Deputy Mayor and Councilor-At-Large Susan Shin Andersen has been a Montclair 3rd Ward resident since September 2009. Born in South Korea and raised in the Philadelphia area, Councilor Shin Andersen discovered Montclair while a law student.
A proud 1.5 generation immigrant, Councilor Shin Andersen believes everyone can make a difference, in small and large ways. She has developed a lifelong commitment to volunteer service, community empowerment, and coalition-building.
Her passion for service was solidified as a student, having served in leadership roles in student organizations, and even co-founding the Street Law program at Rutgers School of Law – Newark.
Besides earning her Juris Doctorate (JD), Councilor Shin Andersen has a bachelor’s degree (AB) in Sociology at Bryn Mawr College. Prior to law school, Councilor Shin Andersen worked in New York City assisting clients facing eviction from both privately-owned and public housing. Post-law school and a brief stint in the legal field, Councilor Shin Andersen pursued a career in research administration working for large academic medical research institutions.
Her professional experience includes regulatory submission and compliance, and almost 10 years of contract negotiation during which she negotiated with large pharma and medical device companies and academic institutions, and managed teams. Her current role is in policy and process development, management, and implementation. In all of these roles, she has collaborated with multiple stakeholder groups.
When not working, Councilor Shin Andersen enjoys being outdoors as much as possible, running, hiking, practicing yoga, attending arts and cultural events and performances, cooking and eating delicious food, reading, journaling, traveling and learning. Her favorite running races so far have been the New York City Half Marathon and Philadelphia Half Marathon.
Community Involvement:
- Toni’s Kitchen: Advisory Committee since May 2018. Volunteer since 2010.
- Montclair Scholarship Fund: Established with Jason Andersen the Kaija Jung Andersen Memorial Scholarship fund in memory of our late daughter Kaija. The scholarship has made awards to Montclair High School students since 2020.
- Asian American and Pacific Islanders of New Jersey/Montclair (AAPI New Jersey/AAPI Montclair): Board Member - October 2022 to March 2024. Lead – Nonpartisan AAPI Get Out the Vote (GOTV) initiatives 2022-2024. Advocacy Committee since May 2021.
- St. Luke’s Episcopal Church: Vestry (governing board), May 2018-May 2024. Committees: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and New Leadership Development.
- Montclair Public Schools: Class parent at Nishuane Elementary School, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
- Early childhood literacy programs: Volunteer reader.