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Deputy Commissioner & Chief of Staff
Shawn M. LaTourette is DEP’s Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff.
A results-driven leader with expertise at the intersections of economic development, environmental management, energy, and infrastructure, Shawn serves as second-in-command to Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe, a member of the Cabinet of Governor Phil Murphy. With penultimate oversight of a staff of 3,000+ and combined operational/grant-making budget of $1B, Shawn is responsible for driving an affirmative policy agenda that unites economic development and environmental improvement by formulating programs and initiatives that support renewable energy deployment, greenhouse gas reduction, climate change resilience and adaptation, water infrastructure enhancement, brownfields redevelopment, community renewal, natural resource conservation and restoration, and environmental justice, among other priorities.
As DEP’s principal liaison to the Office of the Governor and chief policy advisor to the Commissioner, Shawn crafts policy and oversees several of DEP’s key initiatives. As the leader of DEP’s Senior Staff, Shawn also provides policy advice and direction to each of DEP’s Assistant Commissioners who lead programs responsible for protecting New Jersey’s air, land, water, and natural and historic resources.
Throughout a career shaping law and policy, Shawn has served in executive roles and as a trusted advisor of c-suite leaders—advising governments, Fortune 500 corporations and significant investors, as well as community and non-profit organizations, across a variety of projects and policy issues, in addition to litigating high-stakes lawsuits in the environmental, energy and infrastructure space.
Regarded as a consensus builder adept at achieving balance among competing priorities, Shawn’s diverse background—in protecting vulnerable communities, facilitating the development of infrastructure and public works, managing business risk, promoting conservationist policies, and advocating for equity—has made him a leading force in policy, program and project development, especially those at the complex juncture of economic development, energy, and environmental protection.
A leader in his community and advocate for equality, Shawn was elected to serve as Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association's LGBTQ Rights Section, completing his term in 2020, and remaining a member of its Executive Board while also supporting other LGBTQ+ organizations and causes. Shawn became an attorney after a decade in management, paralegal, and community organizing roles often invoving environmental issues, starting his career in environmental protection by helping victims of toxic exposure and communities impacted by contaminated drinking water to organize and protect their rights to a clean enviornment. An avid hiker, doting dad to twin girls, and devoted mentor, Shawn is a life-long New Jerseyan and dual graduate of Rutgers University and Law School, where he graduated summa cum laude and earned commendations for his scholarly writings on environmental climate, and energy issues.
Deputy Commissioner
Environmental Justice & Equity
Olivia C. Glenn serves as a Deputy Commissioner to Commissioner McCabe.
Appointed in July, Olivia is responsible for prioritizing the advancement of the administration’s environmental justice and equity goals.
A longtime advocate of ensuring underserved communities have access to the outdoors, Olivia believes every New Jerseyan has a right to experience and enjoy the benefits of nature.
Olivia previously led the DEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry, serving since 2018 as its director and managing its 450,000 acres of natural and historic resources. From 2003 to 2009, she worked as the Division’s Urban Initiatives and Outreach Coordinator and subsequently served as special assistant to the DEP Deputy Commissioner. Olivia later was a member of the DEP’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council, leading its efforts in outreach, education and land management.
Olivia also has worked with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, making outdoor spaces and trails more readily available to Greater Philadelphia residents, especially people living in Camden. In 2018, the Camden Collaborative Initiative honored her with the Camden Environmental Hero Award. As Deputy Commissioner, Olivia will chair CCI’s Steering Committee and will be responsible for environmental justice, diversity and environmental education.
Olivia earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Dartmouth College. She holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of the Environment, where she wrote her master's thesis on park revitalization in Camden. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, as well as singing and playing the flute, piano and bassoon. Olivia is married and has three children.