Mildred, retired as a Braille teacher and education consultant for the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, has been a force for positive change in Newark for over 40 years. She is the first woman President of the City of Newark Municipal Council with deep roots in her community. She served as President and Trustee of Integrity House, Steering Committee Chairperson of the Bridge to Recovery, Trustee with the Boys and Girls Club of Newark. She is a member of the Newark branch of the NAACP and of the Save Our Children Coalition.

She is a founding member of the New Jersey Coalition of 100 Black Women, the National Political Congress for Black Women of New Jersey and the Global Women’s Leadership Collaborative of New Jersey.

Mary Jo Codey, former First Lady of New Jersey, has courageously conducted a tireless campaign to promote national awareness and understanding of women’s mental health issues. By sharing her personal battles with post partum depression and breast cancer, she encourages women to take charge of their health and of the health of their loved ones.

As a teacher in the New Jersey school system and as First Lady of New Jersey, Mary Jo Codey realized the unique opportunity she had to shape public opinion and the impact she could have on women’s health issues by coming forward with her personal health history.

As the first recipient of this Garden State Woman of the Year Award, Mary Jo Codey set a standard of commitment and excellence that will be used to select future award winners.