Chair of Planning & Grants
Councilwoman Tameika Garrett-Ward was selected by the East Orange City Council to fill a vacancy in the Fourth Ward. She was elected at the General Election on November 5, 2019 to fill an unexpired term.
Councilwoman Tameika Garrett-Ward is a lifelong resident of East Orange whose family has a long history in the City dating back over 90 years. She is a product of the East Orange Public School System and is a proud “Panther “Alumni of the 100th graduating class of East Orange High School. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Montclair State University and a Master’s Degree in Education: Administration and Supervision from St. Peter’s University.
Councilwoman Tameika Garrett-Ward worked as a Summer Youth Employment Office Assistant with the City’s Division of Real Property. In 1989 she became a lifeguard and became an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor. In 1992 Councilwoman Garrett-Ward became a Lifeguard First Aid and CPR Instructor and a Certified Pool Operator. She worked her way up to Pool Manager and eventually Aquatic Director/Coordinator for the East Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Councilwoman Garrett-Ward spent 26 years training, certifying and hiring minorities as professional lifeguards. She along with her assistant (Coach Counts) coached an award-winning City of East Orange Youth Games Swim Team during the early 2000’s. They also won the New Jersey Recreation & Park Association Excellence in Educational & Interpretive Programming Award for Autistic Swim & Safety Lessons (2017). Her local and community involvement has been recognized by both the East Orange School District, which awarded her the Mildred Barry Garvin School Parent of the Year (2004) and the Clark School of East Orange Community People of Influence Award (2010).
Councilwoman Tameika Garrett-Ward is a Fourth Ward Democratic Municipal County Committee Leader. She has chaired the Arts, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Committee and served as a member of the Health and Education, Planning & Grants and the Public Safety Committees.