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Living With Impact

Seema Singh is dedicated to
Living With Impact.

Advocate is an extensive and wide-ranging role that put Seema Singh on speed dial of virtually every New Jersey citizen, and what she did successfully in this passion was ‘answer the call’ that shed any lasting label of ‘accidental advocate.’ Seema rose through her career to become a government insider and civic leader, but her record demonstrates these roles helped her live one step closer to her destiny –living with positive and progressive impact on the lives of others. Seema is a multi-dimensional leader with a full-bodied resume of efforts that distinguish her beyond the numerous appointments alone. It is the breadth of opportunity that she created in the daily lives of NJ citizens.

Meeting The Press

Seema Singh meeting various members of the press and at various press events.

View the album Meeting The Press

Two pivotal appointments in the great State of New Jersey as Public Advocate for 2 years and as Ratepayer Advocate for 5 years, positioned her on the main street of homes throughout the state of New Jersey. Her appointments by three governors and work with numerous state councils and committees draw attention to significant interventions in legislation, litigation, and regulations. Her talent, skill, natural wisdom and charisma guided her steadfastly into these pivotal roles. Her impact can simply be appreciated for its astonishing and unstoppable breadth of engagement and problem-solving. Advocacy, advocacy, and more advocacy are the important cornerstones of how she demonstrates her commitment from private practice to public leadership.

To sample an assortment of her impact is to appreciate the vast, impressive and far-reaching review of work on behalf of NJ citizens –from creating alliances that help the state recover funding for 15,000 breast cancer screenings to a visible presence as Governor Corzine signed a new executive order establishing a liaison office for minority and women economic development in the state to practical matters of educating the public on state policies for first day of school registration. She was the everyday representative of New Jersey citizen with problematic DMV issues to the complexities of what rates should be charged on their next energy bill.

Energy and water conservation are timeless priorities in our lives, and showcases Seema’s visionary gift to be on the cutting edge. She conducted numerous road shows for adults in seniors in community centers, seniors’ homes, and events. She always spoke to their information needs and never hesitate to roll up her sleeves and demonstrate how to read the utility bill that citizens sometimes brought to the meetings. It is also part of her public conversation that brings a particular level of pride to Seema’s career with the official kids’ statewide program, “It’s Cool to Conserve,” launched as part of her Ratepayer Advocate responsibilities. This energy conservation education initiative for elementary and middle school students highlighted practical lessons on light and water usage at home as well as school. The three “Cs” of conservation program: care, commitment, and conserving resources exemplify Seema’s ability to launch community programs in a practical way. More than 200 schools participated. Assembly halls were sometimes filled with as many as 500 children. Her invigorating message was a platform to inspire these youthful souls who desired to embrace their role in the energy and water conservation arena and to understand that small changes create a new future as civic innovators to lower utility bills, improve service reliability, and protect the environment.

As Ratepayer Advocate for the State of New Jersey, Seema delighted in this role as it added new dimensions to her accountability as a high profile consumer advocate, and delivered over 500 presentations, speeches, and public appearances on a wide-range of everyday needs for NJ citizens in any single year. In this demanding position, she acted as the legal representative for all New Jersey consumers when rates were decided by State and Federal regulatory agencies, courts and legislative bodies. This made her the frontline advocate whose job was both to inform and to represent the best interest of New Jersey citizens about any ongoing matters. She represented all classes of consumers before the Board of Public Utilities, a key participant in policy-making bodies, the key co-coordinator before the Courts on behalf of consumers when all other options of address failed.

Seema found no familiarity sitting at her desk in her dual advocate roles. Instead, she sought greater maneuverability in negotiations amidst headlines and news coverage. She proclaimed her pro-active stance every day without a need for personal praise amidst this coverage. Rather, it was local finesse and a national flair to achieve consistent threads of resolution for NJ citizens. Seema transcended state boundaries to elevate New Jersey’s position in The New York Times: “NEW JERSEY AND COMPANY: With Caps Lifting Electric Bills To Rise,” covering Singh’s filing of legal papers disputing the high rates requested by New Jersey’s Utility Companies owing to deregulation (2003); the Star Ledger’s “UTILIZING HER SKILLS: Looking Out for Consumers.” For a portfolio of Seema’s public service, click here. Advocacy is the art of impact and the privilege to argue or represent on behalf of a particular issue, idea, or person –this is Seema.