Jennifer Velez
| Jennifer Velez | |
|---|---|
| New Jersey Human Services Commissioner | |
|
In office June 21, 2007 – February 28, 2015 |
|
| Governor |
Jon Corzine Chris Christie |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Connolly |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Englewood, New Jersey |
| Spouse(s) | Richard Fiore |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater |
Drew University Rutgers School of Law |
Jennifer Velez (born 1965 or 1966) is the former State Human Services Commissioner for the state of New Jersey. As Commissioner, it was she oversaw New Jersey's Department of Human Services. She served as Commissioner from 2007 to 2015 under Governors Jon Corzine and Chris Christie.
Velez was born in Englewood, New Jersey. Velez's parents divorced when she was still a toddler. Velez's family struggled financially, at times relying on public assistance programs. Velez's mother remarried and the family lived in South Hackensack before moving to a trailer park in Moonachie, New Jersey. Her mother worked as a secretary and her step-father worked in a factory. At a young age, Velez worked two paper routes to earn money. Velez attended Wood-Ridge High School and later Drew University.
After graduating from Drew, Velez spent a year working in the underwriting department of an insurance company. She then returned to school, attending Rutgers Law School.
After graduating from law school, Velez began practicing law at Day Pitney. The focus of her practice was labor and employment law. Velez was unhappy in private practice and decided to move to government work after reading a newspaper profile of Bill Waldman, then the longest serving Commissioner of the Department of Human Services. Velez responded to the idea of working with people who needed help and began seeking out a job in the government. Velez's government job was working of the Chief Counsel's office during Republican Governor Christie Todd Whitman's time in office. Velez asked to be assigned to Human Services. She became Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Human Services in 2006.
Governor Jon Corzine appointed Velez the State Human Services Commissioner in February 2007. She was confirmed and sworn in on June 21, 2007. As Commissioner, Velez was responsible for running the Department of Human Services, New Jersey's largest agency. The agency employed 15,000 people and had the largest budget of any individual state department. Following Chris Christie's election as governor in 2009, he reappointed Velez to the position of commissioner.
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