Former NOW chief tapped for division on women

Friday, May 03, 2002

BY TOM HESTER
Star-Ledger Staff

Bear Atwood, a former president of the state chapter of the National Organization for Women, will be named director of the state Division on Women, Gov. James E. McGreevey confirmed yesterday.

In a separate appointment, Maureen Fullaway, a professional planner from Brick Township, was named executive director of the state Council on Affordable Housing yesterday.

Atwood of Fair Haven wrote the women's issues platform McGreevey followed during his gubernatorial campaign last year. She was also a member of his transition team. She will leave her job as public information director for Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey to take the state position. Her appointment is expected to be officially announced by next week.

Atwood will replace Linda Bowker of Mount Laurel, who left the post in January after McGreevey took office and called for the resignation of Republican appointees.

As NOW-NJ president from 1995 to 1998, Atwood, a lawyer, made the 10,000-member organization a force in state politics. She was a public defender in New Hampshire before moving to New Jersey in 1991.

She will take over a division state Community Affairs Commissioner Susan Bass Levin said will become more active. The Division on Women provides grants and support to help improve the status of women in New Jersey.

"It needs to be involved in policy level decisions," Levin said, adding that the division can be expected to enter court cases that have a broad impact on women's rights issues.

Atwood declined several requests for comment. When her name initially was mentioned for the $79,500-a-year job in January, she said, "I certainly would be proud to run the division."

In announcing Fullaway's appointment, Levin said she plans to use the Council on Affordable Housing as part of a state effort to help revitalize New Jersey's urban areas. COAH is empowered by the state Fair Housing Act of 1985 to estimate low- and moderate-income affordable housing requirements cities and towns should meet. The agency does not have the power to make municipalities comply.

Before joining COAH as an assistant planner six months ago, Fullaway for six years was chief executive officer of Housing Services Inc. of Point Pleasant, a municipal consulting firm that specializes in the administration and implementation of affordable housing programs. She replaces Shirley M. Bishop of Princeton in the $95,000-a-year job

Tom Hester covers state government. He can be reached at thester@starledger.com or (609) 292-0557.