Randall Rossilli, Jr

Early life

Randall Rossilli, Jr., was born January 11, 1968, in Clara Maas Hospital in Belleville, NJ, to Randall Rossilli, a self-employed entrepreneur who owned his own flooring business, and Patricia Rossilli, a legal secretary who would become a stay-at-home mom. Raised in Newark, NJ, Randy would be the oldest of the three children born to Randy and Patti. When Randy was 3, his parents had his sister, Karen, and nearly four years later they had his younger brother, Michael. At the age of 12, Randy’s parents moved he and his siblings from Newark, 15 miles outside of the city to East Hanover, NJ. Although relatively poor, Randy’s parents paid for many years of guitar lessons. He would continue his guitar studies into his college years.

Musical influences

Rossilli became interested in music at an early age and attributes his decision to take guitar lessons to seeing Harry Chapin perform on a popular children’s show, Wonderama, hosted by Bob McAllister. Chapin’s storytelling style and social conscience still drive him today. In addition to Chapin, his style and interests as a producer and music have been shaped by a diverse collection of artists varying from singer songwriters like Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and James Taylor, to the horn-driven Rock and Funk sounds of Huey Lewis and the News and Earth Wind and Fire, to a wide collection of country and R&B artists. He has released more than 25 songs on Apple's iTunes internationally (2)

Education

Rossilli attended Hanover Park High School and graduated in 1986. In high school, he became involved in the theater and music programs. He received his BA in Communication - Radio/Television/Audio Production from William Paterson University, where he met his wife, Jenny, who was studying to be a Speech Pathologist. Eventually he went back to school to become a teacher and later received his Masters in Education and Administration from Seton Hall University.

Education career

Rossilli spent 4 years as a middle school English and Social Studies teacher before being asked to become a supervisor, building principal and later District-level Director. He initially left education to work his media craft full-time, and returned for one year as principal of a small private hearing impaired school, while his production facilities, Nightstand Studios, were being built.

During his career in education he was named one of the Top-25 Technology Educators in North America by being awarded the Apple Distinguished Educator Award.

Critical success

Rossilli has been nominated for three Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards as Director, Producer (2010 December Miracles) (3) and for Outstanding Programming. He won the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Emmy award for Outstanding Program or special for Children/Youth/Teens for the pilot of his property The Adventures of Young Thomas Edison, (1) (4) for which is wrote, directed, composed and performed the music, edited, and designed the puppet and animated characters, as well as lending his voice to a handful of characters. Subsequently, he was nominated for a New York Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for his public television special Lil’ Grusome and the Nutshell Gang.

In addition to these productions, he also was recognized at the New York International Film Festival for his work as editor and co-producer of the Social Documentary Presumption of Guilt.

Business endeavors and personal life

Rossilli runs Nightstand Studios and Nightstand Creations, Inc. in Fairfield, NJ (5) He is married, has two children, and lives in Livingston, NJ. (6)