Sumter & Wimberly

Shavonda Sumter:Shavonda E. Sumter is the younger of two children born to Charles and Bonnie Williams. A native of Paterson, Shavonda is a product of the public and private schools of Paterson, Prospect Park and Haledon. While in high school she served as Class President for her entire four years, and it was during this time that her passion for public service was ignited. Upon graduation from High School, Shavonda began her studies at Kean University, majoring in Political Science. She graduated from Kean receiving her Bachelor Arts Degree in 1996. During her college career, she worked for Assemblyman Frank Catania, Sr. who at that time served as Deputy Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly. This opportunity helped to broaden her understanding of the political process in our state and also helped her to realize that the political process must be caring and compassionate about helping people. It is a drive to help people that fuels her desire to serve in elected office.
Shavonda received her MBA in Health Care Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Silberman College of Business. Shavonda has sought to use her diverse talents and skills gained academically, professionally and through community service to help improve the lives of people in various communities that that her life has interacted with. In her professional life, she has served in a variety of capacities in health related fields, currently serving as Director of Behavioral Health Services at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ. In this capacity she manages a staff of over 100 and a budget of approximately 15 million dollars.
She is the recipient of numerous awards and citations, too numerous to mention recognizing her accomplishments as a community organizer, role model and an agent of change. In addition to her professional involvements, Shavonda is a dedicated community servant. She currently serves as a Vice President of the Paterson Branch NAACP; Chair Board of Trustees St. Luke CDC; Chair Greater Paterson OIC; Treasurer/Secretary Paterson Municipal Utilities Authority and a host of other community-based organizations that seek the advancement of all people. Shavonda was also the Campaign Manager for the successful 2010 Mayoral Campaign of Paterson mayor Jeffery Jones.
Shavonda and her husband, Kenneth (a long time educator in the City of Paterson) are the loving parents of a daughter, Tyler I. Sumter, and a son Kenneth Sumter.

Benji E. Wimberly: Benjie E. Wimberly was recently elected Councilman-At-Large May 2010. His leadership skills and experience as a coach, teacher, community worker, husband and father enabled him to wage a smart and successful campaign garnering the highest number of votes in this year’s council election. As a native born Patersonian, Councilman Wimberly keeps his hands on the pulse of the city having great familiarity and knowledge about its six wards. Having earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Virginia State University, Benjie returned to Paterson and became an integral member of the leadership team of our city. His vision to improve our city’s quality of life, to address the needs of our city’s youth, and to be a part of preparing Paterson and its stakeholders for the future is reflected in his successful career/community involvement paths. His professional career has always been focused around the improvement of the quality of life for youth and others in his city. As such, Councilman Wimberly served as a special education teacher at Eastside High School, coach and mentor for the EHS varsity football and baseball teams, and Director of Paterson Division of Recreation. Benjie Wimberly was the former head coach at Paterson Catholic High School. Under his guidance, the team won seven state championships and eight league championships!

During his tenure as Director of Recreation, Wimberly expanded program offerings that have introduced youth, young adults, adults and seniors to many positive experiences. Under his leadership the youth of Paterson have traveled to U. S. Youth Games throughout the USA, including Florida, California and Wisconsin. Believing that, “A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste”, Benjie has passionately labored to ensure that youth have an opportunity to further their education. He assisted and coordinated multiple efforts that have raised millions of dollars in scholarship funds for high school students via the athletics departments of Eastside High School and Paterson Catholic Regional High School, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the Mayor’s UNCF Task Force and the Rev. Dr. Frank Napier, Jr. Scholarship Committee. Acknowledged for his civic and athletic contributions, Benjie Wimberly is the recipient of more than forty awards and citations and continues to garner the respect and support from various segments of our community. He is the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award from Senator John Girgenti, the O. I. C. Youth Community Service Award, the Mayor’s Unsung Hero Award from the Boys & Girls Club of Paterson, the Rosa L. Parks Heritage Award from the Rosa L. Parks Arts High School, and the NY Giants Coach of the Week Award, Grand Marshall of the 2010 Paterson African Heritage Parade, just to mention a few. He firmly believes that his faith in God and his sincere work ethic, coupled with our community’s desire to forge ahead for a better future, will afford Paterson to be as great as the citizens that reside within its borders