Michael Canavan joined The College of New Jersey’s Office of General Counsel in 2015 and has served as Vice President and General Counsel since 2023. As General Counsel, Mike advises the Board of Trustees and Executive Management on all aspects of College operations, including governance issues, higher education issues, contract development and negotiation, employee and student issues, real estate matters, and compliance with applicable state and federal laws.
As Associate General Counsel, Anitra represents the College as one of the institution’s attorneys and handles matters in federal/state court and before federal/state agencies. She also provides legal guidance to various units throughout campus, including areas involving student affairs, Title IX, and ADA/accommodations. Prior to this role, Anitra worked at Columbia University in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, and as a litigator at New York law firms.
Anitra holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, having double-majored in English and Political Science, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Cornell Law School. She is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey.
As the Assistant General Counsel, Ashwath provides day-to-day legal advice and counsel to academic and administrative departments across the College, with a primary focus on labor and employment law. Ashwath works closely with the College’s Human Resources Department and the College’s leadership on workplace issues, policy development, and compliance with State and Federal laws, and provides assistance in administrative and litigation matters. Ashwath joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2025. Ashwath has previously worked in various legal positions within the State of New Jersey, including as a Deputy Attorney General at New Jersey’s Office of the Attorney General, a Legal Specialist at the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, and as an Attorney at the New Jersey Judiciary.
The Director of Legal Operations oversees the operations of the Office of the General Counsel, such as managing the office budget, coordinating office travel, and supervising student interns. Jamie serves as the College’s designated Ethics Liaison Officer to the New Jersey State Ethics Commission. Jamie also serves as the Records Custodian, responding to all Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) requests. As the College’s Risk Manager, Jamie coordinates associated insurance contracts, oversees the budget for the insurance program, and files insurance claims for the College. This role also supports tenure-track faculty with employment immigration sponsorship visas.
The Director of Internal Audit leads the audit function of the College by providing a risk-based approach to plan and perform audits of College policies and processes to mitigate financial, operational, and compliance risks. In her role, Loretta also facilitates the Enterprise Risk Management Program at the College and works with leadership to address emerging institutional-level risks that the College faces.
The Director of Compliance and Privacy Officer is responsible for reviewing policies in order to ensure that they are in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. In her role, Louise ensures that the College operates in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) for students and faculty.