Stephanie Albanese is the Chair of River Crossing Strategy Group’s Healthcare Practice and Non-Profit Practice Groups. 

Stephanie is a New Jersey shore native with significant political, governmental, and legislative experience in the New Jersey legislature, on political campaigns, and in Congress. Steph worked as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Frank Pallone and as a field organizer on various New Jersey political and national issue campaigns. 

From 2015-2021, Steph served as the Legislative Director to State Senator Joseph F. Vitale, where she coordinated all legislative activity, policy research and stakeholder engagement for the Senator, including setting agendas for the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee hearings. Senator Vitale is recognized as the leading healthcare expert in the Legislature and Steph was his primary aide covering this area. Her work has covered all aspects of healthcare policy as well as the expansion of New Jersey’s medical marijuana program. 

Steph is most proud of her work to allow victims of sexual assault and abuse more time to file a civil suit against their abuser or the responsible organization, finalizing a career-long fight for Senator Vitale. Steph received the NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s 2019 Champions Award for her work on this legislation. 

Steph holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park in Government and Politics, and an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in Comparative Politics.

She has been recognized in Insider NJ’s Insider 100: Policymakers Publication, and has been named to Insider NJ’s Insider 100: Cannabis Power List, ROI-NJ’s “Women in Business” List, Senator Loretta Weinberg’s 2023 Women’s Power List, Assemblywoman Sumter’s 2024 and 2025 Women’s Power List, and on Insider NJ’s 2024 top lobbyists list.

Steph is a huge fan of the Terps and the New York Football Giants and enjoys pretending to be a professional chef, reading, skiing, and the challenge of packing a car just right.