Dina Matos McGreevey
Encyclopedia
Dina Matos is the former First Lady of New Jersey
. She served as first lady during the administration of her then-husband, Gov. James McGreevey. In advance of an expected lawsuit, Gov. McGreevey, with Matos at his side, revealed at an August 2004 press conference that he had had an affair with a man and was resigning from office. Matos and McGreevey separated
in October 2004. A divorce was granted following a trial on August 8, 2008.
when she was still young and settled in the heavily Portuguese
Ironbound
section of Newark
. Maria worked in a gift shop and Ricardo worked for the railroad.
After graduating from East Side High School
, she enrolled at the Newark campus of Rutgers University
in 1984. She majored in political science, but also worked as a secretary
while in college. Although she was enrolled until 1991, she never graduated.
Dina is a former manager of Public and Professional Relations at Saint James Hospital, and Executive Director of the Columbus Hospital Foundation in Newark, New Jersey
.
of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
, and they began dating the following year, shortly after he lost his first bid for governor to Christie Whitman. McGreevey had separated from his first wife, Kari Schutz, in 1995 and was divorced in 1997.
They married October 7, 2000. Together they have a daughter, Jacqueline Matos McGreevey, born prematurely on December 7, 2001 after Matos had been hospitalized for six weeks.
In October 2004, Dina Matos McGreevey purchased a three-bedroom, red brick ranch home in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey
because McGreevey wanted full custody. Matos wanted $600,000 plus alimony. She was denied alimony.
The trial to end their 3½-year separation started on May 6, 2008. Jim asked the court for equal custody of their 8-year-old daughter. Matos McGreevey demanded $600,000 compensation. McGreevey received joint custody, and pays child support. They will also be using a parenting coordinator
.
parade in Newark.
Matos announced in January 2007 that she was writing a book, "Silent Partner"
, to end media speculation on her life. In the book, Matos wrote that she would never have married McGreevey if she had known he was gay, nor would she have "allowed a gay man to father my child," referring to their six-year-old daughter.
On May 1, 2007, the day of the book's release, Matos broke her silence and spoke on The Oprah Winfrey Show
promoting her book. On May 2, 2007, she appeared on ABC's
Good Morning America
with Diane Sawyer
and stated:
Gayle King
interviewed Matos in the June 2007 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine
.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. She served as first lady during the administration of her then-husband, Gov. James McGreevey. In advance of an expected lawsuit, Gov. McGreevey, with Matos at his side, revealed at an August 2004 press conference that he had had an affair with a man and was resigning from office. Matos and McGreevey separated
Separated
Separated can refer to:*Legal separation of spouses*"Separated" , song by Avant*Separated sets, a concept in mathematical topology*Separated space, a synonym for Hausdorff space, a concept in mathematical topology...
in October 2004. A divorce was granted following a trial on August 8, 2008.
Biography
Matos is the daughter of Maria and Ricardo Matos. The Matoses moved to the United States from PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
when she was still young and settled in the heavily Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
Ironbound
Ironbound
The Ironbound is a large working-class neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. This close-knit, multi-ethnic community covers approximately four square miles . Historically, the area was called "Dutch Neck," "Down Neck," or simply "the Neck," because of the way the Passaic River curved to form what...
section of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. Maria worked in a gift shop and Ricardo worked for the railroad.
After graduating from East Side High School
East Side High School (Newark, New Jersey)
East Side High School is a four-year public high school in Newark, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Newark Public Schools. The school serves the Ironbound community...
, she enrolled at the Newark campus of Rutgers University
Rutgers-Newark
Rutgers University in Newark is one of three campuses of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the eighth oldest college in the United States and a member of the Association of American Universities...
in 1984. She majored in political science, but also worked as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
while in college. Although she was enrolled until 1991, she never graduated.
Dina is a former manager of Public and Professional Relations at Saint James Hospital, and Executive Director of the Columbus Hospital Foundation in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
Personal
Matos met James E. McGreevey in 1996, while he was mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
-Communities:Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places, but they are all unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within the Township that,...
, and they began dating the following year, shortly after he lost his first bid for governor to Christie Whitman. McGreevey had separated from his first wife, Kari Schutz, in 1995 and was divorced in 1997.
They married October 7, 2000. Together they have a daughter, Jacqueline Matos McGreevey, born prematurely on December 7, 2001 after Matos had been hospitalized for six weeks.
In October 2004, Dina Matos McGreevey purchased a three-bedroom, red brick ranch home in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey
Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey
Township of Springfield is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population increased to a record high of 15,817....
Divorce trial
The Matos and McGreevey divorce and custody battle gained much media attention in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
because McGreevey wanted full custody. Matos wanted $600,000 plus alimony. She was denied alimony.
The trial to end their 3½-year separation started on May 6, 2008. Jim asked the court for equal custody of their 8-year-old daughter. Matos McGreevey demanded $600,000 compensation. McGreevey received joint custody, and pays child support. They will also be using a parenting coordinator
Parenting coordinator
Parenting coordinator is a relatively new practice that is used, in some US states, to manage on-going issues in child custody and visitation cases by professional psychologist or a lawyer assigned by the Court...
.
Career
Matos speaks fluent Portuguese and has worked to obtain green cards and naturalization for Portuguese immigrants. In June 2004, she was grand marshal of the Portugal DayPortugal Day Festival in Newark
The Portugal Day Festival in Newark, New Jersey is a street festival celebrating the Portuguese people, language, and their culture. First organized in 1979 by the Bernardino Coutinho Foundation, since 2010 the Festival has been organized by the Union of Portuguese American Clubs of New Jersey ,...
parade in Newark.
Matos announced in January 2007 that she was writing a book, "Silent Partner"
Silent Partner (book)
Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage is an autobiographical book by Dina Matos McGreevey about her marriage to New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey who made headlines after admitting to an affair with another man....
, to end media speculation on her life. In the book, Matos wrote that she would never have married McGreevey if she had known he was gay, nor would she have "allowed a gay man to father my child," referring to their six-year-old daughter.
On May 1, 2007, the day of the book's release, Matos broke her silence and spoke on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
promoting her book. On May 2, 2007, she appeared on ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
with Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
and stated:
- "I thought I had it all, I thought it was the American dream, and it turned out to be a nightmare. ... You know he had the entire day [that he resigned] scripted. His entire life had been choreographed, and even as his world was falling apart, he was still trying to script everything and making sure that day went as he wanted it".
Gayle King
Gayle King
Gayle King is editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine and the best friend of Oprah Winfrey. She has previously worked as a television news anchor and talk show host...
interviewed Matos in the June 2007 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine
O, The Oprah Magazine
O: The Oprah Magazine, sometimes simply abbreviated to O, is a monthly magazine founded by Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Corporation.-Overview:...
.
External links
- Dina Matos McGreevey on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...