Danielle Jones
Danielle M. Jones (she/her) is a Councilwoman for the Borough of Eatontown, located in Monmouth County ,New Jersey. In this role, she serves as the Chair of the Finance & Ordinance Committee and Council Liaison to multiple committees and boards, including the Eatontown Board of Education, Monmouth Regional High School Board of Education, and Eatontown Environmental Commission. Since being sworn into office in 2021, she has hosted various community events, including a MLK Day of Service, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month.
In 2023, Danielle worked towards the Borough of Eatontown adopting a resolution celebrating Women in Public Office Day annually on March 19th. Additionally, Danielle launched the Municipal Government Internship Program (MGIP) in Summer 2023, a paid internship program for high school and college students to gain experience working for a municipal government .Furthermore, in September 2024, because of her efforts, the Borough of Eatontown adopted a resolution recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth, in conjunction with the state holiday.
Danielle earned her B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, from Cabrini University in 2013. She also earned her A.A. in Social Sciences from Brookdale Community College in 2009. Her academic accomplishments led her to become a life member of four national honor societies, including Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In 2017, Danielle served as a graduate intern for Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of New Jersey(AICUNJ), and Legislative District #11 for General Assemblymembers Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey. Additionally, Danielle served as a Graduate fellow for the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) for the State of New Jersey in Fall 2019. In June 2022, she was appointed by Governor Philip D. Murphy to serve as a Commissioner on the New Jersey Amistad Commission. In December 2024, she joined the Human Services Program Advisory Board at Brookdale Community College.
Danielle was selected to serve as the inaugural College Caucus Chair for the New Jersey Young Democrats (NJYD), serving in this role from March 2021 – June 2022. Meanwhile, Danielle successfully completed the six-month Institute for the New Jersey Chapter of New Leaders Council (NLC) in June 2021, the one-year fellowship for LEAD New Jersey in December 2022, and the Signature Training Program for Emerge New Jersey in May 2023.
In March 2022, she completed the “Strategic Communication for Public Leaders” and “Foundations for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” certificate programs through Rutgers Center for Executive Leadership in Government and Rowan University, respectively. During her full-time enrollment in graduate school, Danielle finished Empathy Training through the Center for Empathy Research and Training (CERT) at Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2023, and multiple independent study course certifications including “Introduction to Command System(ICS-100)” from the Emergency Management Institute of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Spring & Summer 2023. In the spring of 2023, she joined the New Jersey Chapter of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), the National Forum of Women Legislators (NFWL), Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey (WPCNJ), and rejoined the American College Personnel Association – College Student Educators International (ACPA®) and Women in Government Relations (WGR) as a student member. In November 2023, Danielle completed the “Antiracist Pedagogy & Practices” certificate, where she completed a final project addressing the pipeline of diverse candidates of students and young professionals to pursue a career in government. Utilizing the knowledge base, skills, and networks gained from Emerge New Jersey’s Signature Training Program.
With her desire to refine her networking skills and leadership abilities, Danielle completed the inaugural leadership Institute for the New Jersey Black Women’s Collective (NJBWC)in June 2024.
Danielle continues to be actively involved in implementing social equity, voter education, and political advocacy initiatives for various communities and organizations across the state. She enjoys planning outreach and advocacy events to educate students about diversity, civic engagement, community service, and advocacy. Furthermore, she is engaged with local community leaders in Monmouth County to plan events and outreach to address various topics including career development, mental health, diversity, social equity, and racial justice. As a result of her work, Danielle was named one of the “Phenomenal Women Under 40” by the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore in September 2021, “Elected of the Year” by the Monmouth County Young Democrats in October 2021, “Young Democrat of the Month” by the New Jersey Young Democrats in June 2022, the 2022 Medalist in the “Elected Officials” category for the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards in June 2022, and received the Community Service Award from the Phi Upsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. in August 2022. Danielle was also named a 2023 Honoree in the “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Champion for Justice” category for the New Jersey State Governor’s Volunteerism Awards (formerly Jefferson Awards) in June 2023, and one of the Jersey Shore’s Most Influential – Community Impact for 2024 by the Asbury Park Press in September 2023. In April 2024, Danielle received the Political Acumen Award from the Central Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC, Inc.). In February 2025, Danielle will receive the “Excellence in Civic Engagement” award from the Jersey Shore Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
With her diverse work experience and academic training, Danielle strives to utilize the knowledge, skills, and resources gained from her experiences to be successful in both her personal, professional, and political life. She believes in collaboration, cooperation, and creating strategic partnerships in building successful relationships and networks. Her attention to detail, planning and organizational abilities, and interpersonal communication skills have served as valuable assets throughout her career.
Danielle currently resides in Eatontown, New Jersey, with her family.