Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno Joins Paper Mill Playhouse's Center Stage Celebration Tonight, 5/4

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is hosting its largest fundraising event of the year, The Center Stage Celebration Gala Benefit today, May 4th, sponsored by Hilton Short Hills.

Tables and individual tickets are now on sale. For more information on Paper Mill Playhouse’s Center Stage Celebration Gala Benefit or to purchase individual tickets, tables or auction items, please contact Leigh Schaedel at 973-315-1663, lschadel@papermill.org or visit Paper Mill Playhouse’s website, www.papermill.org. Paper Mill Playhouse is not-for-profit arts charity that relies on philanthropic support to make their breathtaking productions, professional training programs and celebrated arts education curriculum possible. All proceeds from the Celebration support these programs.

Recently added to the list of dignitaries who will speak and/or present an award is New Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno. On November 3, 2009, the people of New Jersey elected Kim Guadagno as the first Lieutenant Governor in our state’s history. After graduating from Ursinus College in 1980 and then American University law school in 1983, Kim began her public career as a federal prosecutor where she earned a reputation as being tough and independent. She started out working in Brooklyn for the Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force. When Kim married her husband they decided they wanted to raise their family in New Jersey so she moved to the United States Attorney’s office in Newark, New Jersey. After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kim went on to serve as Assistant Attorney General, serving as the Deputy Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. After leaving the Attorney General’s office in 2001, Kim continued her commitment to public service, serving on both the Monmouth Beach planning board and later as Commissioner from 2005 – 2007. In 2007, Kim became the first female Sheriff of Monmouth County. While Sheriff, Kim pursued an aggressive agenda to fight crime, strengthen community outreach and enact innovative initiatives. Lt. Governor Guadagno also taught at Rutgers Law School-Newark from 2001 through her election in 2009.