Annette Quijano
Encyclopedia
Annette Quijano is an American
Democratic Party
politician, who was selected by Union County
Democrats to fill a vacancy to represent the 20th Legislative District
in the New Jersey General Assembly
and has since been re-elected twice to her Assembly seat. Quijano succeeds Neil M. Cohen
, who resigned on July 28, 2008 amid allegations of child pornography on an official computer.
In the General Assembly, Quijano has been assigned to serve as Vice Chair on the Assembly Regulator Oversight and Gaming Committee, Vice Chair on the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and as a member on the Telecommunications and Utility Committee.
Quijano is a native of New Jersey, the daughter of Puerto Rican
parents. Currently a resident of Elizabeth
, she is the first woman and first minority to represent the 20th District. Quijano was selected by a convention of Union County Democrats over Patricia Perkins-Auguste by a vote of 87-82. She was sworn in on September 25.
Quijano graduated from Rutgers University
with a B.S. in Management and earned her Juris Doctor
from Rutgers School of Law—Newark
. She served clerkships at New Jersey Superior Court
in Newark, and in Trenton at both the Office of the Governor's Counsel and the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate
in Trenton. She has bar admissions in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
She has worked as a Compliance Manager for Prudential/ Aetna
U.S. Healthcare and as an attorney in civil practice. She served as Chief of Staff to State Senator
Raymond Lesniak
from 1992–1994, Assistant Counsel to Union County, Clerk to the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders
and as the Assistant Counsel to Governors Jim McGreevey
, Richard Codey
and Jon Corzine
.
Quijano has served on the United Way Hispanic Advisory Council of Union County, the Governor’s Working Group for Hispanic Affairs, a Legal Services committee in Elizabeth, and as a Commissioner for New Jersey’s Congressional Redistricting efforts. She is the recipient of the Excellence in State Government Leadership and the Women of Excellence in Government awards and mentors young adults to consider law and graduate school in her free time.
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
. The other representatives from the 20th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician, who was selected by Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
Democrats to fill a vacancy to represent the 20th Legislative District
20th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 20th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Union County municipalities of Elizabeth City, Kenilworth Borough, Roselle Borough and Union Township...
in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
and has since been re-elected twice to her Assembly seat. Quijano succeeds Neil M. Cohen
Neil M. Cohen
Neil M. Cohen is an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1994 to 2008 , where he represented the 20th Legislative District....
, who resigned on July 28, 2008 amid allegations of child pornography on an official computer.
In the General Assembly, Quijano has been assigned to serve as Vice Chair on the Assembly Regulator Oversight and Gaming Committee, Vice Chair on the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and as a member on the Telecommunications and Utility Committee.
Quijano is a native of New Jersey, the daughter of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
parents. Currently a resident of Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, she is the first woman and first minority to represent the 20th District. Quijano was selected by a convention of Union County Democrats over Patricia Perkins-Auguste by a vote of 87-82. She was sworn in on September 25.
Quijano graduated from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
with a B.S. in Management and earned her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Rutgers School of Law—Newark
Rutgers School of Law—Newark
Rutgers School of Law–Newark is the oldest of three law schools in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located at the S.I. Newhouse Center for Law and Justice, at 123 Washington Street, in downtown Newark...
. She served clerkships at New Jersey Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
in Newark, and in Trenton at both the Office of the Governor's Counsel and the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate
New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate
The New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate was a department within the Executive branch of the government of New Jersey that acted as a voice on behalf of the people of the state...
in Trenton. She has bar admissions in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
She has worked as a Compliance Manager for Prudential/ Aetna
Aetna
Aetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
U.S. Healthcare and as an attorney in civil practice. She served as Chief of Staff to State Senator
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
Raymond Lesniak
Raymond Lesniak
Raymond J. "Ray" Lesniak is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1983, where he represents the 20th Legislative District. Before entering New Jersey's upper house, the Senate, Lesniak served in the General Assembly from 1978 to 1983...
from 1992–1994, Assistant Counsel to Union County, Clerk to the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
and as the Assistant Counsel to Governors Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
, Richard Codey
Richard Codey
Richard James Codey is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd Governor of New Jersey from November 2004 to January 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1981 and served as the President of the Senate from 2002 to January 2010. He represents the 27th Legislative...
and Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
.
Quijano has served on the United Way Hispanic Advisory Council of Union County, the Governor’s Working Group for Hispanic Affairs, a Legal Services committee in Elizabeth, and as a Commissioner for New Jersey’s Congressional Redistricting efforts. She is the recipient of the Excellence in State Government Leadership and the Women of Excellence in Government awards and mentors young adults to consider law and graduate school in her free time.
District 20
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey SenateNew Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. The other representatives from the 20th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
- Senator Raymond LesniakRaymond LesniakRaymond J. "Ray" Lesniak is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1983, where he represents the 20th Legislative District. Before entering New Jersey's upper house, the Senate, Lesniak served in the General Assembly from 1978 to 1983...
, and - Assemblyman Joseph CryanJoseph CryanJoseph Cryan is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 20th Legislative District...
External links
- Assemblywoman Quijano's legislative web page, New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey LegislatureThe New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms