Montclair’s Eve Robinson Joins Senator Nia Gill As Running Mate

Montclair, NJ – Senator Nia Gill announced her two running mates Monday for the June Democratic Primary election in the 27th Legislative District — Eve Robinson (D-Montclair) and Frank Kasper (D-Clifton). The new 27th District includes Montclair, Clifton, West Orange, Livingston, Millburn, and Roseland.

Gill, Robinson and Kasper will face state Senator Dick Codey, Assemblyman Tom Giblin, and Assemblyman John McKeon in the Democratic Primary.

“Frank, Eve, and I are proud to reflect the rich diversity of the 27th District,” said Senator Gill. For 12 terms in the Legislature, I have fought for the people’s right to transparency into how their government works and the decision-making processes that shape public policy, for accountability to guarantee our government answers to the citizens it serves, and to ensure that people can access the democratic process and have their voices heard.”

Gill stated that “her team will fight for the issues that matter most to you.” Topping a list of issues in Gill’s announcement was “guaranteeing reproductive freedom.”

Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin (D-Montclair), who will be seeking a tenth term in the State Assembly in a redrawn 27th district, was one of five Democratic members of the Assembly who abstained from the vote on the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act.

Robinson states in a press announcement:

“I am honored to be joining this ticket and looking forward to working alongside Frank and Nia to fight for the people of the 27th District., said Eve Robinson.

I have lived in Montclair for 30 years, raised two children and remain an active member of the Montclair community. Nia asked me to join her in running for the Legislature because of my years of service to my community, Montclair, as well as my professional accomplishments in education, advocacy, and child welfare, and I was honored to accept.

I served as Executive Director of the Montclair Community Pre-K. and currently am the Program Director for Grow NJ Kids. I have taught in higher education for over 20 years as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University in the schools of Social Work, Child Advocacy, and the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health.

I have experience with managing small and large budgets, both in public and not for profit organizations and am a careful steward of public funds. I bring knowledge of infrastructure having managed a large childcare center facility and having served as Facility and Finance committee chair for the Montclair Board of Education. I am a current member of the Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Hospital Board of Trustees.

I believe I will bring another strong, female, leadership voice to Trenton in support of many of the issues that Nia has already advanced and areas I have worked on such as professionalizing early childhood education, quality childcare, maternal-child health equity, and strong support of our communities and schools.

I grew up in Trenton in a Jewish family that exemplified the values that I now hold; service to community, social involvement, and commitment (‘repairing the world’) and caring for children and families. Nia and Frank and I are a true reflection of the diversity of our 27th district and will bring access and a voice to all of the citizens in our community.”
Robinson was appointed to Montclair Board of Education by then-Mayor Robert Jackson in 2015 and was reappointed by Jackson in 2018. Robinson served as president of BOE during the period of transition when Dr. Kendra Johnson resigned a little over a year after being named superintendent of Montclair Public Schools and Dr. Jonathan Ponds, Montclair Public Schools current superintendent, was hired. Robinson stepped down from the BOE in April 2021.

Kasper, who describes himself as a millenial, is a lifelong resident of Clifton, a graduate of Penn State who has a master’s degree from Montclair State University. Kasper has taught for over 14 years, in every grade from pre-k to high school, with most of his experience teaching students with special needs. He has also served on the Clifton Board of Education.