Re-Organization: Leaders of Color Take Positions at Various SJ Municipalities
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
ATLANTIC CITY – Willingboro Mayor Samantha Whitfield and Paulsboro Council President Tahje Thomas continued their leadership roles as municipalities around South Jersey reorganized over the past two weeks.
People of color throughout the region have either made history taking on new positions or returned to previous leadership posts during those meetings.
Whitfield was selected for a second term as mayor of Willingboro. She is the former president of the Willingboro and Vicinity NAACP and graduate of the NAACP NextGen Leadership program. Dr. Tiffani Worthy, who once served as mayor, was selected as deputy mayor.
Thomas was re-elected as council president of the Borough of Paulsboro this month after becoming making history as the youngest person to serve in the role last year. Thomas, a career educator, in December garnered another honor after being selected Paulsboro High School’s Teacher of the Year.
“I am grateful for this honor and thankful for the opportunity to everyday make a positive impact in the lives of my students and school community,” Thomas said about the teaching award on Facebook.
There were numerous other noteworthy leadership positions settled during reorganization.
*As previously reported, Terrance Benson returned to the position of Mayor of Lumberton. The former law enforcement officer held the position once before in 2023.
*Mount Laurel councilwoman Silvia Catalan-Culnan was elected last week to serve as deputy mayor, becoming the first Latina to serve in the position. This comes a year after she became the first Latina to serve as a council woman.
*Heather Cooper was selected as deputy mayor of Evesham Township. This a returns for Cooper, who had previously served as deputy mayor.
*Vince Martinez was named deputy mayor of Pennsauken. In 2023, he made history as the first Hispanic mayor there.
*In Camden, Angel Fuentes retained his post as council president and Arthur Barclay was selected as deputy mayor.
*In Atlantic City, Aaron “Sporty” Randolph was selected to continue his role as council president and Kaleem Shabazz as council vice president.
*Charlyn Martin was selected as deputy mayor in Carneys Point last week after she and her husband Gregory Martin were elected to the township committee last year. Charlyn Martin is a former council woman in Penns Grove.
*Cedric Holmes was named president of the Vineland Board of Education after being making history in 2017 as the youngest person ever appointed and then elected to the board.
*Dr. Denise King is the president of the Willingboro Board of Education.
In another first, Dr. Corrine Taylor-Walls was sworn in as a committeewoman in Cinnaminson in Burlington County. With that, she becomes the first Black woman to serve on the body. She is an executive with the Weisman Children’s Health Care System and is also a board member with the South Jersey Cultural Alliance.
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