On June 5, South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum was presented with the Visionary Leadership Award by the Northern NJ Community Foundation at its first-ever Community Changemaker Night in Hackensack, New Jersey.
The Foundation lauded Collum’s accomplishments as mayor of South Orange in her selection for the award: “As the first woman to hold office as mayor in South Orange, Collum’s leadership demonstrated a commitment to civic engagement, volunteerism and the modernization of municipal operations in the Village. Under her stewardship, South Orange secured over $500 million in commercial and mixed-use investments, with a strong emphasis on inclusionary affordable housing and groundbreaking community benefits agreements. A bold advocate for equitable growth, she spearheaded the creation of a downtown business incubator and artist hub, fostering economic opportunity while enhancing the cultural fabric of the community. Collum also led a sweeping overhaul of the town’s outdated master plan, engaging a diverse coalition of volunteers and thousands of residents to reimagine the future of South Orange. Demonstrating her ability to turn challenges into opportunities, she successfully negotiated the sale of an underutilized and costly Town Hall, transforming it into a thriving restaurant and banquet venue. Additionally, she realigned capital spending to prioritize projects that directly benefit residents, including a renovated recreation center featuring a café and art gallery and the upcoming state-of-the-art 21st-century library, set to break ground this year.”
South Orange Council member Olivia Lewis-Chang, community volunteer Alison Oxman, Mayor Sheena Collum, and South Orange Village Council member Summer Jones.
Collum, who is also the executive director of the American Planning Association – New Jersey Chapter, earned both a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in public policy from Seton Hall University. She recently was named by Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop as his pick for NJ Lt. Governor in his primary bid for the Governor’s seat; Fulop lost his bid on June 10.
Read more about Collum here: The Rising Influence of South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum in New Jersey State Politics
The foundation also honored four other “local heroes,” who have made their communities better places to live and work. They are:
- New Jersey Assemblyman (District 36) Clinton Calabrese – Creative Communities Award for helping communities through the arts.
- Fairleigh Dickinson University Professor and Biology Department Chair Dr. Marion McClary – Green and Healthy Places Leadership Award for protecting the environment or advancing public health.
- Fund Advisors for the Andrea Tilbian Halejian Memorial Fund, Gina Wilson and Lisa De Dominicis – Belonging and Opportunity Award for supporting inclusive communities or economic opportunity.
About Northern New Jersey Community Foundation
Founded in 1998, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 organization based in Hackensack, New Jersey, works with local governments, school districts, businesses, non-profit organizations, and citizen groups to improve community life. Through collaborative partnerships, regional problems are identified and resolved. Opportunities are discovered and explored by talking and learning from each other and sharing ideas, best practices, services and resources. The Foundation works to grow more creative and inspiring places, greener and healthier places, and more places of belonging and opportunity. For more information, visit www.nnjcf.org, send an email to nnjcf@nnjcf.org, or call 201-568-5608.
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Photos Attached.
Cutlines.
1) Creative Changemaker Night Honorees. Shown from left to right: South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, Dr. Marion McClary of Fairleigh Dickinson University, Gina Wilson, Lisa De Dominicis, and Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese
2) South Orange residents. Shown from left to right: South Orange Village Councilmember Olivia Lewis-Chang, Resident Alison Oxman, South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, and South Orange Village Councilwoman Summer Jones.
3) Shown from left to right:: Leonardo Vazquez, Executive Director of Northern New Jersey Community Foundation; Teresa Baik, *KCS Director of Education; Yuna Youn, *KCS Director of Mental Health Clinic; Honoree South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum; and Sara Kim, *KCS Senior Director of Public Health & Research Center
* from the Korean Community Services (KCS) of Metropolitan New York, Inc. Tenafly office
Photo credit for all photos: Josh Passaretti of JMP Media
