Senator Renee Burgess Contact information

Renee Burgess is a Democratic Party politician who has been serving as a member of the New Jersey State Senate, representing District 28. She assumed office on September 29, 2022. Her current term ends on January 11, 2028. Burgess ran for re-election to the New Jersey State Senate to represent District 28 and won in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Renee Burgess has an extensive background in leadership and public service through elected and appointed positions in government as well as employment in the private sector. A lifelong resident of Irvington, New Jersey, she has served the community as a member of the Irvington Township Municipal Council since 2014.

Her path to elected office began in 2000 when she became the District Leader for Irvington’s Southward 2. Burgess later was elected to the Irvington School Board, a position she held longer than any other member to date (2003-2014). Her performance on the Board was acknowledged by her colleagues when she was chosen by them to become the Vice President of the Board for one year and the Board’s President for two terms.

During her tenure on the Irvington School Board, Burgess was successful in leading the initiative for uniforms to be worn by all students of the school district. She was also a prime proponent of the school district’s football field which is a place of pride for the community. In addition to these accomplishments, Burgess founded and is the president of the Thurgood Marshall Area Block Association and is the Committee Chair of the Irvington South Ward Democratic Committee.

In 2014, Burgess was bestowed the honor and responsibility of serving Irvington when she was elected to the Irvington Municipal Council as Council Member-At-Large, which provides her a platform from which to serve all residents and business-owners of the township. She was re-elected to the position of Council Member-At-Large in 2018. On October 15, 2019, Burgess was appointed to serve as the President of the Municipal Council.

Burgess earned her Associates Degree in Business at Essex County College, her Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Pillar College and her Master’s in Public Affairs and Administration from Metropolitan College of New York. Burgess’ professional experiences have prepared her and continue to add to her service of people. She was employed: over ten (10) years in Customer Service and payroll at Merck Pharmaceutical Company; six (6) years at CA One Services, Newark Airport, where she supervised a crew of fifteen (15) employees and managed ten (10) lounges; and, more than eleven (11) years as an Asset Manager for CIT Capital in Livingston, NJ where she was responsible for managing accounts as large as $1.2 million. Burgess received numerous awards and acknowledgments for her performance and leadership skills in these roles.

Burgess was also previously employed by the Township of Irvington as the Purchasing Clerk before assuming the position of Payroll and Purchasing Specialist for the Irvington Housing Authority. She was promoted from this position to become the Housing Authority’s Supervisor of Accounts and Human Resource Administrator.

Renee Burgess believes the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a departure from our American ideals, and a failure to recognize and protect a core protection for women in this country to make their own health care decisions. Renee believes it cannot stand, and is fighting to restore the right of all women to make their own health care decisions. Renee Burgess has been an advocate for women’s health and reproductive justice her entire life. Renee has both a profound reverence for life and an abiding respect for choice. She fundamentally believes that health care is a human right, and that health care decisions should be left between a patient and their doctor.