WHM: Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez Serves With Distinction
Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez/Courtesy of NJ Senate
AC JosepH Media
CAMDEN — Front Runner New Jersey.com recognizes State Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez during Women’s History Month, the highest-ranking South Jersey Latina in the New Jersey legislature.
She made history in 1995 when she became the first Latina to ever serve in the New Jersey Assembly. She was appointed to the NJ Senate in December 2014 to fill a vacancy and won a special election in 2015 to complete the term. She first represented the Camden area in the NJ previously served in the Assembly from 1995 to 2010.
The Democratic Party named her deputy majority leader from 2008-2010, and assistant majority leader from 2002-2008.
Cruz-Perez was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and joined the U.S. Army in 1981, serving in Mainz, Germany. She was honorably discharged in 1987 with the rank of Sergeant.
She moved to Camden in 1991 and became an executive assistant to the vice president of Cooper’s Ferry Development Association. In 1993, she became an executive assistant to the mayor of Camden.
Cruz-Perez was the outreach and community coordinator for the Camden County Improvement Authority from 1998-2013. During her rise through the Senate, she was in charge of the Camden County Department of Constituent Services and the Office of Hispanic Affairs.
She earned her bachelor’s in political science from the University of Puerto Rico. She continued her education while in the military by studying at the U.S. Quartermaster School, Big Bend Community College, Temple University and the University of Maryland’s overseas division.
In 2012, Camden County Commissioners named a branch of its library after Cruz-Perez in downtown Camden in 2012.
Cruz-Perez represents New Jersey Fifth District in the New Jersey Senate, which covers much of Camden County and the Gloucester County areas of Deptford Township, Woodbury and Woodbury Heights.
Bill Moen and William Spearman represent the Fifth District in the Assembly.
Follow Us Today On:
Note from AC JosepH Media: If you like this story and others posted on Front Runner New Jersey.com, lend us a hand so we can keep producing articles like these for New Jersey and the world to see. Click on SUPPORT FRNJ and make a contribution that will go directly in making more stories like this available. Thank you for reading.
About Author
