Meet the Candidates for the General Election 2025
Overall, the Bergen County Black Caucus plans to be a vital force for positive change, empowerment, and representation for the Black community in Bergen County. Through its advocacy, engagement, and collaboration efforts, it plans to help advance social, economic, and political progress for Black residents and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive Bergen County for all its residents.
Meet Assemblywoman Shama Haider Candidate for Assembly District 37
Shama Haider started her activism in Pakistan as a college student protesting against military dictatorship. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Punjab in Pakistan. After moving to the United States in 1977, she settled down in the Borough of Tenafly in Bergen County, New Jersey. During her professional career she helped to fundraise for a non-profit focusing on funding arts programs for schools. Shama became an active member of her community by participating in municipal boards and parent teacher associations. She was elected to local council in both 2001 and 2015. Most recently, Shama made history by becoming the first Muslim American elected to serve in the state legislature. In her second term, she is a Deputy Majority leader and Chair of the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee. She also serves on the Assembly Health and Appropriations Committees.
Your active participation is vital in supporting the re-election of Black candidates in Bergen County. By engaging in this crucial effort, you contribute to the preservation and advancement of Black representation in local government. Your support ensures that the voices and concerns of the Black community are heard, represented, and acted upon effectively. Together, we can uphold diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our local leadership, fostering a stronger and more equitable Bergen County for all its residents. Get involved today to make a difference and help secure the continued success of our Black candidates!
Meet Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park, Candidate For Assembly District 37 
Assemblymember Ellen J Park was born on in Seoul, South Korea. She immigrated to the United States in 1978 and her family settled in Sunnyside, Queens, where she attended public school P.S. 150. Ms. Park moved to Flushing, Queens in 1984 and went to attend the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. She received her B.A. from New York University and J.D. from Hofstra Law School.
While at Hofstra, Ms. Park was the Vice President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association and headed a Voter’s Registration Drive on Main Street in Queens in 1996. She also hosted a conference for Hofstra Law School with Judge Denny Chin as the guest speaker, one of the first Asian American federal judges nominated by President Clinton.
Ms. Park has been a practicing attorney since 2000. She and her husband, Richard Ma founded the Law Offices of Ma & Park in 2006, practicing criminal and real estate Law.
She was elected to the Englewood Cliffs Borough Council in 2016 and served until 2018. She has been a member of the New Jersey Assembly since 2022, currently serving as Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Budget Committee.
Ms. Park’s life is the American Dream. She arrived here as an immigrant, not speaking a word of English, feeling out of place, enduring financial hardships, but also committed to building a better future for her family.
Meet Candidate Clara Williams For Teaneck Board of Education
Clara Williams doesn’t just serve on the Teaneck Board of Education—she delivers results. As Board President in 2024 and a tireless advocate for over a decade, she’s driven game-changing initiatives like grant-funded full-day pre-K, enhanced college prep programs, free tutoring for all students, and mental health support. When state funding for the Forum youth services program was cut, Clara didn’t accept defeat—she leveraged her relationships with state legislators to get it reinstated. Her strategic alliances across New Jersey school districts mean Teaneck students get more than local representation; they get statewide influence.
Meet Candidate Dr. Edith C. Banks, Ed.D. For Englewood Board of Education
Dr. Edith C. Banks is a lifelong educator, community leader, and advocate for student success. She currently serves on the Englewood Board of Education, where she works to ensure that students remain at the center of every decision. As Chair of the Human Resources Committee, she has helped guide policies that strengthen teacher recruitment, improve retention, and expand professional development.
Beyond her service on the Board, Dr. Banks is a university professor of social sciences and an instructional coach. In these roles, she empowers students and faculty to achieve academic success while building confidence and leadership skills. She is also the founder of Sunflower Nation and the Bright Futures Foundation, a nonprofit that provides scholarships and leadership opportunities for college students.
With more than two decades of experience in education, leadership training, and nonprofit service, Dr. Banks is deeply committed to building bridges between schools, families, and the community. She believes every child deserves access to a safe, supportive, and inspiring learning environment.
Above all, Dr. Banks is the proud mother of a 16-year-old son who inspires her daily. With her deep ties to Englewood, her professional expertise, and her passion for empowering young people, she is dedicated to creating brighter futures for all children.
Meet Candidate Ronnique HicksFor Englewood Board of Education
Ronique Hicks proudly serves as Vice President of the Englewood Board of Education, where she works in partnership with the district administration to ensure that every decision begins and ends with students at the center. She stands firmly for equity, innovation, and accountability, and believes that strong collaboration between the Board and administration is essential to driving student success. During her three years of service, Ronique has supported the district in making remarkable progress: Englewood has become one of nine districts in New Jersey to fully recover from pandemic learning loss, with students gaining more than six grade levels in reading and nearly three in math. She has also championed initiatives that expand innovation and access for students, from distributing over 1,400 Wi-Fi–enabled Chromebooks to supporting creative partnerships that bring technology directly into students’ hands. Projects such as the district’s Cyber Café and other student-centered innovations are helping to close the digital divide, create new opportunities for collaboration, and ensure that all learners are equipped for success in a rapidly changing world.
Ronique has supported the administration in leading efforts that have resulted in significant academic growth, including a 7 percent increase in 9th Grade ELA proficiency and 91 percent of 8th graders meeting or exceeding expectations in Geometry. Together, the Board and administration have advanced pathways for college and career readiness, expanded CTE opportunities, launched EPSD Connect Camp, and created new platforms for student voice and leadership. For Ronique, these achievements reflect what is possible when policy, leadership, and community are aligned in service of students.
