New Leadership Elected to Rutgers Living History Society Community Liaison Committee

The 2025 RLHS Elections concluded on January 28, 2025. The Rutgers Living History Society welcomes the following members to the Community Liaison Committee leadership positions!

	Bill Ferenekes CHAIR, COMMUNITY LIAISON COMMITTEE, RUTGERS LIVING HISTORY SOCIETY CO-CHAIR, MEMBERSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE Bill Fernekes is a graduate of Rutgers College, Class of 1974, and holds an M. A. in history from the Rutgers Graduate School-New Brunswick and Ed. D. from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. He taught social studies and served as a department supervisor act Hunterdon Central Regional HS from 1974 to his retirement at the end of 2010, and since then has taught as a part-time lecturer at Rider University and the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles, book reviews and five books (some with co-editors), including a biography of Rutgers alumnus and former US Senator from NJ Clifford Case (Clifford Case and the Challenge of Liberal Republicanism, Lexington Books, 2023) for which he conducted 20 oral history interviews. As a longtime member of the RLHS Operations Committee (now the CLC), I bring ROHA experience and my own work as an historian who has used oral history frequently in scholarship to this role. I am familiar with the challenges ROHA faces in expanding its programs while honoring its rich tradition of work with military veterans and I believe is is critical to expand awareness about ROHA not only at Rutgers but throughout NJ. Moving forward, the CLC has the potential to not only strengthen ROHA”s position within Rutgers, but to help tell the many stories of NJ’s diverse communities for statewide and national audiences.
	Tom Frusciano CO-CHAIR, EVENTS COMMITTEE Thomas Frusciano served as the University Archivist at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey from 1989 to 2017. Prior to that appointment he served as University Archivist at New York University, 1981 to 1989, and Assistant Archivist at the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ, 1976 to 1981. He is the author of numerous articles on the history of Rutgers and NYU, as well as archival descriptive practice and technology. He was a major contributor to the 250th Anniversary celebration of Rutgers, including serving as a primary author for Rutgers, A 250th Anniversary Portrait . Tom is also the author of The Rutgers University Football Vault: History of the Scarlet Knights and New York University and the City (Rutgers University Press, 1997). From 2000 to 2016 he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Archival Organization. Tom is a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and a longtime member of other archival and historical associations. In addition, he served as a Part-Time Lecturer in the School of Communications and Information at Rutgers, where he taught courses on archival management, archives and technology, and directed numerous independent study courses. He has been involved with the Rutgers Oral History Archives since its inception in 1994 and previously served the Rutgers Living History Society as Vice President and Historian. As University Archivist Emeritus at Rutgers, I have collaborated with ROHA staff since its inception in 1994. I have been involved in the Stephen Ambrose Award selection committee for many years. As co-chair of the CLC Events Committee, I will continue that involvement and work with ROHA staff on other special event, including ROHA’s annual meeting.
	John Robinson CO-CHAIR, EVENTS SUBCOMMITTEE John Robinson, originally Class of '68, left after Freshman year. He joined the Naval Reserve and became a corpsman. He was transferred to the Fleet Marine Force and attached to First Battalion First Marines. He spent 10 months in combat in Vietnam. He then re-enrolled at Rutgers and graduated in 1971. I am proud to have served my country and my university.
	Paul Kuznekoff CHAIR, FUNDRAISING SUBCOMMITTEE Paul Kuznekoff built a career as a fundraiser for over 40 years, including 16 + years at the School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, where he worked closely on behalf of the Humanities departments, including the Department of History and Rutgers Oral History Archives. I was a development officer for the Rutgers University Foundation for 17 years and worked very closely with ROHA. I have genuine appreciation for the work of ROHA and the alumni who established ROHA and their commitment to honoring those who served our nation. The growing evolution of ROHA matches the synergy of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey very well.
	Bart Klion CO-CHAIR, MEMBERSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE I’ve been active and involved with ROHA since the late 1990s. I served as the past President of RLHS and still serve as the current President of the Rutgers Class 1948. It is important that we continue and reorganize the Program. I can help in this endeavor. I still have connections with Foundation and Alumni Office and want to see us succeed in reorganizing.
	Jeff Rubin CO-CHAIR, OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEE Jeff Rubin is a professor emeritus of economics at Rutgers-New Brunswick. After attending Rutgers College (Class of 1970), he attended Duke University, where he earned a Ph.D. in economics. He taught economics at Rutgers for almost 40 years before retiring in 2016. He is married and lives in Monmouth County with his wife, Barbara. He has two sons and four grandchildren. Jeff got involved with ROHA through his work on his class's 50th reunion project, which funded an oral history program for members of the Class of 1970. In the past year he served on the Outreach Committee and has worked to open up lines of communication between ROHA and a number of libraries in New Jersey. He plans to continue these outreach efforts, along with other activities, to expand the visibility and presence of ROHA and its work to all citizens throughout New Jersey.
	Erika Gorder CHAIR, ELECTIONS AND COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE Erika Gorder is a University Archivist at Rutgers University. She earned her masters degree in History and Archival Studies at New York University; MLIS degree from Rutgers University; and BA degree from Rutgers College. Erika is responsible for all operations of the University Archives, from appraisal and description to research services and exhibition curation. As Elections Subcomimittee Chair, I will participate in and serve the Rutgers Living History Society in a constructive way. My long work experience crafting, implementing and maintaining policy and procedural workflows (related to topics such as ethics and legal issues in the library, for example) has prepared me for assisting RLHS with the "unsung" but critical aspects of administration of elections.