LaMonica McIver

LaMonica McIver is a compassionate leader and committed public servant. Born and raised in the Central Ward, LaMonica McIver is a public educator and a mother who has spent her life working in her community as a dedicated public servant. She is the Founder of Newark G.A.L.S., Inc. and founding Trustee of The Believe In Newark Foundation. She attended Warren Street School and graduated from Morton Street School to go on to attend Central High School, where she graduated as a Pre-Engineering Student in 2004. LaMonica has spent her life working in her community and being a dedicated public servant. Growing up in New Hope Village in City’s Central Ward, LaMonica had a passion to inspire and help people within her community. LaMonica started working in politics at the age of 13. Organizing youth groups to encourage others the importance of getting out to vote.

After earning an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Bloomfield College and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Seton Hall University, she began her career as a School Leader, Educator, and HR Professional at a host of diverse public school districts.

In 2004, LaMonica became a Future Business Leader with the Newark Public Schools in which she quickly worked her way up the ladder to work as a Clerk, Systems Analyst, and HR Regional Partner for the District. Among her professional journey, she has served as a HR Director for the Secaucus Public Schools, Willingboro Public Schools & Montclair Public Schools.

Having a successful professional career is one of LaMonica’s biggest accomplishments but her truest accomplishment and most dearest is the work she has achieved while serving the residents of the City of Newark.

LaMonica started Newark G.A.L.S., Inc. 2012. After growing up and serving in the Newark community, her passion to help young women became an essential mission of hers. Her hope was to give back to young girls in the community that gave to her.

Newark Gals is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of women from Newark. Through her leadership Newark Gals has empowered over 3000 girls at their annual girls conference they have hosted in the last 4 years at Central High School in the Central Ward, provided enrichment camps for girls over the summer, and helped launch and open the City’s first Center of Hope for Women and Girls in the Central Ward. Now as a partner with Newark Public Schools she continues to lead the organization by creating effective programs for High School Girls at the Marion Bolden Student Center.

In addition, LaMonica is very proud of the accomplishments of the Believe In Newark Foundation in which she helped found in 2014. The Believe in Newark Foundation is a non- profit organization that serves as a vehicle to provide resources, technical assistance and foster greater giving to support the nonprofit community and the residents of the City of Newark. Under LaMonica’s leadership, the Believe in Newark Foundation has provided thousands of resources to the residents of Newark. Resources such as funding for small organizations, turkeys and food baskets to residents, programs and activities for seniors, toys for children during the holidays, and scholarships for Newark High School Seniors.

LaMonica’s mission remains unchanged: fighting for the quality of life for all residents of the Central Ward. Since finding the love of her community at age 11, she has not stopped serving the community. She serves in whatever capacity needed to help those of their City.

In 2018, LaMonica was elected as Council Member of the Central Ward. She is the youngest woman and Council Member to serve on the Newark Municipal Council. It’s the privilege of LaMonica’s life to work on behalf of ALL the people of the Central Ward