Beyond her board service, Ronique is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Discovery Education, where she leads national initiatives to support school districts across the country. With over 25 years of experience as an educator, board leader, and executive, she brings a deep commitment to equity and innovation to every role she holds. Guided by her strong faith in God, Ronique is blessed with a loving husband and two sons, who inspire her daily to keep students at the heart of her service and leadership.
Meet Candidate Magayle Matos For Englewood Board of Education
Community Advocate. Education. Champion. Proven Leader.
Magalye Matos is more than a candidate, she’s a neighbor, a mother, and a tireless advocate for Englewood families. For over a decade, Magalye has worked hand-in-hand with parents, students, and seniors to connect them with resources, strengthen our schools, and unite our community.
Her leadership has earned her the Bergen County Civic Engagement Award, the Bergen County Census Award, and recognition during Women’s Month for her commitment to inclusion and equity. A proud Englewood resident and mother of two, Magalye combines personal experience with professional expertise in Business Administration and Human Resources to deliver solutions that work.
From organizing the #EnglewoodMaskUp campaign to securing millions in restored state funding for Englewood schools, Magalye has proven she gets results.
Now she’s ready to bring that same dedication to the Board of Education.
Vote Magalye Matos – for our children, for our schools, for our community.
Meet Candidate Henry A. Washington For Englewood Board of Education
Henry Washington spent his early education in Englewood, NJ before being moved to Virginia around the age of 7. He returned to become a homeowner in Englewood in 2005 and believes that we must always invest into the education of the children in our city.
Because of an invested and caring guidance counselor that recognized something was wrong when Henry failed the 7th grade, she discussed a trial plan. Her plan worked to meet his educational needs to consistently earn honor roll for his school years afterwards. It takes a caring and committed person in education to take the time out and understand the student’s educational needs.
The guidance counselor, Ms. Vourron, recognized Henry displayed traits for ADHD and suggested a gradual increase of his class program from below average class curriculum to a more challenging class structure that put him into honor classes by the next year.
Henry has 5+ years of Product Management experience in Telecom broadband technology, 10+ years of people management experience in retail, and 5+ years of Computer technology support and repair. He has successfully managed projects up to $4.1 Billion with strict and transparent fiscal responsibility. He represented Verizon to speak to schools and organizations. Henry Washington has spent years giving back to the community since his high school years through his church, Boy Scouts, Virginia Jaycees, and various non-profits to include The Virginia Foundation as a respite provider. He provided respite care to families having a member with developmental disability, mental and emotional illness, ADHD, physical disabilities, and behavior problems. Today Henry works through various organizations to give back, like Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc, Englewood Rotary, People’s Organization for Progress, Northern New Jersey Black Caucus, and will fill in to help others when possible.
Motivated by challenges to create innovative solutions to educational tools, program enhancements, processes, and the student experience. Henry Washington has proven his skill sets in conducting market research, developing/ leading teams, and implementing product/ service/system launches.
It’s Henry Washington’s commitment to always give back to prevent children from missing the opportunity for a great education by recognizing that we all learn differently.
Meet Candidate Melanie Alston-Balaputra For Hackensack Board of Education
Melanie Alston-Balaputra is a proud alum of Hackensack Public Schools and a former teacher at Hackensack Middle School.
Melanie is a member of the PTA at Nellie K. Parker Elementary School and a former member of the PTA at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC). Her 10-year-old son is autistic and attends school at an out-of-district placement, so she is also a member of the Hackensack Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG).
Melanie currently serves as the Vice Principal of the Bergen County Technical Schools, Paramus Campus (BCTS). She previously worked as an administrator with Newark Public Schools at Cleveland Elementary School and Barringer High School. She also served on the faculty at Fairleigh Dickinson University in the Instructional Technology Department. Before she transitioned into the field of education, Melanie worked as a corporate analyst, with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and later with PSEG Corporate Planning where she was responsible for corporate counterintelligence and data analysis.
Melanie received her Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) from Howard University, her Masters in Teaching (MAT) from Fairleigh Dickinson University, her Education Specialist degree (Ed.S) in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University.
Melanie sits on the Legislative Committee for the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA), and she is a member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Incorporated, Delta Nu Chapter of Bergen/Passaic, an organization of predominantly African-American female educators. She is also a member of the Bergen County NAACP, a charter member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Greater Bergen County Section, and a member of Bergen County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Meet Dr. Allen H. Simmons II Candidate for Hackensack Board of Education
Meet Eddie Laners III for Teaneck Board of Education
I’m an 11-year Teaneck resident, paralegal at the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, and father of three Teaneck students, Saniya (THS ’24, now at Seton Hall), Eddie IV (THS Sophomore), and 16-month-old Nyla. My wife Nadine and I are deeply invested in our schools because we live this every day. I hold a BA in Political Science and an AS in Paralegal Studies, and I’ve served our community as a volunteer flag football and basketball coach, Strategic Planning Steering Committee member, and mentor to a mentally ill young adult from 2015 until his passing in 2021. I’m also a minority shareholder in Kudo Society, a local Korean bakery.
My vision with my running mate, Maxine Angel, centers on accountability, community, and excellence. I’ll push for responsible smartphone guidance and K-12 social media wellness training with zero tolerance for cyberbullying, our kids’ emotional safety comes first. AI must enhance learning through teacher oversight and student disclosure, never replacing creativity or human judgment. On budget matters, I’ll protect our teachers and core curriculum while cutting waste in unused software, vendor contracts, and out-of-district placements that cost over $270K annually. I’ll fight nepotism and cronyism, renegotiate contracts, improve fundraising, and build reserves. Inclusion isn’t theory to me, I’ve lived it through years of direct care work with developmentally disabled adults. I’m ready to ensure every Teaneck child thrives in schools that reflect our community’s true potential.