DSC efforts have led to over $80 million in economic impact for the state. Robinson also serves on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Sports Congress.
On sabbatical from the University in 2007, Robinson served as the Muslim Sport Coordinator for the United States of America Department of State. Prior to that appointment during and after, Robinson implemented US Department of State funded projects in Turkey, Senegal, India, Jordan, China, Palestine and Qatar and partnered with the NBA, NFL and the Sport Ministries and US Embassies in those countries.
In 2005 Robinson developed the Director of Coaching Curriculum for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) now United Soccer Coaches. Since its inception, the course has been offered to over 2,500 soccer administrators and coaches in 23 different states. In 2012, United Soccer Coaches collaborated with UD in the offering of the Master Coach and Soccer Leader certificate program.