Employer Legislative Committee Meeting | Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez

Description

Employer Legislative Committees (ELCs), established by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association in 1959, are independent, local organizations representing all 21 counties. ELCs meet monthly for breakfast or lunch. These meetings take no longer than 90 minutes, and offer you a unique opportunity to meet with your local legislators and network with your colleagues while learning about issues affecting your business. The New Jersey Business & Industry Association is located at 102 West State St., Trenton, NJ, 08608. The Employer Legislative Committees are affiliated with NJBIA. This e-mail is being sent to you because we believe it will be of interest to you. For more information on the ELCs, please visit:
www.njbia.org/networking/ELC/ELCdates.aspx

SPEAKER
Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez
NJ District 5

ABOUT SPEAKER
Nilsa Cruz Pérez was born and raised in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.  She studied at the University of Puerto Rico, majoring in Political Science, while working for the Popular Democratic Party.  In 1981, Nilsa joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Mainz Military Community in Germany.  While serving, she furthered her education by studying at the U.S. Quartermaster School, Big Bend Community College, Temple University and the University of Maryland (overseas division). In 1987, she was honorably discharged from the military.

On December 15, 2014, Senator Cruz Pérez was sworn in to represent New Jersey’s Fifth Legislative District. She serves as the Vice Chair to the Senate Economic Growth Committee, and sits on the Senate Budget and Appropriations, and Military and Veterans Affairs Committees. She is also a member of the Joint Committee on Affordable Housing. As Senator, she has spearheaded initiatives to increase government transparency, enhance consumer protections, and safeguard our veterans. She fights for women’s rights, economic development opportunities, and our working families. Her Stolen Valor Act has made it a crime to impersonate a veteran for personal gain, and she has pushed for a series of measures to protect our veterans against discrimination. She has worked with her colleagues to address college affordability, and to make the quality higher education New Jersey can provide attainable for all students. She has partnered with local business advocacy agencies to help small business owners access resources to help them succeed and grow.

This continues the Senator’s dedication to public service in New Jersey, which she began in 1991 when she relocated to Camden City and served as an Executive Assistant to the Vice President of the Cooper’s Ferry Development Association.  She later joined the office of Camden Mayor Arnold Webster as an Executive Assistant, serving as a liaison between the Mayor and constituents.  In February of 1995, she was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, serving from 1995 until 2010.  She went on to be elected as the first Hispanic woman State Legislator in New Jersey’s history. As a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, Ms. Cruz Pérez served as Chairwoman of the Consumer Affairs Committee and as a member of the Housing and Local Government Committee, the Human Services Committee, and the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.  A former Assistant Majority Leader, Assemblywoman Cruz Pérez was selected as a Deputy Majority Leader in January 2008.

As an Assemblywoman, Ms. Cruz Pérez sponsored the Camden Municipal Rehabilitation and Economic Recovery Act of 2003.  She also sponsored bills that became law changing the composition of the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards and the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, establishing a grant program for Sheriff’s Departments to purchase body armor; allowing the eviction of certain offenders from public housing projects; and restructuring of the State’s Child Protective Services Division, as well as repealing the last New Jersey law discriminating against any ethnic group.

Senator Cruz Pérez continued to serve her community through her work at the Camden County Improvement Authority from 1998 to 2013. As the Outreach and Community Coordinator, she collaborated with local officials, developers, investors, and nonprofit organization to facilitate communications and project development through the County. Senator Cruz Pérez was then chosen to head the Camden County Department of Constituent Service and the Office of Hispanic Affairs. As Director, she designs, direct and implements programs and initiatives that bring government services to communities that are in need.

Senator Cruz Pérez has continued her relentless commitment to public services through the many boards and commissions on which she volunteers to serve. These include the Rutgers University Board of Directors, the South Jersey Eye Center and the Camden County Committee. She has also served as a Board Member for the Camden City Zoning Board of Adjustment, Volunteers of America, Steininger Behavioral Care Services, Camden Mayor Advisory Board, National Puerto Rican Coalition, NJ Redistricting Commission, NJ Congressional Redistricting Commission, Camden City Committee, Vice Chair of the NJ State Committee and as a Trustee of the Battleship New Jersey.
Senator Nilsa Cruz Pérez is a mother of three, including two sons, Luis and Angel, and a daughter, Linette. She resides in Barrington with her husband, Luis.