Denise Velazquez
Raised in Camden, New Jersey - the fifth poorest city in the nation - by a single mother, Denise Velazquez came from humble beginnings. Her mother taught her how to fight for the things they believed in, and about the importance of supporting socially progressive causes like helping the poor and standing up to social injustices.
Denise attended Rutgers University, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Urban Planning while working her way through college. She remained active in the Camden community, interning at the Community Development Department of CoreStates and the Camden Redevelopment Agency. Denise served as the Campaign Aide for Nilsa Cruz-Perez, the first Puerto Rican woman ever elected to the New Jersey State Legislature. With this high profile campaign victory, Denise was offered and accepted an opportunity to work as the Southern NJ Field Coordinator for NJ Congressman Bob Torricelli's 1996 U.S. Senate Campaign, and was later promoted to Director of his Southern New Jersey District Office and finally Deputy State Director, where she focused on working with community based non-profit organizations, building collaborative efforts that could apply for federal funding to support community based initiatives.
Denise remained active in the political arena and, in 2006, was nominated by the Pennsauken Democrat Committee to serve as Pennsauken Township Committeewoman, completing the unexpired term of a former committeeman who vacated his seat. She ran for re-election that year and won, becoming the second woman and first minority female ever elected Councilwoman.
In 2007, after serving for over three years on the board of the United Way of Camden County and for the union based non-profit organization Union Organization for Social Service, Denise was offered and accepted their position of Executive Director. Later, her volunteer work with Democracia USA's Pennsauken, New Jersey Office led her to accept a job offer as the Florida State Director for Democracia USA. In early 2010, Denise became the Director of the Florida Civic Engagement Table.
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