Future Problem Solving of New Jersey
PO Box 474
Somers Point, NJ 08244
Voice:609-927-3455
Fax: 609-927-4410

info@njfps.org

Board of Directors

Dr. Jeanne Carlson, Executive Director, is the founding director of New Jersey’s affiliate FPS program. Dr. Carlson coordinates all administrative aspects of the state program, oversees all competitive and non-competitive components of the program in New Jersey, organizes the annual NJ FPS State Bowl, and serves as a member of the International FPSP Governing Council. She is a past recipient of the international program’s ‘Yes’ Award for an Outstanding Program. An expert in gifted education, Dr. Carlson served as the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) Specialist in Gifted Education and as Chairperson of the NJDOE Commissioner’s Advisory Council on Gifted Education, and was a recipient of the NJ Association of Gifted Children’s Hall of Fame Award. She is also a former Acting Director of the New Jersey Governor’s Schools and a former Director of the Governor’s School of Public Issues and the Future of New Jersey. In addition, she is currently a member of the Board of Education of Somers Point, NJ, and an adjunct professor of education at Temple University.

Laurel Petersen, Evaluation Director, is responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising New Jersey’s dedicated team of evaluators in judging and providing feedback to students on their performance in the program’s Team and Individual Problem Solving competitions. A member of the International FPSP Governing Council, Ms. Petersen is also a highly experienced and successful FPS coach, and she received the international program’s Keith Frampton Memorial Award for Outstanding Coaching in 2002. In addition, she is currently a teacher of mathematics and gifted and talented enrichment education at Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge, NJ.

Jason Navarino, Assistant Evaluation Director, works with Laurel Petersen in coordinating evaluations for the Team and Individual Problem Solving competitions at the state level. Mr. Navarino is also an FPSP International Conference Evaluator and a member of the International FPSP Governing Council. A former state champion and international semifinalist in the team and individual competitions, Mr. Navarino is currently a student at Yale Law School and is a recent graduate of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

James Griffin, Communications Director, manages all public relations materials, maintains NJFPS's website and assists in overseeing evaluations at the state level. A former state finalist in the team and individual competitions, Mr. Griffin is a graduate of Harvard University with a degree in government. He currently works for the New Jersey State Senate Majority in the Communications Department where he assists the Democratic Senators in writing press releases, speeches and opinion columns.