Elected Officials
Meet Your Hopewell Township Elected Officials
Courtney Peters-Manning
Mayor
Courtney was first elected to the Township Committee in 2019 and served as Deputy Mayor in 2021 and 2023 and as Mayor in 2022. She currently serves as the liaison to the Police Department and Fire District/Emergency Services, the Deer Management Committee, and the Senior Advisory Board.
Professionally, Courtney’s background is as an environmental lawyer, and she currently is the Director of Finance and General Counsel at the Cambridge School in Pennington, a school her parents founded in 2001 to help children with learning differences. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brown University and her law degree from the University of Chicago. She and her husband Tomas Manning, a native of Dublin, Ireland, have two teenaged boys—Seamus and Conor.
Uma Purandare
Deputy Mayor
I grew up in a small rural town in India, and after moving halfway across the world, Hopewell Township felt like home. My family and I have lived in Brandon Farms for over 20 years. I am a proud mother of two Hopewell Valley Central High School graduates. As a resident, I have been an engaged member of our community, and I have strived, as Gandhi believed, to “be the change [I] wish to see in the world.”
Prior to serving on the Hopewell Township Committee, I was an active member of the Hopewell Valley Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and a Girl Scout leader for number of years, I encouraged young girls to be compassionate, courageous, and confident. I also managed A-Z Mentoring sessions to raise literacy levels of children and adults in our surrounding underprivileged communities by providing free 1-on-1 tutoring and a safe learning environment. I started the Marathi language (my mother tongue) school with the help of friends in Brandon Farms and nearby towns. This initiative facilitated kids to learn the Indian language and culture to strengthen their bonds with extended family. My engagement with the Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry enabled me to see first-hand the challenges of families in our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, I previously served on the Zoning Board of Adjustments (ZOBA) for more than five years.
David Chait
Township Committee Member
David Chait is an experienced technology, innovation, and travel executive with a demonstrated history of leading organizations. David is Founder and CEO of Travefy, an award-winning itinerary and productivity platform for travel professionals that powers thousands of travel organizations across the globe.
Before founding Travefy, David served in the Obama Administration as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration and worked as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company advising Fortune 500 companies on a wide array of issues.
David has served on the Hopewell Township Committee since January 2022 with areas of responsibility including Public Works, Communication, Economic Development, and the Affordable Housing Committee.
Outside of work and community involvement, David can be found spending his time with his wife Amanda and two daughters Julia and Sally.
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Kevin Kuchinski
Township Committee Member
Kevin Kuchinski is a proven leader in the corporate, governmental and non-profit worlds with a 25+ year track record of success.
He currently serves as Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Princeton Partners, working with companies and brands to innovate and deliver out-sized revenue and profit growth. He also serves on the Township Committee in Hopewell Valley NJ. Kevin was elected and served as Mayor from 2016-18.
Prior to this, Kevin was Vice President of Marketing at Church & Dwight, working on iconic American brands such as ARM & HAMMER™ and OxiClean™ and leading a $1 Billion division, with full P&L responsibility. He also worked previously at Procter & Gamble, with assignments in the US and Belgium, including the global launch of Swiffer. In 2000, he was recognized by Advertising Age as one of the Top 100 Marketers of the Year for his leadership of the Swiffer launch.
Michael Ruger
Township Committee Member
I grew up in suburban Philadelphia in an area much like Hopewell Township. I attended Penn State, graduating with degrees in political science and psychology. I then moved to Washington, DC, and went to Georgetown for law school.
I grew up in suburban Philadelphia in an area much like Hopewell Township. I attended Penn State, graduating with degrees in political science and psychology. I then moved to Washington, DC, and went to Georgetown for law school.
After graduation, I entered public service by working as a staff attorney at the FCC. I found government work to be very interesting and saw how hard many public servants work every day to help people they would never meet. I moved on to a law firm where, among the many responsibilities of a senior associate, I lobbied on Capitol Hill and at the White House.
Then came a day in 1998 when my wife, Tracy Vogler, said she had a job offer in Philadelphia. With the job offer came the opportunity to move back to her childhood home in Hopewell Township. The next day, I went to work and said I would be leaving my job. We moved to New Jersey and I stayed home with our young son. In September 2001 I began a consulting position with Comcast in Philadelphia and that turned in to a full-time job in 2003. I am now Vice President of Government Affairs, working on the company’s relationships with over 5,900 communities across the United States.
Tracy and I have three children, two of whom are at Hopewell Valley Central High School. We also have two very active Labrador Retrievers.
I was elected to the Hopewell Township Committee in 2017 and have served as Deputy Mayor for the past two years. I follow three principles when making decisions on the Committee. First, when we spend money, we are spending your money—so financial decisions need to be made with care. Second, public input is critical. It’s important to listen to all sides, even if I disagree. Third, before making a decision I learn the facts, study the applicable law, and then do my best to do the right thing.
In addition to serving on the Township Committee, I am also a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer County and the Board of Visitors of Penn State’s Political Science Department. I previously served as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia.