The Honorable Dana L. Redd
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The Honorable
Dana L. Redd
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About the Mayor
Dana L. Redd was sworn in as the Mayor of the City of Camden on January 1, 2010.
As Mayor of the City of Camden, Dana looks forward to drawing upon her passion for the City, previous public service, and vision to move Camden forward.
Mayor Redd is a lifelong resident of Camden City and has spent more than 20 years working in the public sector as a dedicated public servant. Born in 1968, Dana suffered the loss of both her parents at the age of eight. Raised by her grandparents in Waterfront South neighborhood, she attended Sacred Heart Grammar School, Center City Catholic Junior High and is a 1986 graduate of Bishop Eustace Preparatory High School in Pennsauken.
After graduating high school, Dana worked during the day to help raise her younger brother, while attending college part-time at night. A graduate of Rutgers University - Camden Campus, Ms. Redd earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Studies and attended the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Elected to Camden City Council in 2001 and re-elected in 2005, she has been a strong advocate for Camden's diverse neighborhoods and has fought for issues of fairness and parity. As a member of Council, Ms. Redd represented the interests of Camden's communities in many capacities including serving on the Public Works and Administration Committees and also as a Chairperson of the Camden City Housing Authority.
Ms. Redd also represented the City of Camden as the New Jersey State Senator for the 5th Legislative District from 2008 until January 2010 when she became Mayor. In the Senate, she served as a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee; Vice Chair of the Community and Urban Affairs Committee; Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee; and as a member of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools.
Dana's previous public service also included serving as Chief of Staff for Camden County Freeholder, Riletta Cream and as the Director of Operations under the Department of Buildings & Operations for Camden County. As director, she was responsible for the County's telecommunication network and administered all aspects of public contracting, initiating cost cutting measures and developing a shared services model for increased efficiencies and economies of scale.
Dana's driving force and personal inspiration has been her father, Ronald, and his expressed belief in Camden's renewal and renaissance. He urged the family not to leave because the city was slated to experience a "comeback." She firmly believes in the City Invincible, and it is to this end, that she serves the community.
Through her work as a public servant, Ms. Redd remains very passionate about empowering the lives of others, strengthening families and communities through partnerships and programs that offer an improved quality of life. She often cites Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the US Congress, who said: "Service is the rent you pay for room on this earth," and Luke 12:48 "To who much is given, much is required."
Ms. Redd has served as a member of the New Jersey Redistricting Commission and has volunteered her time and talents to a number of organizations throughout the region including the American Red Cross Camden County Chapter Good Neighbor Awards Dinner Committee, the Camden County Board of Social Services, the Camden Eye Center, Virtua Health Foundation Board of Trustees, and Fairview Main Street Board of Directors. She is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors.
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