Bonnie Watson Coleman

Bonnie Watson Coleman
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 15th Legislative District
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 1998 Serving with Reed Gusciora
New Jersey General Assembly Majority Leader
In office January 12, 2006 – January 12, 2010
Preceded by	Joseph J. Roberts
Succeeded by	Joseph Cryan
Personal details
Born	February 6, 1945 (1945-02-06)
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Ewing Township, New Jersey
Website	http://www.assemblydems.com/memberindex.asp?RosterKey=180

Bonnie Watson Coleman (born February 6, 1945) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998, where she represents the 15th Legislative District.

Watson Coleman served as the Majority Leader of the Assembly since 2006 to 2010. She serves in the Assembly on the Legislative Services commission. She had previously served on the Appropriations Committee (as Chairwoman from 2002–2006), the Budget Committee, and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee.

Watson Coleman served as New Jersey Democratic State Chairwoman from 2002–2006. She served on the Governing Boards Association of State Colleges from 1987–1998 and as its chair from 1991-1993. Watson Coleman was a member of the Ewing Township Planning Board from 1996-1997. She was a member of the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Board of Trustees from 1981–1998 and was its chair from 1990-1991.

In 1974, she established the first Office of Civil Rights, Contract Compliance and Affirmative Action, in the New Jersey Department of Transportation and remained the Director of that office for six years. In 1980, Watson Coleman joined the Department of Community Affairs, where she held a number of positions including, Assistant Commissioner, responsible for Aging, Community Resources, Public Guardian and Women Divisions.

Watson Coleman became the first African American woman to lead the State party when she was elected Chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, on February 4, 2002.

Watson Coleman received a B.A. from Thomas Edison State College in 1985, and attended Rutgers University. Born in Camden, she currently resides in Ewing Township. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

District 15

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 15th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:

• Senator Shirley Turner, and
• Assemblyman Reed Gusciora

External links

• Assemblywoman Watson Colemans's Campaign Website
• Assemblywoman Watson Colemans's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature
• New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms:
  • 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
• Assembly Member Bonnie Watson Coleman, Project Vote Smart
• New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003

Political offices
Preceded by Joseph J. Roberts	Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly 2006 – 2010	Succeeded by Joseph Cryan
Preceded by Leonard Lance	Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee 2002 – 2006	Succeeded by Nellie Pou
Party political offices
Preceded by Joseph J. Roberts	Chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee 2002 – 2006	Succeeded by Joseph Cryan