Samuel (Sam) Delgado is the founder and principal of D&S Government Affairs, a, veteran- and minority-owned government affairs and public relations firm based in New Jersey. With over four decades of experience in military service, corporate leadership, public policy, and community engagement, Sam brings unmatched insight and dedication to the fields of lobbying, public affairs, and civic advocacy.
Sam served on the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, where he was instrumental in shaping equitable cannabis policy and regulatory infrastructure. His role on the Commission was the latest chapter in a lifetime of public and private sector service rooted in a commitment to common sense solutions and responsive governance.
Sam retired in 2019 as Vice President of External Affairs for Verizon New Jersey, Inc., capping a distinguished 21-year career with the company. Over the years, he held various positions across Human Resources, Government Affairs, and Corporate Procurement. As Director of Supplier Diversity, he managed Verizon’s $1.7 billion spend with minority-, women-, and disabled veteran-owned businesses. For the last 13 years of his tenure, Sam served as the company’s lead New Jersey external affairs executive, overseeing statewide philanthropy, municipal and county relations, emergency management, public policy, customer service, and media relations. He also managed Verizon New Jersey's State Foundation and served as President of its Political Action Committee, known as the Verizon New Jersey Good Government Club. Through strategic partnerships and sustained engagement, Sam positioned Verizon as one of the most civically engaged and socially responsible corporations in the state.
Sam is also a retired Marine Corps Reserve Combat Communications Officer with two decades of military experience. His service included active deployments during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Uphold Democracy, the latter of which found him working directly under former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly in the Republic of Haiti. There, he monitored human rights abuses and managed international public security forces. For his distinguished military service, he was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. In 2010, Sam returned to Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, serving as a liaison between Doctors Without Borders, the Haitian government, U.S. military units, and NGOs to support humanitarian relief operations.
Beyond his corporate and military career, Sam has remained deeply embedded in public life and civic leadership. In 2014, he co-chaired Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's Housing and Economic Development transition team. He has served as Chairman of the Newark Regional Business Partnership, as a board member of the Newark Alliance, and on the Board of Trustees and Board of Regents of Felician University. A founding board member of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey in 1989, Sam has long championed Latino business development and economic empowerment.
Sam has also made a significant impact in the sphere of Puerto Rican advocacy. He chaired the statewide coalition New Jersey for Puerto Rico Relief (NJ4PR), raising over $100,000 for Hurricane Maria relief in 2017 and additional funds for earthquake recovery efforts in 2019 and 2020. He was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to serve on both the Veterans Affairs transition team and the Commission on Puerto Rico Relief. He has written widely on Puerto Rican and Hispanic affairs, authoring numerous op-eds that amplify the stories and struggles of underserved communities.
An advocate for historical preservation and veteran recognition, Sam was a lead advisor and fundraiser for the WNET documentary "The Borinqueneers," which chronicles the U.S. Army’s 65th Infantry Regiment—the only segregated Hispanic unit in American military history. His commitment to telling their story has helped elevate their contributions to national prominence.
Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Marist College (1978), is a graduate of the Marine Corps Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, and was named a Lead New Jersey Fellow in 2004.
He resides in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with his wife, Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez of the 19th Legislative District. Together, they are committed to building a more inclusive and opportunity-rich future for all New Jerseyans.
Sam’s career stands as a testament to service, leadership, and community-first advocacy. Through D&S Government Affairs, he continues to help clients navigate the intersection of business, policy, and purpose with clarity, credibility, and results.
Ciro Scalera is a highly respected voice in New Jersey government affairs, bringing more than 40 years of experience in legislative strategy, public policy, and advocacy. Known for his ability to navigate complex policy environments and build bipartisan coalitions, Ciro has helped shape landmark legislation across infrastructure, labor, child welfare, and healthcare.
Most recently, Ciro served as Director of Governmental Relations for the New Jersey Laborers’–Employers Cooperation and Education Trust (NJLECET), where he represented more than 25,000 laborers and their signatory contractors. He played a pivotal role in advancing key legislation, including two Transportation Trust Fund renewals (2016 and 2023), the Economic Development Act of 2014, the Public-Private Partnership Act, and major reforms related to design-build, water infrastructure, and electronic permitting.
Ciro began his career at Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), where he spent 24 years helping to build one of the nation’s leading child advocacy organizations. Under his leadership, ACNJ drove numerous reforms in child protection, foster care, adoption, and early childhood health. He also launched New Jersey’s first *Kids Count* report to track child well-being.
In 2001, Ciro was appointed Deputy and then Chief Policy Advisor to Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco. He led the development of several signature initiatives, including Senior Gold prescription assistance, expanded early intervention services for autism, and a kinship foster care program. Following the September 11 attacks, he helped establish the Family Assistance Center at Liberty State Park and coordinated a statewide memorial service for victims’ families.
Ciro later joined Verizon New Jersey as a government affairs executive where he helped shape legislation enabling statewide cable franchising to promote greater competition and consumer choice; and served on the New Jersey Economic Development Authority Board. He currently serves as Treasurer of the New Jersey Sharing Network and recently chaired the Foundation for University Hospital in Newark.
Ciro holds a B.A. and M.B.A. from Rutgers University and a J.D. from San Francisco Law School.