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Central Connecticut State University announced on Nov. 5 the appointment of Gabe Rosenberg, chief of staff and general counsel at the Office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State, as the next Governor William A. O’Neill Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Practical Politics.
Rosenberg’s appointment follows a national search by the university and approval by the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents. He will succeed former state representative Edwin Vargas. The appointment will be for a period of one-year, renewable yearly at Central’s discretion, for up to two additional separate and distinct one-year terms.
The Governor William A. O’Neill Endowed Chair was established in 2000 by Connecticut’s Board of Governors for Higher Education and the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees to honor the late Governor William A. O'Neill. The chair is housed in the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research (CCESR), which has been designated as a Connecticut Higher Education Center of Excellence.
Rosenberg’s responsibilities will include teaching; organizing and participating in public lectures and campus forums that address issues of public policy and practical politics; facilitating university collaborations with state governmental leadership on policy initiatives; supporting CCESR outreach and programming; and mentoring students, especially those pursuing a public service career path.
“The duties of the O’Neill Chair will give Mr. Rosenberg the opportunity to share his experience, perspective and knowledge with Central students, to collaborate with Central faculty and to assist the public policy outreach work of the Center to state and municipal policymakers, and to the public at large,” Toro says. “He possesses a great depth of public policy experience that will certainly enrich our campus community.”
Rosenberg is the chief of staff and general counsel for the Office of the Secretary of the State. Throughout his career, Rosenberg has worked on multiple political campaigns at the state and national level, including five years as communications director for former Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey. Prior to joining public service, Rosenberg worked as an associate in a law firm and as a client manager for several major companies in Connecticut.
Rosenberg holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Social Thought and Political Economy from the University of Massachusetts; a Master of Science in Political Science from Southern Connecticut State University; and a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law.