Municipal Matters
bernards township committee
Ana Duarte McCarthy has served on the Township Committee since 01/02/24. With the election of John Tompkins and Brett Hodges to the Township Committee in 2025, the Democrats became the majority and subsequently, Ana became mayor in January 2026.
She has lived in Bernards Township since 1996, along with her husband Michael, and daughter Alissa, who now resides in Boston, George and Frankie, their black Labradors. Both Michael and Alissa are graduates of Ridge High school, and attended the Bernards township public schools.
Mayor Ana Duarte McCarthy
Education: Ana holds a B.A. in Biology from Lafayette College and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University Teachers College. Passionate about education, Ana served as an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, lecturing on Women in the Global Economy. She is also a featured “Ask the Expert” speaker within several Cornell University online certificate programs.
Community Services:
Golf Advisory Committee; 2018 through present; Deputy Chair 2022, 2023
Diversity and Inclusion Committee; 2021
Democratic Municipal Committee, District 5 (2017 to present). Executive Board, Treasurer (2017-2022)
Somerset Hills YMCA board of directors (2022 to present); Chair, Cultural Engagement Committee
NJ Advisory Commission on the Status of Women, 2022 to present; elected Chair 2023
Greater Somerset County YMCA Board of Directors (2015-2023, term limit reached)
Past board service; Families and Work Institute; The PhD Project
Past Volunteer in Bernards Township Schools; co-chair, Balloons in June Ridge High School Junior Class Fundraiser and Teacher Appreciation Luncheon; Parent Advisor, William Annin Middle School Ski Club; Class Parent, Oak Street School
Past Volunteer in Bernards Township Parks and Recreation; Basketball Coach; grades 3-8
Professional Experience: Ana Duarte McCarthy is currently Principal, Duarte McCarthy Diversity Consulting, LLC, a Human Resources Consulting Practice providing advisory consulting services on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy, policy, and practices to Fortune 500 companies. Prior, Ana was Managing Director and Chief Diversity Officer of Citi, and then following 22 years at Citi, Senior Director, Corporate Partners for Forté Foundation. Ana also worked in the higher education sector supporting underrepresented communities at Passaic County College, and the New School for Social Research.
Committees Serving in 2025:
Agricultural Advisory Committee
Emergency Mgmt. Committee
Environmental Commission
Golf Advisory Committee
Municipal Alliance Committee
Patriotic Anniversary Committee
Police Sub-Committee
Shade Tree Committee
Born and raised in upstate New York, John Tompkins grew up in Ithaca and graduated from the University of Buffalo. He and his wife, Sharon, have lived in Bernards since 1999 and have two adult children who both attended Bernards Public Schools.
John enjoyed a dynamic career on Wall Street and spent eight years brokering currency arbitrage before building a credit default swap desk which he successfully ran until he retired in 2009. Post-retirement, John pivoted in an entirely different direction and founded JT’s Confections in 2012.
Deputy Mayor John Tompkins
As his new business became profitable, Tompkins’ mission became, “To help those who help others” and he began donating all profits to a variety of charities, including local non-profit organizations such as Summit Speech School, Homeless Solutions, The Battered Woman’s Shelter of NJ, and the Transition Program for young adults with special needs at Randolph High School. JT’s also supports national organizations, specifically, St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Disabled American Vets.
In 2014 John became a Trustee and Member of the Board of the Summit Speech School and spent the next ten years strengthening the school’s position for continued success.
John has witnessed a lot of local change over the last 26 years and wants to ensure that Bernards remains a great place to live and raise a family. When he’s not busy creating confections, he enjoys golfing and traveling with his family.
Committees Serving in 2026:
Brett Hodges hails from NY’s Hudson Valley. His mom was a school teach and dad was a minister. Brett holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Arizona and an MBA from the University of New Mexico. He and his wife, Claudia, moved to Bernards in 2008.
As their two adult daughters made their way through the township’s public schools, Brett co-managed everything from Destination Imagination teams to Ridge Forensic competitions. He also served as co-President of the Ridge Marching Band Parents’ Association.
Committeeman
Brett Hodges
Brett’s professional career has spanned several areas, including the Staffing, Banking and Financial Services industries. Most recently, he spent 23 years at Prudential Financial, acting as a Project Director where, among several other roles, he spearheaded remediation efforts. He currently serves as the Lay Leader at Bishop Janes United Methodist Church and a former Treasurer and co-manager of the Evergreen Cemetery. Currently Brett serves on God’s Co-op Pantry’s Board of Directors.
Hodges believes there is an opportunity locally to ensure diverse points of view and approaches are heard. He feels that living in a world dominated by one party, both at the national and local levels, is cause for concern. His upbringing, his Faith, his family and his life experiences have taught him to “walk your talk” — a principle that influenced his run for Bernards Township Committee.
In terms of other interests and beliefs, Brett has been across the United States three times by motorcycle and sees life as being about more than textbooks and careers but defined by experiences. The Hodges have traveled extensively around the United States and the world, visiting Ireland, Greece, South Korea, Sweden, Chile, Peru, and England.
Committees Serving in 2026:
