CANDIDATES’ INTELLIGENT LEADERSHIP WILL HELP MAKE BERNARDS TOWNSHIP A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK

The Bernards Township Democratic Committee (BTDC), the political organization that vets candidates for Bernards Township Committee and actively supports Democratic initiatives in Somerset County and national elections, enthusiastically supports candidates Sophia Chadda and Jessica Simpson-Cook for the two open Bernards Township Committee positions.

Dr. Sophia Chadda has lived in Bernards Township for more than 20 years and, with her husband, raised her three children here. She has been practicing as a board-certified periodontist for 21 years and established her thriving dental practice on Stonehouse Road in Basking Ridge in 2004.

A graduate of Columbia University and SUNY Buffalo Dental School, Chadda completed her periodontal residency at Rutgers Dental School (formerly UMDNJ), conducted research on the link between cardiovascular disease and dental disease and was twice awarded “Top Dentist” by New Jersey Monthly Magazine.

Chadda is also on the board of trustees of the International Foundation for Progress, which runs a free school and health clinic for 175 children in Pakistan and aims to provide education and healthcare to impoverished children in the developing world. She is a former assistant professor of Periodontics at Rutgers Dental School and she is the past-president of the Tri-County Dental Society and the Past vice-president of the New Jersey Society of Periodontists.

Chadda is a graduate of Leadership Somerset, a county program that supports leaders dedicated to their local communities. Locally, she serves on the Bernards Township Diversity and Inclusion Committee, serves as a member of the Bernards Township Domestic violence response team which works in conjunction with the Bernards Township Police Department, served on the Bernards Township Board of Health, and previously ran for Bernards Township Committee. She was a member of the Commission on the Status of Women and volunteered at the local schools her children attend.

“I’m thrilled Sophia has chosen to run for Township Committee again,” said Elizabeth Graner, BTDC Chair and candidate for New Jersey State Assembly. “Sophia’s determination to serve our community combined with her leadership skills, business acumen and professional accomplishments make her the ideal addition to the Township Committee, especially during these challenging times as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“It has certainly been a challenging year for our residents and our businesses,” Dr. Chadda added. “I firmly believe I can help with the pressing issues facing Bernards Township and I’m more committed than ever to bring common sense, analytical thinking, and compassion to the position of Township Committeewoman and am eager to work for all Bernards Township residents and businesses.”

Jessica Simpson-Cook and her husband chose to purchase their Bernards Township home in 2019. Simpson-Cook is a legal and procurement professional for Mondelēz International and has built her career working at Fortune 500 companies headquartered in New Jersey.

Simpson-Cook earned her Business Degree from Temple University in 2004, attended Widener University Law School, and earned her Executive MBA from Rutgers University in 2017. She currently serves on the board of the Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills, committed to develop and empower women civic leaders to address the needs of children by tackling food insecurity and improving access to essential items and resources to improve the health and wellness of school-aged children in need.

“I am honored and eager to embark on this journey as a candidate for the Bernards Township Committee,” Simpson-Cook said. “I am dedicated to making our town an inclusive, lively, vibrant, and diverse community which is attractive to residents, visitors, restaurants and other businesses and am confident in my extensive negotiation experience, willingness to listen to all voices, and collaborative approach to issue resolution that I can serve and represent the needs of our community,” Simpson-Cook added.

“Jessica’s accomplishments, intelligence, expertise and personal warmth is precisely what Bernards Township needs on the Township Committee,” Graner said. “I look forward to local residents learning more about Sophia and Jessica, having the opportunity to meet them and engaging in dialogue in the upcoming weeks.”

The BTDC welcomes new members and has openings for county committee people. In addition to monthly meetings and campaign volunteer opportunities, the BTDC engages its members in fundraising, public relations and communications, research and issues and community service. Our mission is to promote the election and appointment of Democrats who share our values and goals to government offices at the municipal, county, state and federal levels, through community engagement and intelligent leadership.