Solomon Steplight Named CEO of Newark Alliance

Steplight arrives at the Newark Alliance with a background in both government and nonprofit leadership. Most recently, he served as City Administrator for East Orange, where he managed a $180 million operating budget and oversaw a $2.5 billion development pipeline. His previous experience also includes a tenure with the City of Newark, where he focused on broadband expansion and strategic municipal planning. Beyond his public sector work, Steplight served as COO and CFO for the nonprofit Girls Who Code, a position that involved scaling the organization’s operational and financial infrastructure.

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka praised the appointment, citing Steplight’s ability to build cross-sector partnerships as critical to the city's ongoing economic revitalization. Lata Reddy, Chair of the Newark Alliance Governing Board, noted that his familiarity with the city’s landscape makes him well-suited to lead the organization’s next phase. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in mechanical engineering, Steplight expressed that his primary goal is to integrate the city’s disparate assets—ranging from technology and business to universities and community groups—to generate tangible job growth and investment.