Melissa Senatore

Melissa Senatore is a 47-year Jefferson resident. She is a graduate of the Jefferson School system. Throughout her youth in Jefferson, she participated in Jefferson’s recreation and travel team programs. She received a DECA scholarship to attend Johnson and Wales University. She played both basketball and softball for JWU. She earned an AS and a BS from Johnson and Wales University.
 

After returning from college, she joined her Mother’s interior design company, DC Designs LLC., in Oak Ridge, NJ. Melissa soon became an active member of the Jefferson Chamber. She was honored to win Business Woman of the Year in 2010 and also hosted Jefferson Highlights for several years.
 

In 2003, Melissa married her husband, Neil Senatore, a Jefferson resident for over 33 years. Melissa has 2 step- children both graduates of Jefferson Twp. Schools. Her step-son, Kyle, bought his first home in Jefferson in 2016 and is a division manager for TTI. Her stepdaughter, Natalie, and her husband, Shaun, reside in Jefferson. She is a special education aide. Melissa’s son Dillon was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 2025 and is now working with the E-Horizon work program. Melissa is still advocating for children with special needs in Jefferson. For years, she raised money for the Challenge League and had the Jefferson Town Council issue a proclamation declaring April Autism Awareness Month. Her fierce passion for equal education for all children inspired her to run for the Board of Education in 2012. During her 6 years on the School Board, she played an instrumental role in the special services in Jefferson Schools. His youngest daughter, Taylor, is a sophomore at Kutztown University, where she is studying Education. She hopes to become a teacher at Jefferson in the future. Taylor has been working for Lake Hopatcong Adventures for 3 years.
 

During her 6 years on the Board of Education, she has helped hire a new Superintendent, negotiate JTEA contracts, implement full-day Kindergarten, add job training for special services, and revise the curriculum to raise district test scores.
 

When elected to the council in 2018, Melissa served as Vice President for 1 year and President for 3 years. She has been on the Land Use Board for the past 5 years. She has worked with her fellow councilman updating ordinances, policies, and licenses for the township. One of the largest tasks has been implementing the 10-year plan. This has helped the municipal budget process each year by making it more organized and has helped the town plan future projects and spending.
 

Beyond her official roles, she has consistently volunteered throughout the town, dedicating her time and energy to initiatives that strengthen and support the community. When the S2 funding formula was announced 7 years ago, she was part of a team of educators and local officials fighting for our students. Over the past several months, she has been attending Zoom meetings, rallying, and even testifying in Trenton on behalf of the town.
 

In 2022, Melissa joined Hannon Floors, a family-owned company in NJ for 98 years. She is a regional sales director. In her free time, she loves spending her time on Lake Hopatcong with her Family and friends.