ASSEMBLYWOMEN AURA K. DUNN AND MICHELE A. MATSIKOUDIS ANNOUNCED 2024 RECIPIENTS OF THE 31ST ANNUAL MILLICENT FENWICK AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— The Somerset County Federation of Republican Women is pleased to announce the recipients of their 2024 Millicent Fenwick Award. This award is presented annually as it acknowledges and recognizes those women who have dedicated their lives to outstanding public service and leadership. Assemblywomen Aura Dunn and Michele Matsikoudis are this year’s honorees announced in celebration of the 31st Anniversary of this prestigious award.

Millicent Fenwick, the award’s namesake, was a special person in New Jersey and in Congressional history. Always a class act, she was an effective leader in New Jersey and in Congress and became known for her work and the unique person she was. Her famous motto, “be useful” relates to both Aura and Michele for contributions to their communities as well as their political careers. Assemblywoman Aura Dunn is serving her fifth year in the Legislature representing the 25th District. She currently serves on the Assembly Budget and Children, Families & Food Security Committees. Dunn holds the Assistant Whip Leadership position in the Republican Caucus and is appointed to the Human Relations Council and Women’s Re-entry Commission. She also is a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Legislative Disability Caucus.

She joined the Assembly after a 30-year career in public service. She was the District Director for 12-term Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen from 2016 to 2019, a budget analyst on education policy for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee from 1997 to 2000, and a policy advisor for the House Veterans Affairs Committee. She also represented America’s Public Television Stations, Sesame Street, and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood before Congress and the White House.

One of Assemblywoman Dunn’s proudest accomplishments from her time on Capitol Hill was her work on the Campus Crime Disclosure Act, better known as the Clery Act. The landmark legislation requires colleges and universities to issue on­campus crime statistics and security information.

Dunn currently serves as a board member of the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation. She served on the boards of both the Morris Habitat for Humanity and Morris County Mental Health Addiction Services. She volunteers as a JBWS-certified domestic crisis response team member for local police departments. Since 2010, her family has hosted a NYC child each summer through the Fresh Air Fund program. As a loving mom and beloved Troop Leader, Aura participated with the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey.

Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis has been serving the New Jersey General Assembly for the 21st Legislative District since 2021. In addition to having a full-time Real Estate career, Michele has devoted time and energy volunteering in a plethora of community organizations.

Prior to being elected to the General Assembly, and even before being on New Providence’s Borough Council, Michele served as a Board Member for the Simpson Baber Foundation for the Autistic. She was a member of the Communities and Activities Advisory Board, PTA President at both Salt Brook Elementary School, and the New Providence Middle School. In these community leadership roles, her most significant contributions included successful fundraising for the schools and initiating/ implementing programs and activities between the Middle School and the Recreation Department.

During this time, she was also invited to participate in PBSIS, a character education and positive behavior initiative run through the NJ State Dept. of Education. New Providence Middle School was one of the few schools selected statewide to participate in the pilot program. She has also served on the New Providence Board of Health and the Economic Development Committee. Additionally, she was a board member of the New Providence Education Foundation where she assisted with their fundraising efforts. The Corporate Sponsorship Program, which she chaired, raised more than $125,000 during her tenure. The Foundation has raised almost $1,000,000 since its inception. These programs are still in existence today.

Michele has also sat on the Executive Board for the OCFA (an age friendly initiative), as a team member for the New Jersey Veterans Network and as an executive board member for the Mountain Valley Emergency Communications Center (MVECC) which then included New Providence, Summit and Millburn. As a member of the Borough Council, she served as liaison for the New Providence Diversity Committee and the Sustainability team. Michele also cofounded FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group) of New Providence and remains extremely active in her hometown community.

Michele regularly participates in several Women’s leadership groups, including the Daughters of Penelope, as she recognizes the need for strengthening women roles in today’s society. She has received The NJ VFW commendation Award medal and a New Jersey Joint legislative Resolution for her ongoing efforts with the New Jersey Veterans Network.

We congratulate these most deserving Assemblywomen and invite the community to their Award Ceremony Dinner to be held at Fox Hollow Golf Country Club in Branchburg, NJ on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Cocktails at 5:30 PM and Dinner at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $90pp and should be purchased in advance. Checks should be made payable to “SCFRW” and mailed to SCFRW, P.O. Box 6164, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Opportunities for event sponsorships and ad journal advertising are available.

Questions ? Email: millicentfenwickdinner@gmail.com

About: The Somerset County Federation’s mission is to educate and energize Republican women by giving them the tools, the contacts and exposure to the political process that will enable and empower them to command any position of leadership they choose. There is no better time for women to significantly influence the New Jersey political scene, and no better place than Somerset County. The time to move forward is now. https://scfrw.com/