The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Senior Staff team.
Sharon Dickerson rejoined the CRDA in June 2023 and currently serves as General Counsel, the Chief Legal Officer of the Authority. She rejoined the Authority after 3 years with Department of Law & Public Safety, Division of Law as an Assistant Attorney General in the Financial Affairs Practice Group. She is a graduate of Rutgers School of Law, Temple Graduate Business School where she obtained a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance, and Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Ms. Dickerson is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society, inducted in 1993, graduating in the top 20% of master’s students.
Prior to her position with the Division of Law, Ms. Dickerson served as Assistant General Counsel for CRDA for 13 years. Ms. Dickerson held various positions as counsel in the Division of Law, the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services, the City of Atlantic City and private law firms. Ms. Dickerson has 24 years of experience in the public sector at both the state and local level. Ms. Dickerson also has 5 years’ experience in accounting and finance in the private sector.
Jerry Barnhart joined the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority as the Director of the Special Improvement District Division (SID) in January 2024. He is a Certified Public Manager, career director and manager with 27 years of wide-ranging leadership experience.
Mr. Barnhart began his public service in 1996 with the Atlantic City Police Department where he served in various leadership roles until he retired in 2021 as a Deputy Chief of Police. During his career he supervised and managed many different units and divisions within the department. As the Deputy Chief of Police, he commanded the Operations Division, which included the Tourism District Unit. Over his 25 years of service Mr. Barnhart forged relationships with the Atlantic City community, business owners, stakeholders, and government officials. After retiring from the Atlantic City Police Department Mr. Barnhart worked as a Chief Instructor at the Atlantic County Police Academy.
In 2021 Mr. Barnhart graduated as a Certified Public Manager from the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration. In addition, he is a 2019 graduate of School of Police Staff and Command class #457 from the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety. Mr. Barnhart also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Towson University.
Ms. Dickerson and Mr. Barnhart join fellow senior staff members Maisha Y. Moore, Interim Executive Director; Lisa Britt, Director Administration; Lance Landgraf, Director Planning and Development; Heidi Manning, Director Human Resources; Kathleen Marshall, Chief Financial Officer; Karen Martin, Director Communications and Marketing; and Thomas J. Meehan III, Director Project Implementation and Development.
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About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority
The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority’s mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA’s expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com, and follow us on Facebook and X.
For complete Atlantic City tourism information, visit www.atlanticcitynj.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.