Morris County Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Women in Government

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Chamber of Commerce celebrated women in government today at its annual “Women in Government Luncheon,” held at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park. Morris County Commissioner Director Christine Myers and Morris County Administrator Deena Leary were the featured guest speakers.

The Women in Government Luncheon is sponsored by the Chamber’s Women in Business Program and Government Affairs Forum and is held annually as part of the Chamber’s Women in Business networking program. The luncheon series invites women and men from all professional backgrounds to explore the unique challenges, opportunities and rewards faced by women in various business sectors. Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw and Commissioners John Krickus and Thomas Mastrangelo attended the luncheon.

“Women make up more than half of the U.S. population, yet women make up only 25 percent of the U.S. Senate, 28.5 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives, and 29.9 and 33.7 percent of state senates and assemblies, respectively, while only 12 of the 50 states have female governors,” said Chamber President Meghan Hunscher. “Women continue to overcome the same unique challenges to excel in government as they do in the business world. Here in Morris County, we are fortunate to have Director Myers and County Administrator Leary in leadership positions in government, and it was truly inspiring to hear the stories of their respective paths to success.”

Myers has had a successful career in business, both at the corporate, small business, and nonprofit levels. Her political career began in 2016 when she was elected to the Morris County Board of County Commissioners (then called the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders). In 2017, she was appointed by then-President Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy before seeking re-election as county commissioner in 2022. Her accomplishments during her time on the board include leading the adoption of the county’s strategic plan and debt reserve policy to ensure the long-term prosperity of Morris County.

Her fellow commissioners appointed Myers as a board member for 2024.

“When Kathy DeFillippo retired, it was an opportunity to return to the board. I was re-elected for my second term starting in 2023 and am grateful for the opportunity to serve,” Myers said. “Growing up, my parents instilled in me that I had to serve my country or I couldn’t complain. ‘When things are bad, don’t look at others; look at yourself,’ my father said.”

Leary, who lives in Harding, began her career in Morris County as an intern in 1995 with the Division of Transportation Management. She worked her way up through the ranks to become Director of Planning & Development in 2011 and was promoted to head a new combined Planning & Public Works Department in 2013. In 2017, she was named Assistant Morris County Administrator.

She assumed the role of County Administrator in 2023 after being named Acting Administrator in 2022 after longtime Administrator John Bonnani announced his official retirement effective at the end of the year. With her appointment, Leary became the first female county administrator in Morris County history, making her one of four current counties with female administrators among New Jersey’s 21 counties.

“I’m so glad I had the opportunity to work with John and learn from him. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to follow in his footsteps, but the support of the commissioners and the great staff, the department directors and everyone involved in the county makes the job that much easier to do. The pandemic has certainly been a unique learning experience,” Leary said. “In Morris County, we’re trying to do what needs to be done and marshal resources along the way, and I hope our residents can appreciate and see how that helps our county function so well.”

Morris County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners consisting of seven members who serve three-year terms. The Commissioner Board establishes policies for the operation of six superdepartments, more than 30 divisions, authorities, commissions, boards and study committees. The state legislature has granted the Board of County Commissioners broad authority to regulate county property, finances and affairs.

The duties of the College of Commissioners include:

• Preparing and adopting the provincial budget.
• Authorizing expenditures and guarantees.
• Appointing provincial officials and members of boards, committees and authorities.
• Forward all claims against the province.
• To supervise the administration of the provincial government.

The Board of County Commissioners appoints the County Administrator to manage the day-to-day operations of Morris County, including implementing policies and preparing the annual budget, and to work with the county’s constitutional officers and independent agencies. The county’s six departments (Employee Resources, Finance, Human Services, Law & Public Safety, IT, and Public Works) report directly to the administrator, with support from the Assistant County Administrator. The Administrator’s Office also oversees the Office of Communications and Digital Media, Planning and Preservation, and the County Library.